A Decision-Theoretic Technique for the Illumination of Cultural Differences

Abstract

At a conference of U.S. and Japanese social scientists, a decision-theoretic, multiattribute utilities methodology was used to elucidate values and beliefs of each group. The ten-step process requires each group to specify their values and to rank order and importance weight them. Then a series of judgments are made about the extent to which a list of action alternatives is likely to maximize each value. Compared with the Japanese, the U.S. group was vociferously individualistic. The U.S. group used more extreme importance weights. The Japanese values emphasized the importance of the third world and improved international trade. Both groups judged energy resources, population policies, and economic and arms issues to be highly important. The method was useful in illuminating cultural differences.