Cultural Variations in Accounts by American and Japanese Young Adults: Recalling a Major Conflict With Parents

American (N = 208) and Japanese young adults (N = 181) were asked to recall a major conflict with their parents for our study on cross-cultural variations in family communication. Reported conflict episodes were coded on: 1) topical content, 2) conflict strategy used by the parents, 3) conflict strategy used by the young adults, 4) outcome, and 5) reported consequences of the conflict. In both countries, four categories of conflict were identified: life and educational decisions, social and socializing behavior, moral or appropriate codes of conduct, and parent's behavior. Japanese young adults reported integration strategies most frequently for themselves and for their parents. American young adults reported that they used avoidance and their parents used distributed strategies most frequently. In both countries, parents got the final words more than the young adults did. Significantly more reciprocity (i.e., use of same conflict strategies by parent and young adult) was observed in Japanese accounts than in the American accounts. Results are considered in light of cultural variability and relational communication practices in the United States and Japan.