Validation of the Japanese Version of the Modest Behavior Scale for Adults and Age and Gender Differences

Abstract

Social pressures, such as cultural norms of modesty, are thought to contribute to low self-esteem in East Asians, and modesty is a key concept in understanding the feelings, thoughts, and social behaviors of this population. Modesty has been found to encompass three aspects: avoidance of attention-seeking (AA), self-effacement (SE), and other-enhancement (OE). The current study validated the Modest Behavior Scale and examined age and gender differences in the three aspects of modesty in a sample of adults aged 20–69 years. A total of 400 Japanese individuals participated in the online survey. The results of hierarchical multiple regression analyses and simple slopes analyses revealed that older people tend not to seek attention but also not to devalue themselves, whereas younger people tend to devalue themselves but not to refrain from seeking attention. This implies that people in different age groups use different modesty strategies. In addition, gender differences were found in AA and OE. The age and gender differences in modesty were discussed in terms of hierarchical relationships and social role expectations.