Hofstede Model Indulgence vs. Restraint

On Indulgence and Restraint

Overview

    Indulgence versus restraint is the newest cultural dimension in Hofstede's model; it was added in 2010. This dimension, while nevertheless unique, is "more or less complementary to Long-versus Short-Term Orientation" (Hofstede, 2011, p. 15). Indulgence and restraint are defined by hofstede as follows:

Indulgence stands for a society that allows relatively free gratification of basic and natural human desires related to enjoying life and having fun. Restraint stands for a society that controls gratification of needs and regulates it by means of strict social norms. (Hofstede, 2011, p. 15)

     Put simply, individuals in indulgent societies are somewhat care-free (perhaps more liberal) both with their finances and social opinions, whereas individuals in restrained societies are less so. Neither is necessarily better.

Canada and Japan

    According to Hofstede's website, Canada scored 68 and Japan scored 42 (higher scores meaning more indulgent). To me, these results seem accurate. Canada is, for the most part, a relatively progressive country. People satisfy their desires and are infrequently judged harshly for doing so. In Japan, people are a bit more restrained, especially with regards to social issues. For instance, same-sex marriage is still very much taboo in Japan; Sanae Takaichi (Japan's PM) is a main opponent of same-sex marriage rights. Also, Attitudes about hierarchy (sensei/senpai/kōhai) and order are quite conservative. Given some of these differences, I can understand the scores.

    As for the economic component of this model, Japan seems almost more indulgent than Canada (at least on the surface). For example, there are so many malls in Japan, most of which are constantly full!  This is probably just survivorship bias, but Japan seems to be a very consumerist society. I know Japan has struggled through numerous economic hardships, which has led to immense market volatility, so I am pretty sure this may be a special moment in time due to changes in fiscal and monetary policy. I would not trust my judgement, however, as I never really went to malls when living in Canada so I don't really have anything to compare Japan to.

    Ultimately, I think once countries reach a certain economic status, differences in indulgence versus restraint are more so social and political instead of financial.

References

Hofstede, G. (2011). Dimensionalizing Cultures: The Hofstede Model in Context. Online Readings in Psychology and Culture, 2(1). https://doi.org/10.9707/2307-0919.1014

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