Cultural Differences in People’s Responses to Accidents

The aim of the current study was to understand how people from different cultures react to accidents collectively. Findings showed that South Koreans reported stronger emotions, greater self-blame, higher perceived control, and higher perceived responsibility than Canadians. Furthermore, stronger emotional response and perceived control might have led Koreans to perceive stronger responsibility (than Canadians) for the accidents. Traditionally, it has been believed that East Asians have a diminished sense of control over life events compared to Westerners. The present findings are therefore intriguing. This aids our understanding of cross-cultural differences in experiences of loss and trauma.