Research

My research examines how individuals prioritize their needs and wishes and adjust to social and cultural constraints when it is necessary. This dimension has implications for what values and morality people hold and the quality and levels of well-being they have. Cultures have strong influences on seeking autonomy or adjusting their goals with social constraints. I am interested in how people navigate their life in seeking their autonomy but also are a part of society. Below are more specific research agendas in each area.

Culture

North American cultures are known to be individualistic, whereas East Asian cultures are known to be collectivistic. My research focuses on empirically validating this cultural difference and relevant psychological processes. I am also interested in how this cultural difference would influence other psychological and behavioral processes such as well-being, motivation, social cognition, and engagement in political activities.

Shahid, S., Noguchi, K., Bishop, R., Shahid, S., & Stepanova, E. V. (2025). Role of Hostile and Benevolent Sexism in Shaping Prejudice Against Working Women in the United States and Pakistan. Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology, 56, 511-527. https://doi.org/10.1177/00220221251320353 

Noguchi, K. (2023), Personal freedom, family compositions and well-being. International Journal of Psychology. 58(3), 207–216. https://doi.org/10.1002/ijop.12897

Noguchi, K. (2020). Grateful and existential meaning across cultures. Journal of Constructivist Psychology, 33, 344-359. 

Shrira, I., Wisman, A., & Noguchi, K. (2018). Diversity of historical ancestry and personality traits across 56 cultures. Personality and Individual Difference, 128, 44-48.

Noguchi, K., Kamada, A., & Shrira, I. (2014). Cultural differences in the primacy effect for person perception. International Journal of Psychology, 49, 208-210.

Noguchi, K., Handley, I. M., & Albarracín, D. (2011). Participating in politics resembles physical activity: General action patterns in international archives, US archives, and experiments. Psychological Science, 22, 235-242.

Dalsky, J. D., Gohm, L. C., Noguchi, K., & Shiomura, K. (2008). Mutual self enhancement in Japan and the United States. Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology, 39, 215-223.

Noguchi, K. (2007). Examination of the content of individualism/collectivism scales in  cultural comparisons of the USA and Japan. Asian Journal of Social Psychology, 10, 131-144.

Values

Individualism and collectivism could be understood as an issue of exerting one’s own will or adjusting their goal to a society’s interest. Related to this, I am interested in cultural influences on value systems, relationships of political ideology with values and morality, and relationships of values with psychological well-being.  

Noguchi, K. & Holliman (2025). Moral judgement on the use of market system ideology in social domains. International Journal of Psychology. https://doi.org/10.1002/ijop.70065

Sherwood, J., & Noguchi, K. (2024). Dying for help: How mortality salience impacts perceptions of victims. Death Studies, 1–8. https://doi.org/10.1080/07481187.2024.2419593

Bekafigo, M. A., Stepanova, E. V., Eiler, B. A., Noguchi, K., & Ramsey, K. L. (2019). The

effect of group polarization on opposition to Donald Trump. Political Psychology, 40, 1163-1178. 

Noguchi, K., Handley, I. M., & Albarracín, D. (2011). Participating in politics resembles physical activity: General action patterns in international archives, US archives, and experiments. Psychological Science, 22, 235-242.

Noguchi, K. (2007). Examination of the content of individualism/collectivism scales in cultural comparisons of the USA and Japan. Asian Journal of Social Psychology, 10, 131-144.  

Well-being

Being a good member of society is critical for one’s well-being. I am interested in how people find meaning in life in the context of social relationships. I am also interested in how being flexible by letting go of adverse events influences well-being. In this regard, my research focuses on the effect of different coping styles on well-being.

Mong, M., & Noguchi, K. & (2021). Emergency room physicians’ level of anxiety, depression, burnout, and coping methods during the Covid-19 pandemic. Journal of Loss and Trauma, online first, https://doi.org/10.1080/15325024.2021.1932127.

Noguchi, K. (2020). Grateful and existential meaning across cultures. Journal of Constructivist Psychology, 33,  344-359. 

Noguchi, K. (2020). Meaning frame theory: Meaning arises with reference points. Journal of Happiness Studies, 21, 3121-3141. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10902-019-00208-5.

Noguchi, K. (2017). Mindfulness as an end-state: Construction of a trait measure of mindfulness. Personality and Individual Difference, 106, 298-307.

Mong, M., Noguchi, K., & Ladner, B. (2012). Immediate psychological Impact of the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill: Symptoms of PTSD and coping skills. Journal of Aggression, Maltreatment, & Trauma, 21, 691-704.   

Cognition

We have a tendency to commit a cognitive bias known as selective exposure. We expose ourselves to information that validates our viewpoint. This could correspond to a tendency to prioritize our viewpoint rather than to adjust to social constraints. I am also interested in how tendencies of focusing on either positively or negatively valenced information could influence our cognitive processes. Past studies showed that positive and negative moods have influences on the following cognitive processes, and individual tendencies of seeking the valenced information have consequences on biased cognitive processing. Those who are in a negative mood or have a tendency to focus on negative events could process information more carefully. I am also interested in how incidental exposure to different word combinations could influence our motivation.

Albarracín, D., Fischler, I. & Noguchi, K. (2011). The syntax of defection and cooperation: The effects of the implicit sentences nice act and act nice on behavior change. Social Psychological and Personality Science, 2, 298-305.

Senay , I., Albarracín, D., Noguchi, K. (2010). Motivating goal-directed behavior through introspective self-talk: The role of the interrogative form of simple future tense. Psychological Science, 21, 499-504.

Albarracín, D., Handley, I. M., Noguchi, K., McCulloch, K. C., Li, H., Leeper, J., Brown, R. D., Earl, A., & Hart, W. P. (2008). Increasing and decreasing motor and cognitive output: A  model of general action and inaction goals. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 95, 510-523.

Noguchi, K., Gohm, L. C., & Dalsky, J. D. (2006). Cognitive tendencies of focusing on positive and negative information. Journal of Research in Personality, 40, 891-910.

Noguchi, K., Albarracín, D., Durantini, M. R., & Glasman, L. R. (2007). Who participates in which health promotion programs? A meta-analysis of motivations underlying enrollment and retention in HIV-prevention interventions. Psychological Bulletin, 133, 955-975.