JOURNAL ARTICLE

Shared Stories, Shared Emotions: Empathy in Japanese and American Parent-Child Reading.

Published In: Research on Children & Social Interaction, 2025, v. 9, n. 1. P. 56 1 of 3
Database: Academic Search Ultimate 2 of 3
Authored By: Waga Ozaki, Moeko 3 of 3

Abstract

This study investigates how empathy is socialized in Japanese and American parent–child dyads during shared reading of a wordless picture book. Analyzing data from 155 families, it finds that while both Japanese and American parents reference emotions with similar frequency, their scaffolding methods differ: Japanese parents often enact characters' emotions to foster immersive empathy, whereas American parents use layered, question-driven dialogue to promote cognitive perspective-taking. These culturally distinct approaches reflect differing communication styles but share the common goal of nurturing empathy in children aged 3 to 7. The findings contribute to understanding how parental interactions during book reading shape emotional development across cultures.

Additional Information

Source:Research on Children & Social Interaction. 2025/01, Vol. 9, Issue 1, p56
Document Type:Article
Subject Area:Education
Publication Date:2025
ISSN:2057-5807
DOI:10.3138/rcsi-2024-0005
Accession Number:187494513
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