ABSTRACT
Striking differences in criminality between countries are known. Those differences can be explained from the perspective of a motivation theory, especially if they are seen in their cultural context. The study covers an interval of nine years and compares data from subjects living in European, East-Asian and South-East-Asian cultures. Quantitative and qualitative differences in the aggression motive and in altruism were found. There were also differences in early child-rearing between the cultures. The results showed a longterm relationship between early child-rearing and the aggressiveness and altruism of the children nine years later. The most important variable was whether the mother was able to establish a relationship of secure attachment with her child. This was more the case for Japanese than German mothers and is embedded in a general cultural pattern. However, new data reveal different attitudes of Japanese mothers, possibly indicating a process of social change.
