With regards to Eastern culture, societies have described self-control as “yielding, letting go, acceptance, and nonattachment” (Logue, 1995). This difference between the descriptions of self-control from those in Western society are not due to differences in definition, but rather the difference in what is considered a large outcome worth exhibiting self-control for. Emphasis must be made on the importance placed on self-control by the two societies. In Japanese culture, “individual gratification is valued much less than is advancement of the fortunes of the group. This requires individuals to set aside their personal interests in order to work for the long-term goals of society” (Logue, 1995).

Examples of self control in eastern societies:

• The samurai code, or ‘The Code of the Warriors’ also known as bushido, is a clear example of this.
• extreme self-control exhibited by high-school students in Japan preparing for college entrance examinations.
• Logue states that, “many Japanese organizations put more emphasis on the college examination score rather than on performance during college” (Logue, 1995).

• Logue, A.W. (1995). Self-Control: Waiting Until Tomorrow For What You Want Today. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall