Advice Giving and Personality Traits of Japanese University Students:
A Pilot Study
by Mika Shimura

Appendix 1: Sample letters of advice

[Sample 1: From an individual who scored 22 points as extravert on the MMBI scale]

Dear Tom,

I think your restaurant's price is a little high. And I advice you please cut down food price and admit to enter children under age 5. Oh, I have one more advice. You hire students for cooks don't you? Maybe, the customs feel uneasy if they knew it. Then I think you had better keep a secret!

Love,
OOOO (name)

[Sample 2: From an individual who scored 18 points as extravert on the MMBI scale]

Dear Tom,

I heard that you had opened your new restaurant. Also, it isn't going very well. From your letter, probably there are some problems you should rethink.

Let me advice you. First, you should hire professional cooks. Good taste is the most important for restaurant. Second, main customers are students, aren't they? You should allow students to take out foods. It's more convenient for students. Third, the price of each dishes is high. You should lower them.

I hope your restaurant is going well.

Sincerely,
OOOO (name)

[Sample 3: From an individual who scored 22 points as introvert on the MMBI scale]

Dear Higgins,

Hello, Higgins. I have advice of your restaurant. First, you should down prices. I think the price is too expensive. Second, you should reduce number of menu. So, it can cost down. And I think you should employ the professional cooks.

If you do these, the restaurant will more bring a profit than now.

Your friend,
OOOO (name)

[Sample 4: From an individual who scored 18 points as introvert on the MMBI scale]

Dear Higgins,

I'm very glad to hear that you had opened your new restaurant. I went to have lunch before and the meals were so nice.

IBy the way, I'll give you some advices to make your shop better. First, you should open earlier to allow customers to have breakfast. Second, if you sink the prices, we'll want to come. Third, there're too many rules to use the restaurant.

II'm looking forward to seeing you. Good luck!

I hope your restaurant is going well.

Sincerely,
OOOO (name)

[ p. 35 ]

Appendix 2: Sample reading passage

On April 15, Tom Higgins opened a new restaurant at Benson University. He called it the Undergrad Grill. Tom had wanted to open a restaurant at Benson for several months but was waiting for the right location to become available. He was very pleased when he was able to rent suitable space on Restaurant Row. He figured that this would be a great location and well worth the high rent and all the renovations he needed to do on the building. Since he wanted to open the restaurant as soon as possible, he hired the first people he could find to do the renovations and painting. He ended up paying the workers more than the going rate in order to get the job done as quickly as possible. When the time came to open, he didn't have enough money to do much advertising. However, since his restaurant was surrounded by many other restaurants and since there were over 25,000 undergraduate and graduate students looking for a place to eat, Higgins was certain his restaurant would do well even without advertising. After placing several help-wanted ads in the local newspaper, Higgins hired two waitresses to work for him. He couldn't afford professional cooks, so he hired several students to do the cooking.

Unfortunately for Higgins, the competition was more intense than he had anticipated. After two months, his restaurant was not doing very well. One of his waitresses had quit and the number of customers was decreasing.

(from Blanchard & Root, 1997, p. 111)

- Back to Main Article -

[ p. 36 ]