Japanese Psychology Research Articles

Exploring the Mental Health of Japanese Graduate Trainees in Psychology:Comparison with Non-Trainees in Other Departments.

This study investigated the mental states, such as depression and anxiety, of Japanese psychology graduate trainees (N = 57) who aspired to become psychologists, compared with non-trainees (N = 80) in other departments. The results showed that, among trainees, 25% exhibited mild depression, 26% exhibited moderate depression, 9% exhibited moderately severe depression, and 5% exhibited severe depression. Among non-trainees, the corresponding figures were 31%, 10%, 6%, and 4%, respectively. Welch's t-test revealed that the trainees showed significantly higher anxiety and higher scores on the "work or study" subscale of the Sheehan Disability Scale (SDISS) compared with the non-trainees. A two-way ANOVA indicated that first-year trainees had a significantly higher SDISS total score than second-year trainees. The survey was conducted 2-4 months after the commencement of first-year clinical training, during which first-year trainees tend to face many new challenges. This might be the reason for their higher SDISS than the second-year trainees. These findings emphasize the importance of prioritizing the mental well-being of Japanese graduate students pursuing careers in psychology, given their high levels of anxiety. J. Med. Invest. 71 : 356-359, August, 2024.

Dance/movement therapy pedagogy with Japanese psychology graduate students: facing ‘haji’

The Japanese cultural trait, haji can manifest as a barrier to self-expression in dance/movement therapy (DMT). Fifteen DMT groups were facilitated with three Japanese clinical psychology graduate students over eight months to cultivate Japanese psychology graduate students’ empathic, bodily, nonverbal interactions. A cultural protocol was developed to attend to the participants’ sense of haji: (1) Creating Ba (safe place), (2) Repetition of activities with kata (forms), and (3) Acquiring Kamae (embodied preparedness). The case study illustrates how the manifestation of haji can be used as an indicator to confirm a sense of safety. The importance of conveying the essence of DMT in a manner that takes into account the cultural protocols of the trainees are discussed. The authors recommend that educators pay attention to the blending of various influences in culture rather than dichotomising knowledge and practice.

THE IMPACT OF THE SOFT TERRORISM CONCEPT ON KOREANS AND JAPANESE

The development of social media and Internet technologies has increased the speed of news, and people have gained immediate access to information on many issues. However, it has also affected terrorist organizations by changing their methods, strategies, and visions. With these new methods and strategies, today’s terrorist organizations negatively affect the psychology of South Koreans and Japanese, who are not targets of global terrorism. Recent studies have shown that a significant proportion of Japanese and South Koreans are worried about terrorism despite their limited history of terrorism compared with the rest of the world. This research suggests that the fear of terrorism in these countries could be explained using the concept of soft terrorism. This study performed a quantitative analysis of the seventh wave of the World Values Survey using the ordinal logistic regression (OLR) method, finding that the fear of terrorism is attributed to active media sources such as the Internet for South Koreans and passive media sources such as social media for the Japanese.

Recent movements in theoretical psychology in Japan

The purpose of this article is to report on the status quo in Japanese theoretical psychology and introduce some of the recent theoretical debates relating to psychology and related fields in Japan. Theoretical psychology has not been very active in Japanese psychology so far. However, despite that, very important studies on theoretical issues in psychology have been conducted in the last 20 years, such as theoretical debate concerning “new forms of psychology”; methodological arguments about qualitative approaches, narrative psychology, and clinical psychology; detailed studies on the history of Japanese modern psychology; and the creation of new interdisciplinary fields of research. At present, Japanese psychology seems to be a collection of small diverse paradigms. I conclude that more theoretical and philosophical arguments are needed in order to avoid narrowing psychologists’ view on humanity and to pursue the true and comprehensive understanding of the object.

Changes in word usage until the emergence of the current meaning "empathy" in Japanese psychology.

Changes in word usage until the emergence of the current meaning "empathy" in Japanese psychology.

A Development of Simulator Considering Behavioral Psychology of Japanese to Improve Evacuation Ratio in Flood

In Japan, the natural disasters causes a lot of damages of residents. For example, the flood caused by heavy rain and house collapse due to earthquake. As you know, no one can evacuate from earthquake because it is not knowable that when the earthquake will occur. The residents, however, often have chances to evacuate from flood caused by heavy rain because there is a little time left before the flood occurs. In order to improve the evacuation ratio, the system to share the evacuation status of neighbors has been proposed. Although a survey showed that the system is so effective to improve the evacuation ratio, the number of neighbors to share the evacuation status has not been clear. The aim of this study is a development of the simulation of the residents in order to find the optimal number of the neighbors to share the evacuation status. In this paper, the simulator based on the behavioral psychology for the evacuation ratio in flood is considered. The main target in the simulation is the action of human, so the game theory is appliable. The residents, which is players in the game theory or agents in the simulator, will make decisions based on the statuses of their neighbors. In the experiments, the actual evacuation ratio can be obtained by a simulation with a premise that the residents can never know the evacuation status of their neighbors. For the future work, the optimal number of neighbors to share evacuation status should be simulated in view of the improvement of evacuation ratio in flood.

Brian J. McVeigh, The History of Japanese Psychology: Global Perspectives, 1875-1950, SOAS Studies in Modern and Contemporary Japan Series, London: Bloomsbury Academic, 2017, 336 pp.

Brian J. McVeigh, The History of Japanese Psychology: Global Perspectives, 1875-1950, SOAS Studies in Modern and Contemporary Japan Series, London: Bloomsbury Academic, 2017, 336 pp.

The Japanese psychology of resignation, akirame, and the writings of Kawabata

The concept of resignation carries widely divergent meanings in the cultural contexts of Western and Eastern experiences. Whereas the Western perspective of resignation implies a negative, impoverished state of self-assertion, the Eastern perspective contains wider and more complex meanings, among which is that resignation is a virtue to be cultivated. Using the writings of the Nobel Prize winner in Literature Yasunari Kawabata, akirame, the Eastern, specifically Japanese, concept of resignation, will be examined for its multilayered psychological and cultural meanings. In addition, from Kawabata’s writing and biographical information, I demonstrate how the Western psychoanalytic concept of Oedipal conflict relates to and manifests in the Eastern psychology of resignation, bridging both Eastern and Western cultures to elucidate underlying, universal human conflicts.

Brian J. McVeigh. The History of Japanese Psychology: Global Perspectives, 1875–1950. (Studies in Modern and Contemporary Japan.) ix + 319 pp., figs., tables, apps., bibl., index. London: Bloomsbury, 2017. $114 (cloth).

Previous articleNext article No AccessModernBrian J. McVeigh. The History of Japanese Psychology: Global Perspectives, 1875–1950. (Studies in Modern and Contemporary Japan.) ix + 319 pp., figs., tables, apps., bibl., index. London: Bloomsbury, 2017. $114 (cloth).Geoffrey BlowersGeoffrey Blowers Search for more articles by this author PDFPDF PLUSFull Text Add to favoritesDownload CitationTrack CitationsPermissionsReprints Share onFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail SectionsMoreDetailsFiguresReferencesCited by Isis Volume 109, Number 1March 2018 Publication of the History of Science Society Article DOIhttps://doi.org/10.1086/696598 Views: 59Total views on this site © 2018 by The History of Science Society. All rights reserved.PDF download Crossref reports no articles citing this article.

Yujiro Motora and the beginning of Japanese psychology: Celebrating the 90th anniversary of Japanese Psychological Association

Yujiro Motora and the beginning of Japanese psychology: Celebrating the 90th anniversary of Japanese Psychological Association

Temporal Changes in Individualism and Their Ramification in Japan: Rising Individualism and Conflicts with Persisting Collectivism.

Many studies have shown that American culture has become more individualistic over time. However, it was unclear whether other cultures, especially East Asian cultures, have also shifted toward greater individualism. Therefore, this article reviewed studies investigating temporal changes in individualism in Japan and their ramifications on psychology and behavior. Japan has experienced rapid and dramatic economic growth and urbanization and has adopted more social systems based on individualistic concepts in various contexts (e.g., workplace, school). Recent studies have suggested that, along with these socioeconomic changes, Japanese culture has become more individualistic over time. Specifically, the divorce rate increased and household size decreased. Moreover, people give more unique names to their children and dogs, and individualistic words such as “individual” and “uniqueness” appear more frequently in newspapers. Furthermore, social values became more individualistic. Yet, it has also been shown that some collectivistic values still remain. As a result, people have difficulty in adapting to this coexistence, which injures interpersonal relationships and well-being. This paper discussed how Japanese culture changed over time and how such changes affected Japanese psychology and behavior.

History of “History of Psychology” in Japan

AbstractOnly a few Japanese psychologists have been interested in the history of psychology. The historiography—or the methodology of historical description—for the history of psychology has been ignored. Moreover, chairs for professors, academic journals, academic meetings, and an archive of the history of psychology remain to be established. In this paper, the history of the “history of psychology” in Japan is explored. This academic sub‐discipline has emerged only during the past few decades and a theory driven historiography covering the history of psychology was initiated in Japan only at the end of the 20th century. Activities on the history of Japanese psychology can be divided into three phases: (a) the traditional history (translations and introduction of foreign knowledge and celebration of history); (b) the transition phase (the movement towards social criticism and archival research from intra‐discipline); and (c) the history based on the historiography. Lastly, recent trends in the history of psychology in Japan are examined and discussed.

Japanese History of the Psychology of Fine Arts and Aesthetics

AbstractIn this paper we discuss the history of Japanese psychology of fine arts and aesthetics across five distinct periods: (a) the first expansion of arts psychology research (1907–1932); (b) children's drawings and Gestalt psychology (approximately 1932–1947); (c) the second expansion of arts psychology research, the psychoanalysis of art and art as a target for Gestalt and social psychology (1948–1967); (d) art therapy and the psychology of aesthetics using the semantic differential method and factor analysis (approximately 1968–1996); and (e) the third expansion of arts psychology research, Kansei and neuroaesthetics (1996–). Japanese arts psychology has been altered by the reformation of the discipline, and by the implementation of new methods and theories from overseas. The research targets, such as traditional arts (calligraphy, rock gardens, etc.) and pop culture (“Kawaii,” “Hello Kitty,” etc.), have appeared as Japanese original contributions to the psychology of the arts.

Introduction to Case Study Special Issue-- Case Studies in Japan: Two Methods, Two Worldviews

This issue of PCSP presents two case studies in Japan, commentaries from four prominent psychologists representing various research backgrounds, and the responses to the commentaries by the two authors. Japanese clinical psychology has historically emphasized the central role of the case study in psychotherapy and the inseparability of it from practice, research, and training. There is a plethora of case studies published in academic journals of clinical psychology and many practicing psychologists are engaged in case study activities as a part of their professional development as a result. However, this centrality of focus has not led to the examination of methodological issues associated with case studies. What constitutes a good case study or what kinds of evidence are necessary for a valid inference in case study research are both largely untouched topics. The wide variety of case studies in Japanese psychology form a continuum from one pole consisting of the traditional narrative case study to the other, consisting of a scientifically precise single case design to objectively track the change in targeted symptoms. In this issue, we present two outstanding examples of each type of case study. While different in type, each of the two case studies presented in this issue represents a model of how systematic and rigorous case studies can be conducted and documented as a form of psychotherapy research. We provide these two models (a) to encourage more case studies that meet these methodological standards, and (b) to promote the discussion on differing case study methodologies.

Learning and difficult experiences in graduate training in clinical psychology: A qualitative study of Japanese trainees’ retrospective accounts

This study examined the experiences of Japanese clinical psychology trainees in their graduate school with the aim of identifying factors that might enhance or hinder their learning and professional development. We analyzed the interview data obtained from 17 clinical psychologists using grounded theory approach. Two major category groups were generated: Developing as a Clinician and Difficulties. The primary positive learning experiences in Developing as a Clinician were labeled “Hot Learning,” in which trainees acquired professional knowledge and skills through close interpersonal engagement with clients, peers, faculty, and supervisors. In contrast, Difficulties involved trainees’ negative experiences resulting in feelings of self-doubt and incompetence. These experiences occurred in close but sometimes conflicted interpersonal contexts, where trainees felt evaluated in a manner incommensurate with the support they received. We found that the quality of interpersonal relationships, which provided the context for optimal learning for trainees, was paramount to the definition of positive versus difficult learning experiences. Implications for therapist training, professional development and future research are discussed.

Motora Yujiro’s contributions to Japanese psychology.

Motora Yujiro’s contributions to Japanese psychology.

教育・社会心理学の研究動向と展望

教育・社会心理学の研究動向と展望

インパクトファクターからみた“心理学研究”の評価

This study investigated the professional impact of "Japanese Journal of Psychology." Thirty four psychological journals written in Japanese were selected to register articles in a new database. This database included approximately 23,900 articles published through 2010. Using citations extracted from the references and footnotes in these scholarly journals, the Psychology Citation Index for Japanese Papers was created. The citation impact factors in Japanese psychology was determined on the basis of the number of times a journal was cited, cumulative impact factors, and the cited half-life of the journal; five years was a valid period for impact factor of psychological journals in Japan. The changes in the 5-year impact factors of "Japanese Journal of Psychology" were reviewed by comparing it with other journals.

The Japanese global leadership challenge: what it means for the rest of the world

The rise of the modern Japanese economy in general and of Japanese multinational corporations (MNCs) in particular has been well documented. However, as the Japanese economy has struggled and as emerging markets including China have taken off, interest in Japanese multinational firms has slid. This is unfortunate, because the relative failure of Japanese MNCs to adapt to a more complex, global marketplace can provide lessons for the rest of the world, particularly MNCs from emerging markets. The purpose of this work is to examine why Japanese firms succeeded first at home and then in exports, but overall failed to move successfully into international operations and globalization. This work is informed by examining the relative performance of Japanese firms on several databases, such as the Fortune Global 500 and United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), and through in-depth case studies – one of which we share here. Our research found that many of the factors that helped Japanese firms succeed at home and with exports became stumbling blocks as they set up operations overseas and later tried to globally integrate their increasingly complex worldwide operations. Specifically, their efforts to transplant into foreign operations methods that worked domestically and with exports created huge unanticipated negative consequences. In particular, the reliance of Japanese firms on home-country expatriates combined with their failure to identify and develop local talent or to promote non-Japanese leadership talent to regional and global positions severely hurts their ability to globalize their operations and grow their non-Japanese revenue, especially when compared to North American and European multinational firms. We review the huge challenges this posed not only on Japanese affiliates in general but on the people at senior leadership positions at home and abroad in particular. Understanding the psychology of both Japanese and foreign managers is critical to gaining insights into how and why so many Japanese multinational firms derailed over the past decade. We review not only the conditions that led to the failure of so many Japanese firms, but also the actions they need to take to regain their place on the global stage. Finally, our research offers a cautionary tale for multinational firms from emerging markets such as Brazil, Russia, India and China. Many firms from these countries are in situations that are similar to those of Japan 30 years ago. Failure to learn the lessons from the Japanese global leadership challenge could increase the chances that in not learning from history they are doomed to repeat it.

The Fukurai affair

The history of psychology in Japan from the late 19th century until the first half of the 20th century did not follow a smooth course. After the first psychological laboratory was established at Tokyo Imperial University in 1903, psychology in Japan developed as individual specialties until the Japanese Psychological Association was established in 1927. During that time, Tomokichi Fukurai, an associate professor at Tokyo Imperial University, became involved with psychical research until he was forced out in 1913. The Fukurai affair, as it is sometimes called, was not documented in textbooks on the history of Japanese psychology prior to the late 1990s. Among earlier generations of Japanese psychologists, it has even been taboo for discussion. Today, the affair and its after-effects are considered to have been a major deterrent in the advancement of clinical psychology in Japan during the first half of the 20th century.