Japanese Frames of Mind Cultural Perspectives on Human Development

Japanese Frames of Mind addresses two main questions in light of a collection of research conducted by both Japanese and American researchers at Harvard University: What challenge does Japanese psychology offer to Western psychology? Will the presumed universals of human nature discovered by Western psychology be reduced to a set of 'local psychology' among many in a world of unpredicted variations? The chapters provide a wealth of new data and perspectives related to aspects of Japanese child development, moral reasoning and narratives, schooling and family socialization, and adolescent experiences. By placing the Japanese evidence within the context of Western psychological theory and research, the book calls for a systematic reexamination of Western psychology as one psychology among many other ethnopsychologies. Written in mostly non-technical language, this book will appeal to developmental and cultural psychologists, anthropologists interested in psychological anthropology, educators, and anyone interested in Japanese and Asian studies.

Preface Robert LeVine; Introduction; Part I. Moral Scripts and Reasoning: 1. Moral scripts: a US-Japan comparison Hiroshi Azuma; 2. Moral reasoning among adults: Japan-US comparison Nobumichi Isawa; Part II. Mother and Child at Home: 3. The maternal role in Japan: cultural values and socioeconomic conditions Yoshie Nishioka Rice; 4. Japanese mother-child relationships: skill acquisition before the preschool years Shusuke Kobayashi; Part III. Group Life: The Young Child in Preschool and School: 5. Learning to become part of the group: the Japanese child's transition to preschool life Lois Peak; 6. Peer culture and interaction: how Japanese children express their internalization Victoria E. Kelly; Part IV. Adolescent Experience: 7. Beyond individualism and sociocentrism: an ontological analysis of personal experiences of Japanese adolescents Hidetada Shimizu; 8. Returnees to Japan: the impact of having lived in the United States Miya Omori; Part V. Reflections: 9. Children and families: reflections on the 'crisis' in Japanese child-rearing today Merry I. White.

Japanese Frames of Mind calls for a reexamination of Western psychology in the light of research conducted by Japanese and American researchers at Harvard University. The chapters provide a wealth of new data related to Japanese child development, moral reasoning, schooling, family socialization, and adolescent experiences.