An exploratory study of the Japanese concept of self

Thesis (M.Ed.)--University of Melbourne, Dept. of Learning and Educational Development, Faculty of Education, 2006The purpose of this study was to identify the structure and the components of the Japanese concept of self. In order to complete this, the Concept Mapping method and two Questionnaires were administered. Thirty young Japanese adult participants who had lived in Australia for more than three months participated in the preliminary study. They were instructed to sort cards and answer the questionnaire. The questionnaire consisted of three traditional Japanese selfconcept theories (amae, jiko fukakujitsuse, and kanjin-shugi). The results of the analysis of the data indicated that the outline of the Japanese concept of self has four dimensions. Each traditional Japanese self-concept theory occupied one dimension, except the concept of amae (dependence). The amae concept was scattered throughout four dimensions. It also was found that the fourth dimension was occupied by an unknown concept. This unknown concept was hypothesised as the concept of kojin-shugi (individualism). Based on the findings of the preliminary study, a translated Western made questionnaire (Marsh's SDQ III) was introduced to ninety-two Japanese university students who had lived in Japan for more than ten years. From analysing the results, it was found that the Japanese concept of self consisted of three main factors and thirteen sub-domains. It was also found that some of these thirteen sub-domains were different from the original Western concept of self From the results of the preliminary study, a new measurement (questionnaire) of the Japanese concept of self was created. This new questionnaire was administered to the same ninety-two Japanese university students. These data were analysed by Reliability Test and Exploratory Factor analysis. The results revealed that the Japanese concept of self had a two layered structure, four main factors and in total ten sub-factors. These main factors were found to be different from those of the translated Western questionnaire. These findings are discussed and conclusions drawn about the different structures revealed. It is maintained that translations of Western materials are unlikely to cover all important aspects of the Japanese concept of self