Mechanisms of Identity formation from the viewpoint of relatedness

2017 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 15K04070
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Educational psychology
• Research Institution: Hiroshima University
• Principal Investigator: Sugimura Kazumi 広島大学, 教育学研究科, 教授 (20249288)
• Co-Investigator(Renkei-kenkyūsha): NIWA Tomomi 四天王寺大学, 教育学部, 講師 (50625936) ; MATSUOKA Mirei 愛知学院大学, 心身科学部, 講師 (30571294)
• Project Period (FY): 2015-04-01 – 2018-03-31
• Keywords: 教育心理学 / 発達 / 青年期 / アイデンティティ

Outline of Final Research Achievements

This study aimed to unravel the process of identity formation in adolescence from the viewpoint of relatedness. Here, we defined relatedness as the ways in which individuals interact with others in their identity exploration. First, we conducted a short-term longitudinal study with university students in Japan and observed how these students constructed their own identities through discussions with their peers. We analyzed the data particularly focusing on getting insights into the mechanisms involved in the process of identity formation. Second, we conducted a comparative study to examine as to if and how the relatedness is important in the process of identity formation. This second study used adolescents in Japan and the Netherlands. In doing so, we intended to demonstrate that relatedness works as a mechanism of identity formation in both Western and non-Western cultural contexts.

Free Research Field

発達心理学