Matchmaking Activities of Parents of Unmarried Children and Intergenerational Relationships in Japan

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 17K12876
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Home economics/Human life
• Research Institution: Fukuoka Institute of Technology
• Principal Investigator: TANAKA Kumiko 福岡工業大学, 社会環境学部, 准教授 (40508503)
• Project Period (FY): 2017-04-01 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: 親の婚活 / 成人した子と親 / 中期親子関係 / 配偶者選択 / 見合い結婚 / 恋愛技術

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Several parents who have unmarried children are looking for their 　　　children's prospective mates. This research explored the situation by examining the relationship between the parents and children, focusing on the transition from love marriages to arranged marriages, through interviews.
It was found that parents meddled in their children's mate selection not only to secure financial stability after marriage, but also because their single children took a more passive role, expecting their parents to look for their future spouses and waiting to be approached by someone.

Free Research Field

民俗学、社会学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

親が子どもに代わって結婚活動を行っている現象を、見合い結婚や、パラサイト・シングル論における親子関係から検討した。これまでの研究では、結婚活動をしているにも関わらず、結婚できない人に焦点があてられてきた。しかし、結婚したくないわけではないが、自ら結婚活動を行うことが難しい未婚者が存在する。親の介入が、こうした未婚者の結婚活動そのものを後押ししているケースがあることを明らかにした。