Development and Evaluation of Early Childhood Education Program for Japanese infants to develop multicultural perspectives

2019 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 17K18309
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Home economics/Human life; Social psychology
• Research Institution: Kanto Junior College
• Principal Investigator: MATSUO Yumi 関東短期大学, こども学科, 講師 (50711628)
• Project Period (FY): 2017-04-01 – 2020-03-31
• Keywords: 多文化共生保育 / 異文化理解

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Only a few studies depict the efficacy of using picture books to develop multicultural perspectives among Japanese infants (Study 1), although, many childcare workers employ it (Study 2). Previous study demonstrates that infant often misunderstand adults who read them a story as biased toward outgroup members. In Study 3, the author made a picture book that narrates a story wherein parents of the main characters encourages them to make friends with the outgroup members. In Study 4, childcare workers were asked to read the picture book to the children and evaluate it. Results showed that children got engrossed in the picture book, however, they did not show any change in their interaction with foreign people. Further study should investigate whether reading a picture book instills multicultural perspectives and effectuates a change in children’s attitude toward foreign people.

Free Research Field

社会心理学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究では、多数派集団に属する日本の幼児の多文化共生意識を育てるために、保育現場では絵本が多く活用されているものの、先行研究ではその有効性が確認されていないという課題を明らかにした。そこで、先行研究が指摘する子どもが持っているとされる誤解（大人は外集団に対して否定的な態度を持つ）を解決するため、大人が外集団成員との接触を明確に推奨する内容の絵本を制作した。日本の子どもたちへの多文化共生保育への注目がほとんどなされてこなかった中で、現状と課題について問題提起し、有効性の検討に課題が残るものの、多文化共生意識を育てる新たな方法を提案した本研究は一定の意義はあるものと考えられる。