Things that Japanese Do Not Want to Change: Exploring the Factors that Relate to Resistance to Change

2021 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K03218
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 10010:Social psychology-related
• Research Institution: Kindai University
• Principal Investigator: Murayama Aya 近畿大学, 国際学部, 准教授 (10609936)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-04-01 – 2022-03-31
• Keywords: 変化への抵抗 / 道徳基盤理論 / システム正当化 / 国際比較

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Three studies were conducted to test the hypothesis that Japanese people are less accepting of suggestions for change or improvement in various social systems than people in other countries. The results showed that conservative political attitudes and individual differences in the importance of group cohesion were related to the overall lack of acceptance of changes in various social systems. In addition, changes in marriage systems (accepting same-sex marriage or separate surnames for married couples) were more readily accepted by people in urban areas, and this relationship was mediated by relational mobility. Also, the degree of acceptance in expanding support for minorities, such as immigrants and children of single parents was less among the Japanese than among people in other countries (China, Germany, and Thailand). Overall, the results were consistent with the hypotheses.

Free Research Field

社会心理学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究の結果は、日本人が全体として社会システムの変化を受け入れにくく、またその背景には、保守的な政治的態度や集団の結束を重視する道徳基盤が存在することが示唆された。特に、マイノリティへの支援に対する受け入れの程度が低い点については、インクルーシブな社会を目指す上で課題であると考えられる。また、このような結果が得られた背景には、マイノリティとの接触機会が少ないことも関連しているかもしれない。今後は、自分とは異なるさまざまな社会集団に接する機会をいかに提供するか、考える必要がある。社会心理学の諸理論を援用して、日本社会の課題を明らかにした本研究は、学術的、社会的意義も高いと考えられる。