Developmental mechanism of conformity among early children in their groups: Focusing on the relationships between Japanese groupism and the style of early children's behaviors

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20K22183
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Research Activity Start-up
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: :Education and related fields
• Research Institution: University of Fukui
• Principal Investigator: Miyamoto Yuta 福井大学, 学術研究院教育・人文社会系部門(教員養成), 講師 (50883097)
• Project Period (FY): 2020-09-11 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: 同調性 / 生成機序 / 幼児 / 集団 / 文化 / 質的研究 / エスノグラフィー

Outline of Final Research Achievements

To investigate the mechanism of the generation of conformity relationships within early child groups, we conducted an observation survey of 21 classes of 3- to 5-year-old children at five preschools and interviews with early teachers. The results showed that the characteristics of the conformity relationship among young children include: the implication of various rules expressed by the young children, the effect of a sense of inclusion and exclusion in their groups, ways to expose gaps in perception with others, and strategies to fill discomfort with each gap. These characteristics showed to vary in degree of expression depending on the culture of these institutions. In addition, as a device for making child's conformity and behavior function effectively, early teachers were presented with a perspective of seeking child's well-being as they work to solve problems based on the three elements of shared purpose, dialogue, and collaboration.

Free Research Field

保育学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究では、これまであまり検討されてこなかった幼児集団の同調性に関して、保育集団内で表出する幼児の言動表出を検討するとともに、同調性に対して保育者が持つ意識について検討した。第一の意義は、エスノグラフィーの手法を用いて幼児間の同時多発的かつ複雑なやりとりを微視的に分析し、幼児間の同調性の特徴を示した点である。第二の意義は、幼児の同調性の生成機序には園文化の違いや見られることを示した点である。第三の意義は、保育者が集団形成に際して同調性の有用さを意識的に取り入れる構えがあることを示した点である。これら三点から、幼児の同調性研究に一つの視座を提供したといえる。