A socio-ecological approach to social anxiety

2015 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 25870020
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Social psychology; Clinical psychology
• Research Institution: Nagoya University
• Principal Investigator: Sato Kosuke 名古屋大学, 学生相談総合センター, 講師 (30632153)
• Project Period (FY): 2013-04-01 – 2016-03-31
• Keywords: 社会生態学的アプローチ / 関係流動性 / 社会不安 / 対人恐怖 / 文化

Outline of Final Research Achievements

I conducted a series of studies: a cross-national study (Canada vs. Japan), a cross-regional study within Japan (Rural vs. Urban), and an experimental study that manipulated perceptions of relational mobility if Taijin-kyofusho, an other-focused type of social anxiety, would be more prevalent in societies with low relational mobility. Relational mobility refers to the degree to which there are opportunities to acquire new relationships in a given society/social context. With cross-national and cross-regional studies, it was found that the lower the relational mobility, the higher the Taijin-kyofusho tendencies existed. To obtain the causal relationships between relational mobility and Taijin-kyofusho tendencies, I conducted an experimental study. It was found some results which are consistent with hypothesis, however, the further investigations will be needed such as using different measurements and powerful manipulation of relational mobility.

Free Research Field

社会心理学, 臨床心理学, 比較文化心理学