Intercultural experience: The comparison of returnees and non-returnees in two Japanese high schools.

摘要

The social science literature on Japanese society gives a clear and accurate illustration of Japan as a culture of collective identity with a unique social structure which is embedded in conventional assumptions. In particular, the Japanese self as defined through an interdependent self (vis a vis an independent self) and dantai ishiki (group consciousness) are some of the concepts governing the constellation of an individual's interpersonal relationships beginning at birth and continuing;uing throughout the lifespan. However, what happens when this continuum of developing interpersonal relationships and the dynamic character of the self is introduced to a new culture that has differing values, virtues and goals--namely, one that fosters independence and autonomy, as does the United States--during a period of childhood?;As Japan's economy becomes increasingly international, many companies are sending their employees temporarily overseas. Accompanying this new temporary migration of Japanese families are the difficulties of reintegrating the returning Japanese child back into their native culture. This group of students, called kikokushijo, have been identified as exhibiting some problems with academic achievement, as well as with maladaptive behavior (Kobayashi, 1989). It may, indeed, be inappropriate to label the thinking and behaviors of the kikokushijo as problematic, but they are, unfortunately, considered problematic by the psychosocial environment to which they return. However, an important point to note here is that, it is not clear how "different" (if at all), they are from their Japanese counterparts who have never lived overseas.;The goal of this study is to examine and to construct a profile of the non-kikokushijo and the kikokushijo self, as it is defined through cultural values and virtues, in addition to their definitions of the self constructed through their relationships to peers, teachers and family. It was expected that there would be differences between the kikokushijo students and the Japanese students, due to the kikokushijo's exposure to a different culture, in this case, the United States. In addition, problems of the kikokushijo were not expected to be as salient as the literature suggests. This study reveals that although there were important differences between the groups, the overall picture seems to be that there are more similarities than differences between the kikokushijo and non-kikoksushijo. Furthermore, results of this study sheds light on the general process of, and implications for enculturation--"the acquisition of cultural representations, including representations of self, by the human organism" (LeVine, 1990, p. 99)--in human societies. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)