| The statement that Americans value individualism and Japanese value groupism is so widely accepted that it seems to be stating the obvious. Both scholarly and popular writings frequently use these principles to explain differences between American and Japanese behavior. Yet, this seemingly obvious statement is problematic.;This study attempts to address several weaknesses of research on the topic: (1) outside of family socialization, there has been very little empirical research on the subject, and the dynamic of behavior formation remains unclear; (2) few studies have explored how schooling contributes to the development of individual and group orientation in the two countries. Most of what is available is not comparative and almost entirely done by Western scholars. Furthermore, in light of its importance as a formative and transitional stage of development, the examination of the topic at the elementary school level has been scarce; (3) writings on the subject have tended to be descriptive rather than analytical. The structural foundations of behavior formation tend to be ignored, thus, failing to present a convincing explanation as to "why" certain behavior patterns are common, and "how" they are developed.;This dissertation examines how different approaches to desirable human relationships are manifested in the education of the young, and what it means for those involved. It is an attempt to approach a familiar topic from a different angle. The study uses observations of elementary schools (mainly fourth grade classrooms) in the two countries, while drawing on national survey results and written documents. It examines different educational practices and their legitimations, while referring to material such as the Japanese national curriculum and its application in the classroom--accumulating in what I call the encouragement of "collective autonomy." The study also explores the influences of the different legal environment and other aspects of elementary school education in the two countries (e.g. contrasting usage of small groups and teacher authority, different levels of self-containment) which would be likely to encourage differential behavior and perception toward the group. |
