Abstract
This study reviews the psychological research on personality conducted in Japan between July 2012 and June 2013 and discusses its trends and accomplishments. Traditionally, adaptation has been discussed from two viewpoints : the internal aspect of adaptation related to self-evaluation measured by self-esteem and sense of authenticity and the external aspect of meeting the demands and expectations from the environment such as consideration for others and relational maintenance. This study, in accordance with these perspectives on adaptation, focuses on personality and its related concepts in describing an imbalanced state of those internal and external aspects of adaptation. To perform this analysis, the study uses over-adaptation, which plays down the internal aspects and values the external aspects, as a foundation and references the concept that excessively emphasizes either aspect. Taking into account the role of personality in improving the imbalance, the study reconsiders the meanings of adaptation exhibited in the dark side of adaptation seen in bullying and the limitations of the understanding of adaptation with internal and external aspects.
