A Study on the Relationship between Adolescents' Disliking Natural Science Courses and Their Excessive Attachment to Mothers

Abstract

　　A trend toward Japanese students' disliking natural science courses has become salient in recent years. This study was based on E. F. Keller's theory claiming that child's preference for natural science is related to his/her ability to view the mother objectively. Japanese adolescents are especially known to be excessively attached to their mothers, as evident from the presence of the term boshi-mitchaku, which describes overly dependence of the child on the mother. In this study, the effect of boshi-mitchaku on preference for natural science courses was examined by comparing college students majoring in management and engineering. Boshi-mitchaku was found to be stronger in management students than those in engineering, and the latter had greater liking for science courses.

　　Furthermore, the tendency for females to dislike natural sciences seemed to be due more to their acceptance of gender stereotypes than to their incompatibility to the field of study.