Abstract
The aim of this study was to explore the psychological meanings of Kanashibari based on narratives provided by
adolescents who had experienced this phenomenon. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 28 university
students, and the verbatim transcripts of these interviews served as the data for an interpretative phenomenological
analysis. The data revealed two themes that can be broadly described in terms of conflicts between dependence and
independence and between the "looking self" and the "looked-at self". The theme related to conflicts between
dependence and independence consisted of "dissatisfaction or suppression of dependence" and "anxiety or guilt about
independence". The theme concerning "conflicts between the looking self and the looked-at self" consisted of "crises
regarding self-identity and alienation", "consciousness of being looked at by others", and "consciousness of being
looked at by the ‘ideal self’". These themes were considered to be related to the conflicts that characterise
adolescence.
