The relationship between “ibasho” and sense of emotion accompanied with self-expression according to the situation among Japanese junior high school students

Abstract

This study aimed to examine the relationship between “ibasho” or a sense of interpersonal rootedness and self-expression accompanied with emotion among Japanese junior high school students. To this end, 232 junior high school students were recruited to answer a battery of questionnaires. Cluster analysis of the data identified three subtypes of “ibasho”, “high,” “moderate,” and “low” sense of “ibasho”. The results indicated that students with a high sense of “ibasho” were likely to self-express with positive emotions and says what neededs to be said even at the risk of falling out with friends; students with a moderate sense of “ibasho” were likely to follow others’ opinions even when self-assertion was needed; and , students with a low sense of “ibasho” had few assertive self-expressions, and were likely to self-express with blunted emotions. Whether Japanese junior high school students are acting freely and self-expressing, accompanied with emotion, according to the scene among friends, are indicated to be one of the criteria of how much the junior high school students’ have a sense of ibasho.