From the Standpoint of a Social Psychologist(<SPECIAL NUMBER>The Problems Raised by The Chrysanthemum and the Sword)

Abstract

1) Benedict's book was based on her research carried out in war time Washington, and this naturally limited the research methodology and techniques in several ways. The most noticeable limitation will be found in the selection of samples for the interview purpose. The majority of the sample is made up of Japanese who had been in the United States for many years, and obviously they cannot be fully representative of Japanese society. The written materials and movie films used for analysis of Japanese culture are also inadequate for the purpose of studying contemporary Japan. 2) As for the term "the Japanese people" as used by Benedict, it is a very loose expression and seems to include at least three different concepts. The first concept denotes the "average, common Japanese" or "the Japanese man in the street". The second concept signifies the "majority of the Japanese population" or "almost every Japanese". The third and most important concept of "the Japanese people" means the totality of many personality traits possessed by the cross-section of the whole population in Japan. The last mentioned concept can be considered as an equivalent of the total pattern of Japanese culture in its social-psychological aspects. 3) Benedict discussed the dual nature of Japanese personality, attributing its origin to the duality in cultural and social conditioning during childhood. However, this argument is based on a purely psychological interpretation of social behavior and inadequate to fully understand the complex social events taking place in modern Japan.