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Examination of personal success and meaning in life for Japanese

single women aged over 30 years old.

Tomoko Ago

University of East London

Master of Applied Positive Psychology

Research Question:

What’s Happiness… Success?

How each single woman see herself as being a single in the modern Japanese society?

How they define personal success and seek happiness?

Why this research?

“Makekinu”(Loser-dog) Aged over 30 years old Neither married or have

children

Married People = Winners ?Singltons = Losers?

The growth of singles women in Japan

1980 2010

30-34yo 9.1% 34.5%

35-39yo 5.5% 23.1%

(Census, Japan Statistic Bureau , Ministry of Internal Affairs & Communications, 2011)

Relevant Research

Stigmatisation to single people in

societyDepaulo, B. M., & Morris, W. L. (2005);

Hertel, J., Schütz, A., Depaulo, B. M., Morris,

W. L., & Stucke, T. S. (2007).

Marital Status & SWB / HappinessArgyle, M. (2001); Myers, D. G. (2000);

Haring-Hidore, Stock, Okun, and Witter, 1985)

Method:Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA)

• 5 participants (ave. 35.6 y.o)

• Semi-structured interview

• Analysing verbal & non-verbal

message

• 3 Main themes/9 Sub-themes

Findings : Main Theme 1

Self in the eyes of “I”

AutonomySelf-

Acutualisation

Changing personal

Value

- Proud of themselves - Living as following

their “Inner voices”

Findings : Main Theme 2

: “Self” in the eyes of others

Struggling “to be

myself’”

Pressure of age

Sense of “Minority”

“Itai-hito”A “Painful” person in the social context

Findings : Main Theme 3

Positive Relationship

Serving beyond self

Self-Worth Source of Happiness

Discussion 1: Two Selves

Negative Self

Positive Self

Discussion 2: The Pursuit of Happiness

Conclusion: Searching for the best

Being as I am

Environment

Thank you for your attention!&

Any Questions?

contact:tomoko.ago@gmail.com

Reference

Argyle, M. (2001). The psychology of happiness. New York : Taylor & Francis.

Depaulo, B. M., & Morris, W. L. (2005). Singles in Society and in Science. Psychological Inquiry, 16, 57–83.

Haring-Hidore, M. H., Stock, W. A., Okun, M. A. & Witter, R. A. (1985). Marital status and subjective well-being: A research synthesis. Journal of Marriage and the Family, 47, 947-953.

Hertel, J., Schütz, A., Depaulo, B. M., Morris, W. L., & Stucke, T. S. (2007). “She’s single, so what? How are singles perceived compared with people who are married?.” Zeitschrift für Familienforschung-Journal of Family Research, 19(2), 139–158.

Japan statistic bereau, Ministry of internal affiars and communicaitons. (2010). Census 2010, Retrieved from July 15th, 2013, from http://www.e-stat.go.jp/SG1/estat/ListE.do?bid=000001029548&cycode=0

Myers, D. G. (2000). The Funds, Friends, and Faith of Happy People. American Psychologist, 55(1), 56–67. doi:10.1037//0003-066X.55

Raymo, J. M. (2003). Educational attainment and the transition to first marriage among Japanese women. Demography, 40(1), 83–103.

Rosenberger, N. (2001). Gambling with virtue: Japanese women and the search for self in a changing nation, Hawaii: University of Hawaii press.

Ryan, R. M., & Deci, E. L. (2002). Overview of self-determination theory: An organismicdialecticalperspective. In E.L. Deci & R.M. Ryan (Eds). Handbook of self-detemination reseatch. NY: The university of Rochester press.

Sakai, J. (2003). Makeinu noToboe (Howl of the lose dogs) , Tokyo: Kodansha