Why Japanese Education Succeeds: Amae, Stress, and Ganbare By koichi (tofugu.com)

(This article has been modified from the original)

Amae & Indulgence

The word "amae" comes from the word "amaeru," which can be defined as “to wish to be loved.” In addition, it describes a need for dependency or a request for indulgence of a person’s needs. This type of relationship is considered the ideal for all close relationships in Japan. It starts with mother and child, but expands out to student and teacher, student and upperclassmen, salaryman and boss, husband and wife, and the senpai-kohai relationship, too. Japanese society generally believes that if everyone is able to indulge their needs into everyone else then everything will be ok.

Let’s go back to every Japanese person's first amae relationship: mother-child. Most mothers indulge their children to some degree – feeding them, changing them, and calming them when they cry. However, Japanese mothers are supposed to take these indulgences to an even higher level. This dependence or indulgence is what keeps Japanese society together, and it’s probably the main reason for the successes we see in the Japanese education system. It’s also why society is so orderly and safe.

Cognitive vs. Non-Cognitive Skills

Most people think that IQ and the ability to memorize are the key skills that determine the future success of a student. These are called “cognitive skills” and surprisingly they are not very good indicators of future success. Instead, “non-cognitive skills” like persistence, self-control, curiosity, conscientiousness, grit, and self-confidence are more important. For example, an average student who has the persistence to practice math for 10 hours a week will do better than a smart student who is too lazy to do their homework. The ability to persevere or to have self-control are the things that decide the success of almost every student, not how smart they are.

Non-cognitive strengths also make cognitive skills better. "Amae" that is received by a baby or child directly affects how well he/she can develop non-cognitive skills. What’s really interesting is that as long as a mother is attentive and indulges in her child’s needs, the negative effects of stress can be decreased. It has been shown over and over again that a stressful life is very harmful to babies and children growing up. During childhood, this stress mainly attacks the part of your brain that is used to concentrate, deal with disappointments, and follow directions. Children from stressful homes have lots of problems in school and even at work as they get older.

The stresses of life are negated in environments where "amae" is strong, meaning the child can learn from stress without all the long-term problems that the stress can cause. One study at NYU showed that if a mother was responsive and attentive to her child, this would reduce stress and keep the child’s brain from getting confused. Therefore, the child’s non-cognitive and cognitive skills are allowed to grow. This is partly why Japanese children are able to cope with such a stressful and sometimes difficult school system. Their mothers and all the other people they depend on are there to support them.

Ganbare Culture

Let’s think about the word "ganbare." It’s so prevalent in Japanese society, that people will yell it out for any reason. If you’re playing tennis, your supporters will yell “ganbare” instead of “you can do it!” If you’re going to take a difficult exam, you’ll hear “ganbare” as well. It turns out that just trying harder will get you better test scores, regardless of how well you prepared for it. This is what psychologists call “conscientiousness,” and it is an incredibly important non-cognitive skill. When Japanese people say “ganbare," they are simply reminding people to be more conscientious. They are reminding them to work through every detail, concentrate, and try hard even when they don’t actually have to.

This “conscientiousness” will help a person do better in all things. Paying attention and trying harder, even when you don’t have to, is a sign that you have grit, self- control, and some other non-cognitive skills. Just by trying harder you become smarter. "Ganbare" is very important in Japanese society, and it really shows how much focus is placed on character and non-cognitive skills in the Japanese education system.

Segregation by Ability vs. Group Mentality

Another big difference between Japanese and American kids is how they’re segregated. We still see segregation by ability in America, which happens at almost every school. In Japan, if you’re falling behind in class, you don’t get held back a grade and you don’t get put into a special class. Instead, you stay with your class and graduate with your class... always.

Group identity is a powerful force. If you identify yourself as being stupid, you’re going to do worse in school. If you identify yourself as different you are going to act differently. In American classrooms, those with ADHD are stereotyped as being less able to pay attention in school. In extreme cases they may be put into special classes where that stereotype becomes stronger. In Japanese classrooms, you’re with your homeroom class whether you like it or not, and everyone’s expected to perform the same. Maybe this expectation to be a part of the group unit of the classroom is part of the reason why students in Japan score better on tests than the US.

Summary

Through all the "amae" the mother gives, there is a sense of dependency from the child. Attachment is formed, and that grows through childhood. This extreme amount of "amae" is what lays the foundation for their future. By the time they reach school age, they are more courageous, curious, and have more self-control. All those non-cognitive skills are more developed.

When the children begin going to school, these non-cognitive skills help them socialize better and deal with disappointment. Kids are pretty wild and random and often do what they want. Being able to deal with other kids and control your temper is what is going to carry you through the younger school years. "Ganbare" begins to appear at this age too, one of the non-cognitive skills that is thought of as very important to teach every person in Japanese society. This gets beaten into you for all aspects of life, and we see a lot of middle schoolers and high schoolers who value perseverance over natural ability. In fact, most Japanese anime is about some kid overcoming difficult odds by just trying harder.

All of this personal growth builds up at the end of high school, when they have to take their college entrance examinations. The only reason all the stress up to this point hasn’t destroyed them is thanks to the way relationships are set up with their teachers, other students, siblings, coaches, and parents. If all the important people in your life indulge you, and you do the same for them, it all works out. Replicating this "amae" relationship beyond mother and child is the only way to balance and decrease the amount of stress in Japan, which is maybe stronger than many other places in the world.

Created with images by Jim Epler - "Mother and Child" • IsaacMao - "Brain" • Glenn Waters ぐれんin Japan. - "My Student" • cegoh - "japanese boys students" • albertogp123 - "Exam"

Made with Adobe Slate

Make your words and images move.

Get Slate
NextPrevious

Report Abuse

If you feel that this video content violates the Adobe Terms of Use, you may report this content by filling out this quick form.

To report a Copyright Violation, please follow Section 17 in the Terms of Use.