The process of "aseri" as experienced in the daily life of young adults

Abstract

"Aseri" is a Japanese term referring to an emotional state of "being impatient" or "feeling time urgency" that is experienced in everyday life. This study explored how people in early adulthood experienced aseri in their daily lives. Interviews were conducted with twenty young adults who recalled events or situations involving aseri. Grounded theory was referred in collection and analysis of data. The results showed that aseri developed in situations where there were several competing thoughts. Regarding the process in which aseri changed, two patterns were found: (a) when aseri was strongly experienced in the short term, it settled down easily; (b) when aseri was felt mildly in the long term, it gradually became latent. The theme of latent aseri reflected the developmental tasks of early adulthood that were considered significant for the participants including developmental tasks typically achieved in adolescence that were put off until early adulthood. Implications for aseri and directions for further research are discussed.