The apparent lack of agency, empathy, and creativity among Japanese youth: Interpretations from project test responses

Abstract

Cultural psychological studies have indicated that agency is less developed in Japan compared with American cultures. This study attempted to investigate changes of agency among Japanese youth. The Rorschach scores of 47 students in 2013 were compared with those of 47 students in 2003 in Japan. The 2013 group showed more direct emotional responses, fewer M responses, longer reaction time, and a greater number of undefined responses (e.g., "some kind of animal") than the 2003 group, suggesting that the 2013 group was characterized by a weaker agency. These results indicate that the 2013 group shared the features with an autism spectrum disorder group reported previously (Hatanaka, 2013). However, they made undefined responses rather intentionally without any confusion, which stands in sharp contrast to the autism spectrum disorder group. This might suggest that the current Japanese students chose an undefined attitude in order to adjust to cultural changes in Japanese society.