Social boundary-phenomena between the japanese and the atayal and saisiat tribes, ruling and ruled groups

Abstract

I Boundary phenomena, according to the writer's terminology, are the events arising out of the boundary between neighbouring regions in the life space, and social boundary-phenomena are those occurring between regions differentiated by social non-homogeneity. Everyone in Formosa, belonging either to the ruling group or to the ruled groups racially different, has these two kinds of group psychologically as neighbouring regions in his life space; social boundary-phenomena often develop between these two regions, where the individual opinions about the function of another group come to exist. Thus, social boundary-phenomena in such areas play an important role in the social order, and their nature must be inquired into more closely by psychological and other means. The writer of this paper is of the opinion that it is profitable to develop the topological and dynamic mode of thought in dealing with these social boundary-phenomena. The present paper is a first attempt in this direction. © 1938, The Japanese Psychological Association. All rights reserved.