Amae
Encyclopedia
Amae is a Japanese
word coined
from the verb amaeru by Takeo Doi
to serve as a noun, which he then used as a keyword to unlock, analytically, the behavior
of a person attempting to induce an authority
figure, such as a parent, spouse, teacher
or boss
, to take care of him. The verb itself is rarely used of oneself, but rather is applied descriptively to the behavior of other people. The person who is carrying out amae may beg or plead, or alternatively act selfishly and indulge while secure in the knowledge that the caregiver will forgive. The behavior of child
ren towards their parent
s is perhaps the most common example of amae, but Doi argued that child-rearing practices in the Western world
seek to stop this kind of dependence in children, whereas in Japan
it persists into adulthood in all kinds of social relationships.
, first published in 1971, Doi states that amae is not just a Japanese phenomenon, but the Japanese
are the only people who have an extensive vocabulary
for describing it. The reason for this is that amae is a major factor in Japanese interaction and customs. Doi argues that nonverbal empathic guesswork (sasshi 察し), a fondness for unanimous agreement in decision-making, the ambiguity and hesitation of self-expression (enryo 遠慮), and the tatemae-honne dynamics are communicative manifestations of the amae psychology of Japanese people.
Doi explains that amae is the noun form of amaeru, an intransitive verb which he defines as "to depend and presume upon another's benevolence." It indicates, for Doi, "helplessness and the desire to be loved." Amaeru can also be defined as "to wish to be loved," and denotes "dependency need
s." Various bilingual dictionaries define amae as "to lean on a person's good will," "to act lovingly towards (as a much fondled child towards its parents)," "to take advantage of," "to behave like a spoiled child," "to trespass on," "to behave in a caressing manner towards a man," "to speak in a coquettish tone," "to encroach on (one's kindness, good nature, etc.)," and so on. Amae is, in essence, a request for indulgence of one's perceived needs.
Doi says,
According to Doi and others, in Japan the kind of relationship based on this prototype provides a model of human relationships in general, especially (though not exclusively) when one person is senior to another. As another writer puts it:
Amae may also be used to describe the behavior of a husband who comes home drunk and depends on his wife to get him ready for bed. In Japan, amae does have a connotation of immaturity, but it is also recognized as a key ingredient in loving relationships, perhaps more so than the notions of romance
so common in the West.
, is Peter Dale
's The Myth of Japanese Uniqueness.
Doi's work has been hailed as a distinctive contribution to psychoanalysis by the American psychiatrist Frank Johnson
, who has devoted a full book-length study to Doi, and to his critics.
Japanese language
is a language spoken by over 130 million people in Japan and in Japanese emigrant communities. It is a member of the Japonic language family, which has a number of proposed relationships with other languages, none of which has gained wide acceptance among historical linguists .Japanese is an...
word coined
Back-formation
In etymology, back-formation is the process of creating a new lexeme, usually by removing actual or supposed affixes. The resulting neologism is called a back-formation, a term coined by James Murray in 1889...
from the verb amaeru by Takeo Doi
Takeo Doi
was a Japanese academic, psychoanalyst and author.-Early life:Doi was born in Tokyo, Japan in 1920. He was a graduate of the University of Tokyo.-Career:...
to serve as a noun, which he then used as a keyword to unlock, analytically, the behavior
Behavior
Behavior or behaviour refers to the actions and mannerisms made by organisms, systems, or artificial entities in conjunction with its environment, which includes the other systems or organisms around as well as the physical environment...
of a person attempting to induce an authority
Authority
The word Authority is derived mainly from the Latin word auctoritas, meaning invention, advice, opinion, influence, or command. In English, the word 'authority' can be used to mean power given by the state or by academic knowledge of an area .-Authority in Philosophy:In...
figure, such as a parent, spouse, teacher
Teacher
A teacher or schoolteacher is a person who provides education for pupils and students . The role of teacher is often formal and ongoing, carried out at a school or other place of formal education. In many countries, a person who wishes to become a teacher must first obtain specified professional...
or boss
Supervisor
A supervisor, foreperson, team leader, overseer, cell coach, facilitator, or area coordinator is a manager in a position of trust in business...
, to take care of him. The verb itself is rarely used of oneself, but rather is applied descriptively to the behavior of other people. The person who is carrying out amae may beg or plead, or alternatively act selfishly and indulge while secure in the knowledge that the caregiver will forgive. The behavior of child
Child
Biologically, a child is generally a human between the stages of birth and puberty. Some vernacular definitions of a child include the fetus, as being an unborn child. The legal definition of "child" generally refers to a minor, otherwise known as a person younger than the age of majority...
ren towards their parent
Parent
A parent is a caretaker of the offspring in their own species. In humans, a parent is of a child . Children can have one or more parents, but they must have two biological parents. Biological parents consist of the male who sired the child and the female who gave birth to the child...
s is perhaps the most common example of amae, but Doi argued that child-rearing practices in the Western world
Western world
The Western world, also known as the West and the Occident , is a term referring to the countries of Western Europe , the countries of the Americas, as well all countries of Northern and Central Europe, Australia and New Zealand...
seek to stop this kind of dependence in children, whereas in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
it persists into adulthood in all kinds of social relationships.
In literary context
Doi, a Japanese psychoanalyst, developed this idea to explain and describe many kinds of Japanese behavior. However, in his book The Anatomy of DependenceThe Anatomy of Dependence
is a non-fiction book written by Japanese psychoanalyst Takeo Doi. It was originally published in Japanese in 1971, and an English translation by John Bester was later published in 1973....
, first published in 1971, Doi states that amae is not just a Japanese phenomenon, but the Japanese
Japanese people
The are an ethnic group originating in the Japanese archipelago and are the predominant ethnic group of Japan. Worldwide, approximately 130 million people are of Japanese descent; of these, approximately 127 million are residents of Japan. People of Japanese ancestry who live in other countries...
are the only people who have an extensive vocabulary
Vocabulary
A person's vocabulary is the set of words within a language that are familiar to that person. A vocabulary usually develops with age, and serves as a useful and fundamental tool for communication and acquiring knowledge...
for describing it. The reason for this is that amae is a major factor in Japanese interaction and customs. Doi argues that nonverbal empathic guesswork (sasshi 察し), a fondness for unanimous agreement in decision-making, the ambiguity and hesitation of self-expression (enryo 遠慮), and the tatemae-honne dynamics are communicative manifestations of the amae psychology of Japanese people.
Doi explains that amae is the noun form of amaeru, an intransitive verb which he defines as "to depend and presume upon another's benevolence." It indicates, for Doi, "helplessness and the desire to be loved." Amaeru can also be defined as "to wish to be loved," and denotes "dependency need
Dependency need
A dependency need is characterized by two components: It is a real need of the organism, something that must be present for the human being to thrive, It is something that individuals cannot provide for themselves. An infant has very many dependency needs. Some are obvious, and some have only...
s." Various bilingual dictionaries define amae as "to lean on a person's good will," "to act lovingly towards (as a much fondled child towards its parents)," "to take advantage of," "to behave like a spoiled child," "to trespass on," "to behave in a caressing manner towards a man," "to speak in a coquettish tone," "to encroach on (one's kindness, good nature, etc.)," and so on. Amae is, in essence, a request for indulgence of one's perceived needs.
Doi says,
According to Doi and others, in Japan the kind of relationship based on this prototype provides a model of human relationships in general, especially (though not exclusively) when one person is senior to another. As another writer puts it:
Amae may also be used to describe the behavior of a husband who comes home drunk and depends on his wife to get him ready for bed. In Japan, amae does have a connotation of immaturity, but it is also recognized as a key ingredient in loving relationships, perhaps more so than the notions of romance
Romantic love
Romance is the pleasurable feeling of excitement and mystery associated with love.In the context of romantic love relationships, romance usually implies an expression of one's love, or one's deep emotional desires to connect with another person....
so common in the West.
Critical reception
A lengthy critique of Doi's work, which dismisses Doi's theory as merely another variety of nihonjinronNihonjinron
The term literally means theories/discussions about the Japanese. The term refers to a genre of texts that focuses on issues of Japanese national and cultural identity. The literature is vast, ranging over such varied fields as sociology, psychology, history, linguistics, philosophy, and even...
, is Peter Dale
Peter Dale
Peter John Dale is a British poet and translator particularly noted for his skilful but unobtrusive use of poetic form.-Career:...
's The Myth of Japanese Uniqueness.
Doi's work has been hailed as a distinctive contribution to psychoanalysis by the American psychiatrist Frank Johnson
Frank Johnson
Frank Johnson may refer to:*Frank Johnson , American football player*Frank Johnson , British World War I ace pilot*Frank Johnson , former American professional basketball player and coach...
, who has devoted a full book-length study to Doi, and to his critics.
See also
- HikikomoriHikikomoriis a Japanese term to refer to the phenomenon of reclusive people who have chosen to withdraw from social life, often seeking extreme degrees of isolation and confinement because of various personal and social factors in their lives...
- Parasite single
- Attachment theoryAttachment theoryAttachment theory describes the dynamics of long-term relationships between humans. Its most important tenet is that an infant needs to develop a relationship with at least one primary caregiver for social and emotional development to occur normally. Attachment theory is an interdisciplinary study...
- egocentrismEgocentrismEgocentrism is a personality trait which has the characteristic of regarding oneself and one's own opinions or interests as most important or valid...
- neurosisNeurosisNeurosis is a class of functional mental disorders involving distress but neither delusions nor hallucinations, whereby behavior is not outside socially acceptable norms. It is also known as psychoneurosis or neurotic disorder, and thus those suffering from it are said to be neurotic...
- personality disorderPersonality disorderPersonality disorders, formerly referred to as character disorders, are a class of personality types and behaviors. Personality disorders are noted on Axis II of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders or DSM-IV-TR of the American Psychiatric Association.Personality disorders are...