A Japanese View of Dependency:

Abstract White American culture celebrates independence, self-reliance, and individual choice as hallmarks of healthy mental and emotional functioning. However, from a feminist perspective, the disproportionate emphasis on independence in American culture reflects the predominance of the white, middle-class, male point of view; appropriate models for health dependency have been neglected. This paper offers an alternative view of dependency from the perspective of Japanese culture. The structure of Japanese society is predicated on subordinating the needs of the individual to that of family or community and interdependency is highly valued. A psychodynamic theory proposed by Doi (1973) is used to explain the role of dependency in Japanese society. The concept of amae is examined as the central organizing dynamic and its influence on Japanese psychotherapy is also discussed. The Japanese emphasis on amae is often misunderstood by Western thinkers and one example of a racist interpretation of Japanese behavior by a prominent Western theorist is critically reviewed. Lastly, some suggestions are made regarding applications of amae psychology to feminist theory and therapy.