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Yoshizo Kuwata

Born: July 11th, 1882 in Kurayoshi, Tottori prefecture
Died: October 10th, 1967


Education

  • Doctor of Literature (1921) Tokyo Imperial University—His academic dissertation was “Reikonsuhai to senzosuhai –Minzokusinrigakuteki kenkyu (Research on the Worship of Spirit and Ancestor)”
  • Graduated at Department of Philosophy (1905), College of Letters, Tokyo Imperial University (Major psychology)—His academic dissertation was “Menso oyobi miburino kenkyu (Research of facial expression and gesture)”

Landmarks

  • 1906-1909 Assistant at College of Letters, Tokyo Imperial University
  • 1910-1912 Went to Germany at his own expenses and study under Wilhelm Wundt at University of Leipnizing
  • 1913 Instructor at College of Letters, Tokyo Imperial University
  • 1917 Associate professor at College of Letters, Tokyo Imperial University
  • 1926 Professor at College of Letters, Tokyo Imperial University
  • 1935-1939 Director at Department of Letters and a council member at Tokyo Imperial University
  • 1941 The first director at the Institute of Oriental Culture, Tokyo Imperial University
  • 1943 Retired at Tokyo Imperial University
  • 1948 The first psychological professor at School of Law and Letters, Osaka University and director at School of Law and Letters
  • 1949-1954 The director at School of letters, Osaka University because School of Law and letters was divided into two schools: School of Law and School of letters
  • 1954 Retired from Osaka University

Contributions

  • Yoshizo Kuwata contributed to folk psychology, social psychology, and education to students in Japanese universities.
  • He stated the meaning of folk psychology and social psychology in his papers. He interpreted the worship of spirit and ancestor with folk psychology.
  • Criticizing the Wundt’s idea about the common characteristics between primitive pictures and infant’s, he suggested it is important to investigate the developmental problems with the psychological idea such as Volkelt, H and Werner, H. Then he suggested the three principles about development of mind: Law of Union, Law of Segment, and Form Change.
  • He stated the meaning of social mind for individual mind; such social mind is interaction among individuals and should be the entirely mind of articulation.
  • He affected many students working as instructor at Tokyo Bunrika University (Tokyo Literature and Science University), Rissho University, Ritsumenkan University, Chiba University, Nihon University, and so on.

Honors

  • 1954 Honorary professor at Osaka University
  • 1951 Honorary member at Japanese Psychological Association
  • 1947~1949 President at Japanese Psychological Association
  • 1944 President at Psychological Association
  • 1943 Honorary professor at Tokyo Imperial University
  • 1941 Vice president at Psychological Association
  • Director at Japanese Ethnological Association
  • Member of Japan Society for the Promotion of Science
  • Advisor of Japan Ethological Association
  • Council member of Philosophical Association

Keywords

  • Folk psychology
  • Social psychology 

References

  • Hiroshi Oizumi, (2003). Nihonsinrigakusha-jiten. Tokyo: Kabushiki Kaisha Kress Shuppan.
  • Nihon no shinrigaku kanko iinkai. (1982).Nihon no shinrigaku. Tokyo: Nihon bunka kagaku sha.
  • Japanese Psychological Association. (2002). Nihon shinrigakkai 75nenshi. Tokyo:Shadan hojin nihon shinrigakkai
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