Takai Laboratory

. Our Focus

The main objective of the laboratory is to provide better understandings in assessments and function of human behaviour from social psychological perspectives. The research objectives of the laboratory cover wide range of interests, including sterotypes, conflicts, interpersonal cognition, etc. Methods of our research involve not only social psychology, but also cultural psychology or communication studies. These methods are complemented by expertise in the fields of interpersonal cognition, interpersonal communication, and social/cultural psychology.

. Specialzed field of research

The major research fields of Takai laboratory involve social psychology and cultural psychology. It is one of the few laboratories specialized in cultural psychology in Japan. Social psychology and cultural psychology may be considered as individual research fields, but inseparable to each other. We focus on the influence of cultures on the way people make certain decisions, and the way people behave. At the same time, research on communication strategy composes a large amount of research in the lab.

. Characteristics of the lab

Members of Takai laboratory are encouraged to present their works at international conferences, and to submit their works to international journals. International competitiveness is one of the key targets for the members of Takai laboratory. We also aim to “export” our findings to the global community, rather than just importing the Western findings and theories to Japan, to share better understandings in the human nature, and to contribute to both domestic and international community. Development of Japanese psychological research has been (in a way) heavily depending on the Western build theories, but not much research has been conducted to test the adequacy of adopting theories build in another culture. Based in Japan, we try to reflect vivid differences in culture when developing or testing theories.

. Research Meeting

We host meetings on “Culture and Psychology”. The meeting is not only participated by psychologists, but by researchers from a wide variety of research fields including anthropology, linguistics, etc. Multidisciplinary discussions are often shared among the participants.

. Varietas Dellectat

“Varietas Delectat”, which could be translated into English as “variety is the essence of life” is a famous Latin phrase. Members of Takai laboratory share unique and diverse research interests. Each member tries to provide better understandings in the nature of human behaviour from different perspectives, and by sharing opinions with other members.

Contact : Prof. Jiro TAKAI   Graduate School of Education and Human Development, Department of Psychology and Human Developmental Sciences, Psychological Sciences, Nagoya University Email: jtakai@cc.nagoya-u.ac.jp