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There were three Japanese medical physiologists who studied in Ivan Petrovich Pavlov's laboratory during 1904–1933. They were Hidetsurumaru Ishikawa, Yasutaro Satake, and Takashi Hayashi. The first article concerning Pavlov's theory was written by Ishikawa in 1916. At the same time, a psychologist, Genji Kuroda, also wrote an essay on Pavlov's theory. They were motivated to write the articles by a false report of Pavlov's death in 1916. Satake carried out experimental work using dogs, but he did not cite Pavlov's scientific works. Hayashi worked hard according to Pavlov's research methods. A psychologist, Yasho Kotake, first published a paper based on Pavlov's theory inJapanese Journal of Psychologyin 1943. However, these experiments did not seem to be research in the psychological field because his research program was very different to traditional Japanese psychological research. Although the introduction of behaviorism into Japan occurred in the 1910s, the reception of Pavlov's theory was delayed. The process of the reception of Pavlov's theory in Japan was different to that in the USA. It seems that the difference is due to the attitudes of psychologists to introspection and the influence of German psychology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we aim to describe the developing process of early Japanese psychology. This is the story of the institutionalization of psychology in Japan. We deal with the first period of Japanese psychology and trace the process of shaping the discipline of psychology in Japan. We also focus on the life and studies of Motora, who was the first psychology professor in Japan, and those of his students. In 1903, Yuzero Motora opened the first formal laboratory of psychology at Tokyo Imperial University, and in 1904, the first 2-year course in psychology was commenced. Both the laboratory and the two-year course could produce psychology students who studied“new” or experimental psychology. But not all the experimentation resulted in success. We also examine Fukurai's clairvoyance and thoughtgraphy experiments. Although Fukurai was one of the promising students of Motora, he gradually changed interest to parapsychology. Fukurai's adherence to these psychic phenomenon and his isolation from academic society resulted in the removal of clinical psychology from the psychology discipline in Japan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The field of comparative psychology (also called animal psychology) in Japan, as it developed from 1900 to 1945, is reviewed. After evaluating more than 100 research papers (including short abstracts), six researchers were selected as examples of typical Japanese comparative psychologists in approximately the first half of the 20th century. The chosen researchers, K. Masuda, R. Kuroda, S. Kanda, J. G. Yoshioka, S. Takagi, and T. Takemasa, for the most part focused their research in the areas of learning and perception or basic behavioral traits, commonly known as tropism. They studied a wide variety of subjects, from invertebrates to primates, until the end of World War II, when so-called neo-behaviorism prevailed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although feelings and emotions are a major topic in psychology now, the research history in this area in Japan does not seem to be widely known. The current paper provides an overview of the history of the psychology of feelings and emotions in Japan up to 1970. Before Japan opened its door to the outside world (– 1850s), there were researchers who specialized in Confucianism. In the late 19th century, some Western philosophical psychologists were introduced. In approximately 1903, experimental methods were introduced to Japan, but very few experimental studies were published. In this period, G. S. Hall strongly influenced research directions. At approximately the time of World War Il, although Japanese psychology was influenced by Gestalt psychology, the popularity of Gestalt psychology altered the methods of experimental studies on emotions. After World War Il, American psychology showed a strong impact on Japanese psychology; in particular, the Yale school played a major role in encouraging studies on feelings and emotions in Japan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article traces the history linking Japanese and Western psychology. Japan was welcoming Western societies at about the same time those Western societies were beginning to establish psychology as a scientific and laboratory-based discipline. The transition of psychology from mainly a basic science to a discipline and profession of science-based application has continued to accelerate in recent decades.

The quantitative increase in psychologists in postwar Japan was investigated by focusing on the distribution of psychology faculties in universities and graduate schools. The status of psychology in the new teacher-training system was acknowledged as the institutional basis for this increase. The growth in the number of universities, graduate schools, faculties, and association memberships related to psychology was analyzed. The results indicated that the initial basis for the increase was the new university curriculum of teacher education, which stipulated that educational psychology and related subjects should be compulsory. As a result, new jobs for psychologists were created in most universities. The establishment of graduate schools was another factor that contributed to the increase in psychologists because it provided psychology researchers for newly established universities. In particular, since the 1990s, graduate schools offering courses in clinical psychology and educational psychology have contributed to the increase in psychologists. The meaning of this increase in psychology in Japanese universities during the current period of university reform is discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]