Creating spaces where well-being thrives for all

Yukiko Uchida

Institute for the Future of Human Society

Since my time as a graduate student, I have conducted research in cultural psychology. One of my research areas is well-being and happiness, where I have found similarities and differences shaped by societal changes and cultural contexts. To uncover the role of culture in our psychology, I conduct experimental and survey-based studies that compare and visualize mental processes across Japanese and other cultures. By making these comparisons, we can deepen our understanding of how individuals and societies have cultivated their hearts and minds, and perhaps even help people gain perspectives that free them from the vague norms they often accept without question. One of the strengths of cultural psychology is its ability to bring together the humanities and social sciences on a global scale, and my goal is to introduce new methodologies to foster international collaboration in this field.