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)”

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

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.

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