Lauren Perez

9/6/2021
ENGL 1302

“The Two-Layer Model of Kawii’: A Behavioural Science Framework for Understanding

Kawaii and Cuteness”

1. Who published this text (what journal)?

The article was published Open Access under a license named Creative
Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License.

2. Is it peer-reviewed and how do you know?

No, the article is not peer-reviewed because I used Texas A&M
International University Library website to search for other reviews. The option
for the peer-reviewed did not appear. Although the author has claimed that other
journalists have talked about “Kawaii culture” originated from Japan. That also
other kawaii related topics have come from the author’s laboratory have been
published for Japanese viewers.

3. What is the author thesis?

The thesis for this article is that the word “Kawaii” is trendy in Japan and
associated with Japanese culture. It is translated as cute to English, but there is a
difference between the two meanings within the culture. The main viewpoint is to
see how Japanese students and workers feel towards “Kawaii.” Also, to see
behavioral science findings and past psychological results in a two-layer concept
with kawaii as a social value and an emotion.

4. What evidence does this author use to support the thesis?

The author has stated that there were three surveys on different occasions
and different samples to University students. One survey was conducted in July of
 2008 with an age range of eighteen through twenty-one with males and females.
The second survey was taken in November of 2009 within an age range of
eighteen through twenty-two with males and females. The final survey was done
in July of 2011 also with males and females. Throughout the years, the surveys
were used on different words from Japan, and the numbers of the participants
increased. Overall, they're a majority of good feedback amongst the words that
were in the surveys. Although there was a significant gender difference, women
favored "positive and sensitive" to kawaii. Amongst the age range and the gender
difference, they had their insight into their meaning on kawaii.

5. Who is the audience of this article?

The audience tended for this is mainly focused on the psychological aspect
and toward Japan’s audience and culture.

6. What methods did the authors use to answer their research questions?
The author research how Kawaii and other terms correlate with each other
from how it was different in the past compared now. The author researched the
surveys taken publicly to students on their viewpoint and how the person felt
towards kawaii and other words. The test was also based on psychological effects
on people, so it was interesting how the author used interactions like the baby
schema hypothesis. According to this theory, the sensation is connected with
providing care and protection to the vulnerable and the young. It also played
different effects on other people. Some had strong interest, sensitivity, excitement,
etc.