【令和3年度　教育プロジェクト】日本における一人暮らし：社会交流と心拍変動性

研究課題　　　　日本における一人暮らし：社会交流と心拍変動性

研究代表者　　　Kimberly Suzanne BOWEN　京都大学こころの未来研究センター　准教授

センター参画　　内田由紀子　京都大学こころの未来研究センター　教授
　　　　　　　　中山真孝　　京都大学こころの未来研究センター　特定助教
　　　　　　　　瀬川裕美　　京都大学こころの未来研究センター　特定研究員

Globally, the number of single-person households has increased dramatically in the last 50 years (Klinenberg, 2013). In Japan, 34% of the population lives alone and this percentage continues to increase (Japan NIPSSR, 2015). In Western countries, empirical research has generally debunked the popular lay hypothesis that the boom in living alone would erode social capital, creating an epidemic of loneliness. However, Japan’s cultural background is distinct from the culture of Western counterparts exhibiting similar trajectories in living alone. These cultural differences – historical multigenerational household norms, interdependent selfhoods, more stable social networks, and collective values – may uniquely influence the ties between living alone and health in Japan (Markus & Kitayama, 2010). This research examines whether living alone in Japan is associated with differences in daily health habits (e.g. sleep) and social interactions, and whether these differences are associated with differences in well-being and heart rate variability, a prospective risk factor for both mental and physical illness, by collecting data from daily life diaries and heart rate variability monitors.