Seijo University Repository / 成城大学リポジトリ

岩田, 一正

Japanese

教職課程履修者の学びの履歴 : 教師を諦めた経緯も含め

大津, 武

English

Shift in Variance of Real GDP

小林, 真由美

『古事記』の語りの技術 : 倭建命のヒーローズ・ジャーニー

鶴見良次教授退職記念号departmental bulletin pape

IMAI, Hideo

─ 257 ─
Exploring Mindset Development in English Education 
	rough Goal-Setting: A Pilot Study with  
Japanese Elementary Students
Hideo Imai
Abstract
Recently, the importance of a growth mindset has gained attention in psychology, 
emphasizing the belief that abilities and intelligence can be developed through eort 
and learning. While mindset theory primarily focuses on general human psychology, 
it also relates to language learning because language learning involves trial and error, 
which is essential for becoming a successful learner. is pilot study aims to explore 
how to foster a growth mindset among English learners in a school setting.
e study was conducted over nine English lessons, during which teachers set 
unit goals and encouraged students to think about (1) what is necessary to achieve 
these goals and (2) what will happen next in upcoming lessons. e results showed 
that many learners shifted to a growth mindset after participating in this goal-setting 
project. is shift can be attributed to the frequent review of goals at the beginning 
of each class and the focus on reecting on the vocabulary and expressions needed to 
reach the goals. is approach helped learners clearly see the path of upcoming lessons 
and visualize potential failures, fostering a resilient attitude towards learning. The 
eect was particularly noticeable among students with a xed mindset, highlighting 
goal-setting as an effective method for cultivating a growth mindset in young 
language learners.
is pilot study demonstrates the eectiveness of goal-setting in educational 
settings, offering a concrete method to transform students’ learning attitudes. 
Future research should aim for statistical signicance testing, and further academic 
studies based on these ndings are needed.
Key Words:  Growth Mindset, Fixed Mindset, Goal-Setting, Japanese 
Elementary School, English Education
─ 258 ─
1. Introduction
Studies about language learning motivation have long been conducted, and 
it is commonly known that internal and integrative motivation are the key to 
becoming a successful language learner (Dörnyei, 2001; Gardner & Lambert, 
1959; Ryan & Deci, 2000). These motivational studies are closely related to 
learners’ characteristics because learners with high motivation tend to have a 
positive attitude towards their own mistakes.
More recently, the importance of human personality traits has become 
popular in the field of psychology. Dweck (2006) has pointed out that people 
with a growth mindset—the belief that abilities and intelligence can be developed 
through effort and learning—tend to view failures as opportunities for growth and 
engage more actively in tasks. In contrast, students with a fixed mindset believe 
that their abilities and intelligence are static traits that cannot be significantly 
changed, often avoiding challenges to prevent failure.
Also, the existence of mindset has been revealed in the field of neuroscience. 
Moser et al. (2011) conducted a flanker task (e.g., > > < > >) to examine how the 
error-related components differ between individuals with a growth mindset and 
those with a fixed mindset. In their research, the error-related negativity (ERN) 
was elicited shortly after participants made an erroneous response. This indicates 
that in both psychology and neuroscience, Dweck’s concept of mindset has been 
empirically supported.
The concept of mindset focused on general human psychology, but it is 
possible to apply the mindset concept to language learners because language 
learning involves facing challenges, making mistakes, and persisting in the face of 
difficulties—key elements that align with growth mindset principles.
Thus, this pilot study aims to identify simple yet effective strategies to help 
fixed mindset learners develop a growth mindset within the context of language 
learning classrooms, providing insights into practical approaches that can be 
implemented in similar educational environments.
─ 259 ─
2. 	e study
2.1 Participants
39 fifth-grade students from a Japanese elementary school participated in this 
study. All participants had passed Eiken Level 5, indicating a basic understanding 
of English. The participants varied in home environment and learning styles, 
making them a suitable group for exploring the broader applicability of the results. 
This research is a pilot study, aimed at collecting preliminary data for future, more 
comprehensive studies.
2.2 Method
The goal-setting project consisted of nine sessions. At the start of each 
session, the unit goal was presented to raise students’ awareness of the target. The 
goal was set as, “The goal of this unit is to present about your favorite dinosaur.” 
To achieve this goal, students considered the necessary expressions and vocabulary, 
which were then noted on the classroom whiteboard by the teacher (Figure 1).
Figure.1 Expressions and Vocabulary Identied by Learners During the Goal-Setting Project
These notes were shown at the beginning of each class along with the unit 
goal, providing students with an opportunity to review and recall the language 
they had previously identified as important. Through this process, students were 
─ 260 ─
expected to develop an understanding of the key expressions required to meet their 
goal and cultivate the ability to anticipate what would come next. This approach 
is expected to be particularly effective for students with a fixed mindset. By clearly 
understanding the language and concepts needed for success, students would be 
able to anticipate where mistakes might occur in the learning process, which could 
help reduce their fear of making errors. By clarifying the steps needed to reach the 
goal, students are likely to predict what will happen next and prepare themselves 
for potential challenges. In doing so, they could develop resilience by learning 
to anticipate and address mistakes, allowing them to engage with their learning 
without the fear of failure.
The final outcome was for students to make a final presentation about 
their favorite dinosaur, which was captured as a video recording. Based on 
recommendations that suggest the effectiveness of using ICT tools in learning 
(Herrero & Vanderschelden, 2013), students used tablets to record each other’s 
presentations in pairs (Figure 2).
Figure 2: e Final Outcome (Video-based Presentation)
3. Data Acquisition
Data were collected through questionnaires administered before and after the 
project. The questionnaires assessed tendencies toward fixed and growth mindsets 
using a 4-point scale (+2 to -2). Pre-tests were conducted before the goal-
setting project began, and post-tests were conducted after the project concluded. 
─ 261 ─
Data were collected using Google Forms and analyzed using standard statistical 
methods.
4. Result
The comparison of average growth mindset scores before and after the project 
showed an increase, indicating a positive shift in students’ mindsets following 
the goal-setting project. As shown in Figure 3, the continuous presentation of 
goals and reflecting on what was necessary to achieve them appeared to positively 
impact students’ approach to learning. This effect was particularly noticeable 
among students who initially had a fixed mindset, suggesting that the repeated 
goal-setting helped them adjust their attitudes toward challenges and mistakes.
The percentage changes before and after the intervention are detailed in 
Table 1. Specifically, the number of students with a fixed mindset decreased 
by 50%, while those with a growth mindset increased by 25%. These changes 
Figure 3: Average Growth Mindset Scores Before and After the Project
Note: e pre-project scores are represented with diagonal hatching, while post-project scores use 
dot hatching. e error bars indicate the standard deviation of the scores, showing the variability 
within each group. is visualization helps highlight the changes in mindset scores and the range 
of variation, suggesting that the goal-setting project not only increased average scores but also 
aected the consistency of the results.
─ 262 ─
highlight the potential of goal-setting as a practical strategy to foster resilience and 
proactive learning attitudes among young learners. By consistently reviewing goals 
at the start of each lesson, students were able to anticipate what would happen 
next, recognize the necessary vocabulary and expressions, and visualize possible 
obstacles. This approach may have provided a clearer roadmap for upcoming 
lessons, making students more resilient and less afraid of making mistakes.
Table.1 Percentage of Fixed and Growth Mindset Before and After the Goal-Setting Project
Mindset Type Pre-Project (%) Post-Project(%) Change (%)
Fixed Mindset 33.3 16.7 -50.0
Growth Mindset 66.7 83.3 +24.7
Note: e table shows the percentage of students categorized by mindset type before and after the 
project, with the change percentage indicating the growth or reduction rate. e xed mindset decreased 
by 50%, while the growth mindset increased by 24.7%, demonstrating the potential eect of goal-setting 
on students’ mindset transformation.
5. Discussion
The findings of this study suggest that clearly stated and continuously 
presented goals, along with encouraging students to think about the expressions 
and vocabulary needed to achieve these goals, are effective in promoting a 
growth mindset. Through goal-setting, students were able to grasp the path of 
their learning and develop the ability to anticipate what would happen next. For 
students with a fixed mindset, visualizing what is needed to achieve their goals 
allowed them to foresee upcoming challenges, helping them build a more resilient 
approach toward failure. This highlights the positive impact of goal-setting on 
students’ learning attitudes.
The results indicate that it is possible to foster a growth mindset among 
language learners within the school context. What matters most is to prevent 
students from fearing failure by clearly presenting goals and necessary language 
materials in advance. By implementing this approach in the classroom, students 
can feel more secure and keep up with their English lessons without anxiety.
─ 263 ─
However, in Japanese English education, grammar-translation methods 
remain dominant, which presents challenges to adopting goal-setting approaches. 
These traditional methods tend to focus heavily on finding the correct answers, 
which may limit students’ opportunities to embrace their mistakes and learn 
from them. Goal-setting as an educational practice can offer a way to shift these 
traditional learning perspectives, encouraging students to take more ownership of 
their learning journey.
As an alternative approach to the grammar-translation method, Project-
Based Learning (PBL) offers a promising option. PBL is considered an effective 
strategy for enhancing engagement among language learners (Blumenfeld et al., 
1991; Stoller, 2006). Studies on PBL outside of language learning suggest that 
it not only boosts students’ motivation but also improves problem-solving skills 
and supports a deeper understanding of content (Thomas, 2000). Additionally, 
PBL fosters critical thinking, creativity, and collaborative learning, making it a 
key component in providing meaningful learning experiences (Barron & Darling-
Hammond, 2008). By engaging students in meaningful tasks, PBL encourages a 
more active and self-directed approach to learning, making it a valuable alternative 
to traditional teaching methods (Krajcik & Blumenfeld, 2006).
 However, it often lacks the emphasis on continuously presenting goals and 
discussing missing language materials, which may lead younger students to lose 
sight of the purpose behind their learning. Integrating the elements of goal-setting 
from this study into PBL could enhance students’ understanding of their learning 
objectives and further support their autonomous engagement.
This study is a pilot and has some limitations, including a small sample size 
and the lack of statistical verification, which restrict the reliability of the findings. 
Future research should involve larger-scale studies and experimental designs with 
control groups. Additionally, exploring different grades and educational settings 
will help generalize the effects of goal-setting. Continued research is necessary 
to validate the educational value of goal-setting and establish it as a concrete 
instructional strategy.
─ 264 ─
6. Conclusion
This pilot study examined the impact of goal-setting on growth mindset in 
elementary school students. The continuous presentation of goals helped students 
better understand their learning processes and promoted the formation of a 
growth mindset. Educators can enhance students’ attitudes and learning outcomes 
by incorporating this approach into their teaching practices. Future research 
should test the effects of goal-setting across different age groups and educational 
settings and include statistical significance testing to ensure broader applicability.
Based on the results of this study, future research should focus on conducting 
more detailed data analysis and further academic validation. This pilot study serves 
as an initial step in emphasizing the importance of goal-setting in education, 
paving the way for more comprehensive studies that could contribute to the 
broader educational landscape.
In conclusion, this study highlights the importance of continuously 
presenting clear goals and engaging in discussions about how to achieve them as 
a transformative approach in language education. It suggests that such practices 
can guide future educational methods toward more student-centered and resilient 
learning environments.
Acknowledgements
I would like to express my deepest gratitude to Professor Ryoji Tsurumi for 
encouraging me to write about my recent practical studies in this publication, 
even though I was not a participant in his seminars during my undergraduate 
and graduate years. Since I started my career as a teacher, he has continuously 
shared his publications with me, which have greatly influenced my perspectives 
on language education and the history of language teaching. I am truly honored 
to contribute to this special issue celebrating his retirement, and I hope I will have 
the opportunity to learn from him again in the future.
─ 265 ─
References
Barron, B., & Darling-Hammond, L. (2008). Teaching for meaningful learning: A review of research on 
inquiry-based and cooperative learning. In L. Darling-Hammond, B. Barron, P. D. Pearson, A. H. 
Schoenfeld, E. K. Stage, T. Zimmerman, G. N. Cervetti, & J. L. Tilson (Eds.), Powerful learning: 
What we know about teaching for understanding (pp. 11-70). Jossey-Bass.
Blumenfeld, P. C., Soloway, E., Marx, R. W., Krajcik, J. S., Guzdial, M., & Palincsar, A. (1991). 
Motivating project-based learning: Sustaining the doing, supporting the learning. Educational 
Psychologist, 26(3-4), 369-398. https://doi.org/10.1080/00461520.1991.9653139
Dörnyei, Z. (2005). The psychology of the language learner: Individual differences in second language 
acquisition. Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
Dweck, C. S. (2006). Mindset: e new psychology of success. Random House.
Gardner, R. C., & Lambert, W. E. (1959). Motivational variables in second-language acquisition. 
Canadian Journal of Psychology, 13(4), 266-272.
Herrero, C., & Vanderschelden, I. (2013). Using lm and media in the language classroom: Reections 
on research-led teaching. In C. Herrero & I. Vanderschelden (Eds.), Using lm and media in the 
language classroom: Reections on research-led teaching (pp. 3-10). Multilingual Matters.
Krajcik, J. S., & Blumenfeld, P. C. (2006). Project-based learning. In R. K. Sawyer (Ed.), e Cambridge 
handbook of the learning sciences (pp. 317-334). Cambridge University Press.
Moser, J. S., Schroder, H. S., Heeter, C., Moran, T. P., & Lee, Y. H. (2011). Mind your 
errors: Evidence for a neural mechanism linking growth mindset to adaptive post-
error adjustments. Psychological Science, 22(12), 1484-1489. https://doi.org/10.1177/ 
0956797611419520
Ryan, R. M., & Deci, E. L. (2000). Intrinsic and extrinsic motivations: Classic definitions and 
new directions. Contemporary Educational Psychology, 25(1), 54-67. https://doi.org/10.1006/
ceps.1999.1020
Stoller, F. (2006). Establishing a theoretical foundation for project-based learning in second and foreign 
language contexts. In G. H. Beckett & P. C. Miller (Eds.), Project-based second and foreign language 
education: Past, present, and future (pp. 19-40). Information Age Publishing.
omas, J. W. (2000). A review of research on project-based learning. e Autodesk Foundation. https://
www.asec.purdue.edu/lct/HBCU/documents/AReviewofResearchofProject-BasedLearning.pdf


Exploring Mindset Development in English Education Through Goal-Setting : A Pilot Study with Japanese Elementary Students

OKADA, Mitsuhiro

MINAMI, Yasusuke

EBITA, Daigoro

SUNAGA, Masafumi

KAWAMURA, Yuki

79
コミュニケーション紀要
Vol. 35, pp. 79-86（2025 年３月）
Introduction
We'd like to present our research at a residential drug addiction rehabilitation center known as 
DARC （that is, Drug Addiction Rehabilitation Center）. Our study focuses on the various practices 
employed at this facility to aid in the recovery of its residents. 
The DARC Meetings 
DARC usually hosts three meetings each day for residents, modeled after NA （Narcotics 
Anonymous） meetings, using the "speak and listen but no crosstalk" format. Since 2014, our research 
field also incorporates SMARPP （which is short for Serigaya Methamphetamines Relapse Prevention 
Program）, which includes some time for sharing personal experiences. These sessions occur once a 
week instead of NA type meeting, at a set time, and are led by staff members, who are themselves 
recovering addicts, facilitating and guiding the discussions. Between January to May of 2018, we 
recorded one season of the meetings comprising 17 sessions using video cameras and IC recorders 
（Original Data in Japanese）. Participants included users, and staff.  One staff member acted as the 
facilitator during the meetings.  Staff members are recovering addicts themselves.   In comparing the 
“speak and listen but no crosstalk” sessions and the SMARPP, the participants liked the latter 
because they were able to “get advice and opinions” （Minami 2019 : 29）. During "check-in" （the 
beginning） phase, participants reflected on their week, discussing their physical and emotional states 
and significant events （Minami 2019 : 29）.
In DARC’ s recovery program, participants deepen their experience as “fellows” and respond 
to each other's actions and words based on principles like the "12 Steps" and the "Serenity Prayer" 
which are used as texts at the meetings. As the participants listen to each other’s narratives, this 
process helps them to make “incarnate” these principles, guiding participants to act as "fellows". Let 
Reporting One’s Current State and Recovery at a Support Facility for Drug Addicts : 
Objectivation and Incarnation of Institutional Maxim in SMARPP Type DARC Meeting1 
Mitsuhiro Okada2, Yasusuke Minami2, Daigoro Ebita3, Masafumi Sunaga4, Yuki Kawamura5
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　
1　 This work is supported by JSPS KAKENHI Grant Number JP23K25581. Also, this is the paper delivered at the 16th 
Conference of the International Institute for Ethnomethodology and Conversation Analysis（IIEMCA）, held at 
Sogang University, Seoul, Korea in June of 2024.
2　Seijo University.
3　Niitaga Seiryo University.
4　Otaru University of Commerce.
5　Matsuyama University.
Reporting One’s Current State and Recovery at a Support Facility for Drug Addicts 
80
SEIJO COMMUNICATION STUDIES VOL. 35 2025
us now investigate the practices that the participants are doing in their exchanges, from the 
viewpoint of EMCA. 
 
EMCA Research in Phenomenological and Pragmatist Tradition
As time goes on, social facts that later become resources for interaction are continuously 
“objectivated”. Garfinkel, who extensively theorized about communication, considered that "Each 
action becomes an “experiment in miniature,” whose success is instantiated by the co-participant’s 
next action. And the meaning of each action arises only in and through the next action" （Garfinkel 
1948=2006）. This implies that it is only through the practical actions of the actor towards an object 
that the object can be experienced in a specific way. The pragmatist idea of viewing experience as 
learning is also shared by the cognitive behavioral therapy that supports SMARPP.  Later, Garfinkel 
suggested that "Work-site practices … are developingly objective and developingly accountable " 
（Garfinkel, 2002: 189）. In the tradition of phenomenological sociology by Schutz, Berger, and 
Luckman, the process of producing “practical objectivity“ is called "objectivation." Liberman, 
continuing the terminology of phenomenological sociology, refers to the production of social facts 
during interactions as "objectivation" and states, " Objectivation is the work of turning our thinking 
or activities into objects that are publicly available for people to use for organizing the local 
orderliness of their affair” （Liberman 2018）. Schematically, this process can be represented as 
"Account ─ Ratification （or Confirmation）─ Objectivation" （Liberman 2013: 108）. An "account" that 
has been "objectivated" through ratification becomes a social fact that serves as a "common ground" 
for communication, thus becoming a resource for subsequent interactions. Meetings are a process 
where discussions, advice, and opinions are digested to "incarnate" wisdom and deepened as the 
intersubjective experience of "fellows." Clarifying the meaning of words through "objectivation," and 
further making them comprehensible through "incarnation," is naturally accountable. 
Overview of the Data
Let's examine the following two fragments which we call the “An Unlikely Story” and the 
“Transparent Lie”. 
1. "An Unlikely Story" 
Shin's assertion of "not looking at women as the opposite sex" is initially denied. However, by 
using the “code” of "fellow", Shin's assertion becomes something that can be understood. 
81
コミュニケーション紀要　第 35 輯　2025 年
Fig.1
1-1. The Simplified Sequence 1
Shin: "I don't look at women as the opposite sex." Formulation of one’s stance （Assertion） 
Masa: "You do, though." Denial
Shin: "Well, some women sometimes, but." Mitigation
Yoshi: "What do you mean, what do you mean?" Clarification question 
Shin: "Well. I mean, like, we are all fellows." Formulation using code 
In "objectivating" and distinguishing between "opposite sex" and "fellows," we see how the 
"maxims" are followed as instruction thus “incarnating” them and having them recognized as social 
facts.  
1-2. Yoshi's "Unlikely Story" is scrutinized. 
As the content of the narrative by Shin is idealized, the "fellow/the opposite sex" distinction is 
reified to make Yoshi and Masa a judgmental dope（Garfinkel 1967）.  
The Simplified Sequence 2
Yoshi: If you ask me, I've always thought that way Assertion 
Haru: No way. Denial 
Fumi: Oh, really? Request for confirmation （Neutral） 
Taka: That's great. Positive evaluation 
Shin: That’s great. Positive evaluation 
Kiyo:  That’s great. Positive evaluation 
Masa:  We’re the same there. Team formation 
Reporting One’s Current State and Recovery at a Support Facility for Drug Addicts 
82
SEIJO COMMUNICATION STUDIES VOL. 35 2025
Masa:  Everyone's the same, right? Request for confirmation （upgrade） 
Yoshi: （Nods） Confirmation 
Haru:  Why do you lie like that? Denial in question form 
Yoshi: （Grin） Possible comfirmation by silence 
 
The "denial" of the assertion, whereby the words "the opposite sex" and "fellow" as 
distinguished in relation to "sexual desire" are "objectivated".
2. "Transparent Lie" 
Fig.2
2-1.  Through the example of Masa's "transparent lie" regarding quitting "smoking," smoking as 
something Masa doesn't really want to do but continues to do, is "objectivated." 
The Simplified Sequence 3  
Masa: "Me too. I've quit smoking for a while now, but..." Formulation of one’ s stance （Assertion） 
Sabu: "That's a lie." Denial 
Sabu: "How many days? Three hours?" Question implying denial 
Taka: "There are cigarettes in front of you."　　＊ Fig.2
 Encouragement of observation through a report 
Haru: "Ten minutes? Five minutes?" Question strongly implying denial 
83
コミュニケーション紀要　第 35 輯　2025 年
Here, as "smoking" is understood as an activity that fulfills the maxim "do what you can," the 
"do what you can" maxim is "incarnated" as a deontic logic or norm to be followed. 
 
ANALYSIS
1-1 From assertion and negative evaluation to understanding through the "code" of "fellow" 
Let us show you an example in which the formulation of an assertion is denied, and an 
institutional reason is added to supplement the assertion. In response to Shin's statement formulating 
his position as " I don’ t look at women only as the opposite sex". Masa immediately denies the 
statement, saying, "You do, though” Shin denies and mitigates part of the content of his assertion 
which used the general proposition "women" by saying, "well yes some women sometimes, but” When 
asked by Yoshi about his true intentions, Shin uses "fellow," a jargon （a kind of "code"） known to all 
participants, to justify the content of his assertion （cf. Wieder 1974）.  
 
1-2 “An Unlikely Story” :”making it explicit" through denial 
Continuing from the interaction in 1-1, Yoshi makes a comparison between himself and Shin 
by preceding his comment with “If you ask me”, and then saying he’d “always” thought like that. 
The "If you ask me," sounds as though Yoshi is signaling that he will make an even stronger 
assertion. Yoshi's word selection of ”always" is a continuation and upgrading of Shin's formulation of 
his position in the statement. Yoshi's utterance sounds like the start of a "second story" （Sacks 1992） 
that indicates an understanding of the content of "not seeing women only as the opposite sex". After 
Masa forms a team with Yoshi with the “we”, the utterance "always thought like that" raises the 
degree to which they all are "fellows" beyond just "not seeing women only as the opposite sex". By 
nodding here, there is implicit approval from Yoshi for the team formation and the use of the general 
proposition “everyone” which further upgrades the assertion.  Haru, however, immediately denies the 
assertion of Masa and Yoshi's team. The deontic logic of "fellow" is something that is learned at 
DARC, and general proposition "I’ve always” and “everyone" do not include this necessary "growth" 
and "learning" of that process. 
Returning to the exchange, several evaluations are presented at this point as if to challenge 
Haru’s “denial”. Here, Fumi asks a neutral confirming question on whether this is true or false. Taka, 
Shin and Kiyo make an apparently positive evaluation "That’s great” in succession. One may read 
"doubt" into the confirmation question, and one may read a stance of “not wanting to determine 
whether it was true or not” into the "that's great". 
Haru’s denial competes with these responses and ultimately cancels them out. Masa further 
upgrades the content of Yoshi's argument by using the general proposition "everyone".
By nodding, Yoshi implicitly approves team building and upgrading. In response, Haru again 
Reporting One’s Current State and Recovery at a Support Facility for Drug Addicts 
84
SEIJO COMMUNICATION STUDIES VOL. 35 2025
immediately denies the content of Yoshi's upgraded assertion with his comment “Why do you lie like 
that?”  Yoshi does not negate this, but responds with a "grin”. After the "grin," we see that he does 
not continue with words that restore the truth of his assertion which implies, according to the 
"challenge and default" principle that something is approved if not challenged, that he has approved. 
Haru, from the very beginning, takes a different stance, questioning the truth of the content of too 
general assertion, and Yoshi's grin appears to approve the denial. Here, approval and denial 
intersected in response to the assertion. Through the process the content of the assertion is listened 
to and then denied, Shin's distinction is "objectivated" into common ground and utilized as a resource. 
After this, a third story which supplements the first and second stories is further told by Kiyo 
（although we will not investigate that today）. 
In Kiyo's story, a growing up story is told in which the sense of "fellow" gradually arises, and 
the division of meaning between "fellow” and “the opposite sex" is further concretized and 
"incarnated" in dialectic process.
2: "Transparent Lie" 
As Sacks （1975） noted, for an utterance to be evaluated as an assertion, it must be genuine, 
and its authenticity is always subject to scrutiny. But, being labeled a lie does not nullify the content 
of an assertion.  Instead, the practice of confirming something as a “lie” helps establish and verify 
social facts without going through the basic forms of objectivation and clarification through the 
process of assertion and confirmation. It is through the process of denial that "common ground" is 
produced. In the exchange mediated by "lies" and denials, some social fact, such as "suppressing 
another desire by smoking," and the ad hoc identity associated with it, are mutually objectivated and 
approved. 
 
2-0 Ad Hoc Naming: pre-beginning episode
Data 2 starts with the participants introducing themselves as they routinely do as "I am 
Sabuchan and I am a drug addict” in response to which the other participants repeating in unison 
the anonymous name part of the introduction. This process of “self-introduction” and “repetition” is a 
process that serves to “acknowledge” and "objectivate" the institutional identity behind the meeting. 
The term "Cigarette Sabuchan" is given to him who is "doing what he can" in the form of smoking, 
which he does not want to do if possible, in order to suppress his desire for drugs. Sabuchan 
acknowledged the name and said “I can only do what I can do”.This seems to be a practice of 
acknowledging reality and moving on （factum valet）, even if it is not ideal （Garfinkel 1967）, and is 
oriented toward the "wisdom to distinguish what can and cannot be done" in the "Serenity Prayer.” 
"Cigarette Sabuchan" was initially a designation given ad hoc to the smoker Sabuchan, but through 
85
コミュニケーション紀要　第 35 輯　2025 年
the process of denial, it becomes clear that smoking is one way of "incarnating" the normative status 
of "doing what I can" and its significance in the process of "recovery" is recognized. 
The "that Sabuchan" and "the Sabuchan now" are associated with positive evaluation, and the 
anaphoric "that" and "the now" show the connection between the designation "Cigarette Sabuchan" 
and the institutional norm of DARC. 
2-1 "Transparent Lie": various practices which constitute denial 
The fragment in data 2-1 is a scene involving the evaluation of this "Cigarette Sabuchan". 
Ultimately, the importance of Sabuchan's "wisdom" in distinguishing between what can and cannot 
be done, and doing what he can, as in the Serenity Prayer, can be seen in his being anaphorically 
named "that Sabuchan” or "the Sabuchan now” by several participants. In the exchange we will 
examine here, Masa makes the first formulation is by expressing sympathy with Sabuchan, saying 
"Me too". However, Sabuchan, the addressee of the "too", has not "quit smoking". 
Then, the central element of the Masa’s assertion "quit smoking," is denied as a “bold-faced lie” 
by Sabuchan, who is the center of this topic. Sabuchan denies Masa's assertion using words that do 
not attack character （unlike “liar”）. It sounds as if Sabuchan, the sympathetic addressee considers 
Masa’s assertion to be a transparent "lie.” Sabuchan then asks "how many days? 3 hours?" Which are 
“clarification” questions to specify the extent of Masa's quitting smoking.  
Taka then points out that there is a cigarette packet in front of Masa's hand, saying, "There 
are cigarettes in front of you.” Everyone then looks at the "observable evidence" of the lie, and the 
fact that it was a “lie” is publicly displayed. 
Haru further indicates that what Masa means by quitting smoking is not quitting smoking in 
the usual sense by talking about the length of time using “minutes”, an extremely short unit of time 
inconsistent with the activity of quitting smoking.  What is in common between the two is that the 
activity of smoking is seen as different from the use of other drugs. By observing the exchange 
during this meeting, we were able to understand the use of the “too” in Masa’s assertion “Me too”. 
Assertions that are "denied" by being pointed out, for example, as "lies" are linked during the 
interaction to the factum valet character of "smoking," which implies something is missing and 
inference is needed to fill in missing component. Smoking is an activity that should be avoided per 
se, not least because it is harmful to one's health, but Sabuchan is smoking, out of necessity, in order 
to break the temptation to drugs, and it becomes clear that Masa would like to quit smoking, even if 
he is unable to do so.  
 
Discussion
We have seen the importance of the interactions at DARC meetings, particularly focusing on 
Reporting One’s Current State and Recovery at a Support Facility for Drug Addicts 
86
SEIJO COMMUNICATION STUDIES VOL. 35 2025
the practice of “SMARPP” which is an important component of the meetings.  The deontic logic of 
the facility are internalized through discussion, often linked to "maxims" or "codes" that participants 
use to guide their actions. Even when an assertion is not approved, perhaps by being denied as a 
"lie," the content of the assertion is not nullified. Instead, through a process akin to dialectic, the 
meaning of the words becomes "objectivated" and are used as resources to make the deontic logic 
“incarnate”. Here, in the exchanges during the meetings in the rehabilitation facility for drug addicts 
that we attended and video-recorded, through the process of "denial" of the content of the assertion, 
and the process like "thesis-antithesis-synthesis," we have seen in each example how an 
understanding is produced in the actual setting, how the subjective reality of the initial assertion is 
"made explicit," or "objectivated," then the “maxims” and deontic logic given in the text was 
“incarnated”.
References 
Garfinkel, Harold （2002） Ethnomethodology’s Program: Working Out Durkheim’s Aphorism. Edited and 
Introduced by Anne Rawls. Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield
Garfinkel, Harold （2006） Seeing Sociologically. Boulder, CO: Paradigm Publishers. ［1948］
Liberman, Kenneth （2013）, More Studies in Ethnomethodology, Albany, NY, State University of New York 
Press. 
Liberman, Kenneth （2018）, "Objectivation practices", Social Interaction: Video-Based Studies of Human 
Sociality, vol. 1, no. 2. 
Minami, Yasusuke （2019）, "A Study of SMARPP at a Drug Addiction Rehabilitation House : On "Effects" 
Observed in Field Research". Seijo Communication Studies. Vol.30, pp. 13-34.
Sacks, Harvey （1975）, "Everyone has to lie", In Sociocultural Dimensions of Language Use （Ben G. Blount, 
Mary Sanches, eds.）, New York, Academic Press, pp. 57-80. 
Sacks, Harvey （1992）, "Lectures on Conversation", Oxford, Basil Blackwell, vol. 1 & 2.
Wieder, Lawrence, D. （1974）, "Telling the code", In Roy Turner. Ethnomethodology: Selected Readings, 
Harmondsworth, Penguin, pp. 144-172.


<RESEARCH NOTE>Reporting One’s Current State and Recovery at a Support Facility for Drug Addicts : Objectivation and Incarnation of Institutional Maxim in SMARPP Type DARC Meeting

栁澤, 広美

木幡順三の現象学的態度 : 求道的美意識との関係

柳川, 太希

189
現代においていけばなと呼ばれるジャンルは、花を花器に挿して鑑賞する営為である、と一
般的には理解されているだろう。また、いけばな以外にも花道（華道）とも呼ばれて芸道の一
つに数え上げられることもある。このいけばなは、語に即せば「はな」を「いける」行為とそ
の所産とを意味する。「はな」は一般に切り花と言われる枝ないし茎を付けたまま切り取った
素材を指す。その中でも花が代表的な部位ではあるが、実際は他に葉、茎、枝なども含意する。
また、「いける」は「生ける」ないし「活ける」の字が当てられ、制作者であるいけ手の一定
の人為性が前提とされている。先行研究はこの切り花を花器に挿す場面に集中して議論してい
るが、本論文はいけばなの営為の射程を前後に拡張しようとする。
本論文は、生活文化としての現代いけばな──外での稽古や花展ではなく自宅での、宴席な
どの催しではなく日常における現代いけばな──を主題とし、このいけばなの全体構造──野
や庭にある植物を切ってきて、切り花を花器に挿し、手入れをし、そして花器から抜くという
全体構造──を、個々の点ではなく、線で結んで明らかにすることを目的とする。この目的を
達成するべく、本論文は一人称的観点から経験を記述する現象学的方法──実践者としての経
験に基づき、いける行為の内実に結果からではなく過程から迫る方法──を採用する。
第１章では、西谷啓治のいけばな論を主題とし、野や庭にある植物を切ってきて、切り花を
花器に挿すところまでを議論の対象とした。西谷におけるいけばなとは、いけ手と切り花とが
相互作用によって、いけ手の体認と切り花の自己実現とを深化させていき、双方がふれ合いな
がら切り花の美を幾重にも高めていくことで一つになる営為である。この第１章で扱わなかっ
た部分を次章以降に引き継いだ。
まず、いけばなには稽古が付きもので、稽古は守破離という階梯において論じられる。この
稽古に焦点を当てつつ、いけ手と切り花が一つになる、という第１章の結論が私以外の実践者
の言説からも同様に言えるのかを検証しなければならないため、第２章で井上治、西平直を経
由しながら勅使河原蒼風のいけばな論を解釈することで、より具体的な次元から、どのような
過程でいけ手と切り花が一つになるのか、という問いの解決を目指した。いけ手は、まず切り
花の言葉を素直に聞くことで、自らの欲と身を濾過し、自らをゼロポイントに至らしめる。次
柳川太希
いけばな：花をいけ切る
博士論文要旨
190
成城美学美術史　第31号
にいけ手のその時その場の感情が切り花に乗り、最後に道ないし場の全体エネルギーが顕れ出
ることで離の境地に現成し、いけ手と切り花が一つになる。
次に小括では、以上の２つの章の議論を組み合わせて統一した結論を導くことで、現代のい
け手にとっての稽古の目的を明らかにした。すなわち、いけ手は己を忘
わす
ることで切り花と和
わ
す
る。そしていけ手と切り花が一つになる。現代のいけ手の稽古の目的は、型を身に付け、その
型を忠実に再現することに留まるのではなく、型を経由した自由な創作によって、切り花の真
の姿を追求することである。
今度は視点を切り花そのものに移した。というのも、西谷はさかりの状態の切り花を想定し、
切り花の変化を念頭に置いていなかったが、実際には条件が整えば、切り花は蕾の状態であれ
ばそこから花を咲かす可能性があるからである。こうした切り花を花器に挿した後の推移をい
け手の手入れによって捉えるべく、切り花の生を第３章で扱った。その結果、いけばなにおけ
る切り花の生とは、自生していたときと異なり、死に向かって生存するようになった自らの生
を、いけ手との協同作業を通じて実現する生である、という結論を得た。
第３章では、切り花の生の推移を、「枯れる」という充実した老衰を実現するように方向づ
けるところまで明らかにしたが、第４章では「枯れる」状態の先にある切り花の死に迫った。
第４章では、どのようにいけ手は切り花を花器から抜くのか、という問いに対して、いけ手は、
切り花が有する美の最後の形態を確保するべく、切り花にさわりながら死を受け入れたとき、
切り花の代謝が停止して腐敗する前に切り花を花器から抜く、という結論に至った。そして、
いけ手は野や庭にある植物にさわりながら切り、切り花にふれながら花器に挿し、手入れによっ
てふれ合いを積み上げ、そして切り花にさわりながら花器から抜く、という一連の行為を線で
捉えることができるようになった。
そして、第５章では、第１章の西谷解釈において留保した箇所に取り組み、西谷の議論にお
いていけ手が切り花を花器から抜く行為がどのような意味を持つのか、という問いの解決を目
指した。その結果、いけ手が切り花を花器から抜く行為とは、切り花とのふれ合い関係の断絶
を体認して諦める決意・決断をすることで、切り花の死をそのものとして受け取ることを、切
実さをもって切り花の内側に入り込むことによって徹底するとき、切り花の実在にふれながら
切り花の生と美を明らめる最後の協同作業によって切り花をいけ切ることである、という結論
に達した。
以上の議論を線で結んでいこう。いけ手はまず、型が身に付いていない状態から型の身に付
いた状態を目指す。ここでは、我意を捨てて型を守る技の稽古が求められる。次に、技を習得
し特定の型を身に付けたら、この型の再現性を保ちながら日頃より自らの欲と身を濾過する心
の稽古を積んでいく。これは本番でも同じ道筋を辿らなければならないため、稽古であれ本番
であれ、常にいけ手に求められる。
こうした技の稽古と心の稽古を積んでいることを前提に、実際に切り花をいけていく。それ
がすなわち、いけ手が己を忘ることで切り花と和することの実践である。ここまでは、自宅で
の日常のいけばなだけではなく、自宅外での稽古のいけばなや花展のいけばなにも当てはまる。
こうしていけ手が切り花を花器に挿した後も、自宅での日常におけるいけばなだといけ手と
切り花との関係が日をまたいで継続する（ことがある）ため、両者が同じ時間と空間を共有し
191
いけばな：花をいけ切る
ながら、いけ手が切り花の枝、茎、ないし葉にふれて、切り花の潜在的な力を感じ取りつつ切
り花の新たな可能性を探っていき、いけ手の構想と切り花の本性とが一致した状態を積み上げ
ていく手入れを行なう。
しかし、こうした切り花の「枯れる」を目指す中で、やがて切り花は力動性を失っていく。
そこで、切り花とのふれ合いの断絶を切り花にさわりながら体認することで諦めたいけ手は、
切り花の生と美を明らめる最後の協同作業としてのふれ合いによって切り花をいけ切る。
このように、いけばなの全体構造とは、いけ手が、第一に野や庭にある植物を切ってきて、
第二にその切ってきた植物、すなわち切り花を花器に挿し、第三に切り花の新たな展開に即し
て手入れをし、そして第四にその切り花を花器から抜くところまで、切り花をいけ切ることで
ある。いけ手は、野や庭にある植物であれ、花屋等で入手する切り花であれ、特定のこの
4 4
（切
り）花を選ぶ。死が明確になることで生きることのできるこの
4 4
（切り）花がいき切るように、
いけ手は最後までいけ切る。すなわち、花をいけ切るのがいけばななのである。


<博士論文の要旨>いけばな : 花をいけ切る

松井, 和泉

<エッセイ>川上弘美『月火水木金土日』 : 6時間目の試み

大森, 弘喜

<書評>井手川泰子著『新・火を産んだ母たち』黄インイク著／黒木夏兒訳『緑の牢獄-沖縄西表炭坑に眠る台湾の記録』熊沢誠著『イギリス炭鉱ストライキの群像-新自由主義と闘う労働運動のレジェンド』

中山, 俊

七月王政期におけるカトリックの宗教的記念物の管理 :用途と信心の観点からの考察

Not a member yet