Malformed Identity and Its Political Implications

The paper explores how various types of malformed identity are related to certain political orientations. The relationships are analyzed statistically, and, where possible, are also compared between the Japanese cases and the American cases. The results will be interpreted theoretically. To operationalize the concept of malformed identity, I will utilize the results of the research on “identity disturbance” developed in psychiatry. I will examine the hypothesis that, among the four factors abstracted from the results, “role absorption” is the most common symptom of malformed identity in the U.S., whereas “inconsistency” is the most common symptom of malformed identity in Japan. I will also test if both types of malformed identity have a statistically significant relationship to a propensity for aggressive behavior.