Dr. Kazuko Behrens, Professor of Psychology at SUNY Polytechnic Institute, was invited to deliver a featured lecture at Keio Academy of New York as part of its omnibus “Tricultural” Lecture Series: Transpacific, Transcultural, Transdisciplinary.

Her lecture, titled “De-mystifying the concept of amae,” examined the Japanese concept of amae and how it appears across different relationships and stages of development.

“Amae” describes the expectation of being understood, accepted, and cared for within close relationships. In her research, Dr. Behrens explains that amae can involve emotional closeness, trust, dependence, and the assumption of another person’s goodwill or indulgence. She emphasizes that amae is not simply dependence, but a dynamic interpersonal process shaped by intimacy, mutual understanding, and cultural expectations.

Drawing from her scholarship, Behrens introduced a multifaceted framework for understanding amae, highlighting both its everyday expressions and its broader psychological and cultural significance. The lecture was presented in English to the Academy’s bilingual and bicultural student community as part of the institution’s ongoing effort to foster transpacific and transcultural learning.