Analyzed by Students from the World's Most Selective University, Minerva! What Are the Conditions for "Learning" That Work for the Middle-Aged and Senior Generations? — The Effectiveness of Project MINT's Psychological Intervention for an Aging Society —
Hello! Project MINT's activities have been featured in a thesis by an intern from Minerva University, which is said to be the most selective university in the world!
The title of the thesis is "Ikigai-Kan in Japan's Post-Retirement Demographic."
Project MINT is primarily attended by people in their 30s to 60s, especially those in their 40s and 50s.
To date, over 250 people have completed the program, andeveryone has discovered their own unique purpose, with approximately 70% of them achieving career transformations based on their sense of ikigai (purpose in life).
Can people really change this much, regardless of their age or previous career?
We ourselves have been surprised by that potential time and time again.
In Project MINT's "Self-Innovation Course",
Discovering your own purpose and ikigai
Finding your connection to society
Starting with small actions
we support adult self-innovation through these steps.
So, why does this process work?
A student from Minerva University addressed this question in the form of a thesis.
They analyze, from a scientific perspective, how psychologically sound Project MINT's approach is regarding the challenges faced by Japan's middle-aged and senior demographic, and what kind of programs will be effective in the future.
In this article, we will pick up three important psychological theories discussed in this thesis and explain them in an easy-to-understand way!
1. Why is "learning new skills" alone not enough for the middle-aged and senior generations?
Socioemotional Selectivity Theory (SST)
When you hear about programs for working adults, you might imagine reskilling, such as "learning programming" or "getting new certifications." However, the thesis points out that "forcing future-oriented skill learning on the middle-aged and senior demographic is not appropriate."
The basis for this is the "Socioemotional Selectivity Theory (SST)" proposed by Dr. Carstensen and colleagues at Stanford University.
The direction of a person's motivation changes depending on their perception of "how much time is left."
When young, people prioritize "acquiring knowledge for the future," but as they begin to become conscious of retirement, they start to prioritize "emotional fulfillment in the present moment."
In other words, what seniors truly need is not skill acquisition for the future, but "meaningful experiences here and now."
The approach provided by Project MINT, which involves "facing yourself and finding meaning," perfectly matches this psychological need.
2. Is the Western "Ikigai" Misunderstood?
Mieko Kamiya's "Seven Dimensions of the Sense of Ikigai"
Have you ever seen the Ikigai Venn diagram popular overseas, where the four circles of "what you love," "what you are good at," "what you can be paid for," and "what the world needs" overlap? The paper sharply points out that "this misunderstands the original Japanese concept of Ikigai." Because including "what you can be paid for" as a condition leads to the erroneous message that "people who are not successful in their careers do not have Ikigai."
The original definition of "Ikigai" comes from the research of psychiatrist Mieko Kamiya (1966). Kamiya captured the sense of Ikigai through seven psychological dimensions.
What is important is that neither "work" nor "money" is included in these seven dimensions.
Even simple daily activities, such as "cooking a meal for one's grandchildren" or "having coffee with a friend," can be a genuine "Ikigai" if the individual finds meaning in them.
3. Scientifically Re-evaluating the "Aimless" Daily Routine
PANAS (Positive and Negative Affect Schedule)
So, how can one find their own "Ikigai"?
The paper proposes a concrete action: "recording daily activities and emotions."
The tool used is a psychological measurement tool called "PANAS." It measures how much "positive emotions (excitement, pride, etc.)" and "negative emotions (anxiety, irritation, etc.)" fluctuate when performing a certain activity.
Interesting results emerged from the pilot test within the paper.
Activities with high positive emotions included "journaling about one's past self," "exercising at the gym," and "making tiramisu for family." On the other hand, activities with high negative emotions included "mindlessly browsing social media" and "watching negative news."
By analyzing daily behaviors in this way, the "activities that are truly valuable to oneself (= Ikigai)" and the "useless habits that are actually lowering one's mood" are clearly visualized.
Summary: A "New Way of Life for Seniors" Pioneered by Project MINT
In the Japanese labor market, when people reach retirement age, their salaries often drop significantly, and they are frequently relegated to unfulfilling work. This has a serious impact on the mental health of the senior population.
Minerva University interns proved the value of Project MINT using three theories.
① SST: Prioritizing current emotional satisfaction over future skills
② Kamiya's Seven Dimensions: Defining the original "Ikigai" that does not depend on work or money
3. PANAS: Scientifically Extracting "Ikigai" (Purpose in Life) from Daily Activities
Project MINT is not just about career support; it is a place to face the fundamental question of "how to live as an individual who has shed their job title."
This paper confirms that our efforts are a highly sound approach from a psychological perspective as well!
As introduced in this article, the efforts of Project MINT are
also beginning to show psychological effectiveness.
If you read this article and felt,
"I would like to pause and think about it myself"
or "I want to rethink my future way of life and career,"
please try experiencing the Project MINT program.
We also hold events, information sessions, and trial sessions.
Please feel free to participate or inquire via the Peatix page below.
Also, if you are interested in corporate training, collaboration with local governments, or research-based initiatives,
please feel free to contact us. Ueyama, the representative of Project MINT, also conducts lectures.
*This article was created based on the paper "Ikigai-Kan in Japan's Post-Retirement Demographic" by a Minerva University intern, with the individual's permission and consent.