Apathy - Apathy (English spelling)

Japanese: アパシー - あぱしー（英語表記）Apathy

The psychopathology of apathy

The German word "apathie" means insensibility to external stimuli, and is a term used to indicate symptoms such as insensibility seen in acute startle and schizophrenia, but in recent years, the English word "apathy" has come to be used frequently in psychoanalysis to indicate neurotic levels of lethargy and indifference. In 1961, American PA Walters proposed the concept of student apathy, which refers to university students who lose interest in their studies and lead unproductive lives. In Japan, psychiatrist Yoshi Kasahara (1928- ) defined "withdrawal neurosis" as "not only students, but also people who show no interest in their main occupations such as studies and work, and remain active in other areas." Hirose Tetsuya's (1937- ) avoidance-type depression is also a form of the same pathology.

[Toshihiko Nagata]

Political apathy

In today's society, where people's interests are diversified under the economic prosperity, interest in politics tends to decline, and many people lose trust in politics and further lose interest in politics when their political demands are not met. "Apathy" is also used to refer to this kind of "political indifference," and is one of the factors that bring instability to modern politics.

[Editorial Department]

[Reference] | Political Apathy

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

Japanese:

無気力の精神病理

ドイツ語のアパチーApathieは外界からの刺激に無感覚となることを意味し、急性の驚愕(きょうがく)などにみる無感覚や統合失調症（精神分裂病）などの症状を示す用語であるが、近年、精神分析学で繁用される英語の「アパシー」は神経症水準の無気力、無関心を示す。アメリカのウォルターズP. A. Waltersは、1961年に大学生が学業に無関心となり非生産的な生活を送るスチューデント・アパシーstudent apathyという概念を提唱した。日本では精神医学者の笠原嘉(よみし)（1928―　）が「学生のみならず学業や仕事などの本業に関心を示さず、その他の分野に活動性を残すものを退却神経症」とした。広瀬徹也（1937―　）の逃避型抑うつも同じ病理である。

［永田俊彦］