Applying The Quyen Doctrine to Social Withdrawal in Japan: Hikikomori as a Gainsional Exit
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: This paper applies The Quyen Doctrine: A Structural Framework of Gainsions to the phenomenon of hikikomori, offering a structural reinterpretation of prolonged social withdrawal in Japan. Rather than treating hikikomori primarily as a psychological disorder or individual pathology, the paper argues that withdrawal can emerge as a structurally rational outcome within a distorted Gainsional environment. Using a multi-dimensional Gainsional framework—biological, material, social, emotional, existential, and familial—the analysis demonstrates how sustained negative Returns from social participation can make withdrawal a locally stable structural equilibrium. From this perspective, hikikomori is interpreted as a form of internal exit: a strategic disengagement from social systems perceived as unwinnable, rather than a loss of motivation or capacity. This approach helps explain the persistence of the phenomenon, the limited effectiveness of psychological interventions, and its concentration in societies characterized by rigid status hierarchies, low mobility, and family-based welfare structures. The paper contributes to the Applied Gainsions literature by extending the Quyen Doctrine to social withdrawal and offering a structural lens applicable to other late-stage industrial societies.
Author: Tran, Van Quyen
Language: English
Subfield: Education
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W7124455063
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