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''Sisu'' is a Finnish word that cannot be translated properly into the English language, loosely translated to mean stoic determination, bravery, guts, resilience, perseverance and hardiness, expressing the historic self-identified Finnish national character. ''Sisu'' is about taking action against the odds and displaying courage and resoluteness in the face of adversity. Deciding on a course of action and then sticking to that decision against repeated failures is ''Sisu''. It is similar to equanimity, with the addition of a grim quality of stress management. The pertaining adjective is ''sisukas'', "having the quality of ''Sisu''". "Having guts" is a fairly literal translation, as the word derives from ''sisus'', which means something inner or interior. One closely related concept to ''Sisu'' is grit; which shares some of its denoting elements with ''Sisu'', save for 'stress management' and passion for a long-term goal. ''Sisu'' may have an element of passion but it is not always present,〔 ((Abstract )).〕 unlike in the case of grit as defined by Dr. Angela Duckworth. ==As a psychological capacity== Sisu is a term which dates back hundreds of years and is described as being integral to understanding Finnish culture. It is a term for going beyond one´s mental or physical capacity, and is a central part of the country´s culture and collective discourse. However, hardly any empirical research has been done to explore the meaning of this construct as a possible psychological strength resource, and it has long seemed to have a somewhat elusive nature. It has been usually studied as a cultural component among Finns and Finnish Americans,〔 Adapted from 〕 but as a psychological construct has remained under-researched and poorly defined. As early as the 1940s, attempts were made to grasp the essence of ''Sisu''. The Finnish newspaper ''Uusi Suomi'' reached out to its audience for their definition of ''sisu'', and conducted a contest. ''Uusi-Suomi'' wrote: "All of us somewhat know what sisu is ... () has for long been a topic for discussion here in Finland and abroad. But how do we describe and define what sisu really is?". The quest for putting the essence of ''Sisu'' into a definitive form has evidently been around for almost a century. More recently, William R. Aho, Professor Emeritus of Sociology at the Rhodes College, raised questions about ''Sisu'', and stated that "we need a good deal of organized, systematic scientific research to discover the scope and depth of ''Sisu'', geographically and situationally, and the depth and strength of both the beliefs and behaviors surrounding and emanating from sisu."〔 A recent study aimed to fill in that gap, and offer a more precise language for discussing the term. While examining ''Sisu'' within the psychological framework, it sought to render it less elusive as a construct by giving it an easily citable definition rooted within the field of positive psychology. ''Sisu'' as a ''psychological power potential'' was introduced for the first time in the 3rd World Congress on Positive Psychology in Los Angeles on 29 June 2013. In the study, ''Sisu'' is described as a psychological key competence which enables extraordinary action to overcome a mentally or physically challenging situation. ''Sisu'' also contributes to what has been named ''the action mindset''; a consistent, courageous approach toward challenges which at first seem to exceed our capacities.〔 A related on-line survey (conducted between March and May 2013) tracked the cultural representations of ''Sisu'' among contemporary Finns (and Finnish Americans) and revealed that ''Sisu'' is still deeply valued, and that there is public interest for cultivating this strength capacity as well. All in all, the study received 1,060 responses. Among the main findings was the perception of ''Sisu'' as a reserve of power, which enables extraordinary action to overcome mentally or physically challenging situations (rather than being the ability to pursue long-term goals and be persistent). To elaborate on the function of ''Sisu'': it is a powerful psychological potential which enables the individual to tap into mental strength beyond their pre-conceived resources. Wielding ''Sisu'' in the face of adversity helps individuals push through what first seemed like the boundaries of their mental or physical capacities. Furthermore, ''Sisu'' is an action mindset which equips the individual to choose to take on challenges beyond their observed capacities. It provides the final empowering push when we would otherwise hesitate to act. ''Sisu'' can be conceptualized as taking action against the odds. Additionally, even though 53% of the respondents believed some people innate have more ''Sisu'', a majority of 83% of the respondents believed that ''Sisu'' is a flexible quality which can be cultivated through conscious practice (rather than a being a fixed quality), and the majority of respondents were interested in developing this capacity. ''Sisu'' is not always an entirely positive quality. In Finnish language ''pahansisuinen'' literally translated means ''one possessing bad sisu'', a description of a hostile and malignant person. Furthermore, the answers from the ''Sisu'' survey indicate that there can be too much ''Sisu'', and according to the survey answers this leads to bull-headedness, foolhardiness, self-centeredness and inflexible thinking. The study suggests that ''Sisu'' should be informed by reason and cultivated (and practiced) with self-compassion.〔 Like any trait or psychological capacity, ''Sisu'' is the complex product of genetic, psychological, biological and social factors, and its comprehensive understanding will require studies from multiple scientific perspectives. Finland may have the initial monopoly on ''Sisu'' as a cultural construct, but it is a universal capacity and the potential for it exists within all individuals. The transformative power of narrative is widely acknowledged Through the process of social transfer of narratives, values become embedded within a culture and connected to the thought processes of its individuals. People, through their choices and actions, bring these narratives to life in a dynamic process which can prime the behavior of an entire nation. Fostering ''Sisu'' may very well be embedded in such behavior, rather than being a genetical trait which one is born with. ''Sisu'' is a new term in the field of positive psychology, and it may contribute to our understanding of the determinants of resilience, as well as of achievement and the good life. It is suggested that positive psychology research could benefit from focusing future interest on the unique cultural resource of ''Sisu'' that individuals across the globe can leverage; as well as actively examining relevant constructs from other cultures. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Sisu」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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