Amae

From Freepedia

Amae (甘え), a Japanese word meaning "indulgent dependence" is part of the child rearing culture of Japan. American mothers are expected to teach and develop their children to be independent, whereas Japanese mothers are expected to hug and indulge their children, and children are expected to reward their mothers by clinging and serving.

Sociologists have suggested that Japanese social interactions in later life are modelled on the mother-child amae. Especially in hierarchical organizations, the relationship between a senior and a favoured junior is seen as analogous to mother-child amae.