Xiao Dong Yue

Measuring optimism in Hong Kong and mainland Chinese with the revised Life Orientation Test

Abstract To examine the utility of a Chinese version of the revised Life Orientation Test (CLOT-R) to measure optimism among Chinese students, the CLOT-R, the General Health Questionnaire, a physical symptom checklist and measures of constructs related to optimism were administered to a total of 404 Hong Kong and 328 mainland Chinese college students. Results indicated that the CLOT-R exhibited convergent and discriminant validity in the two samples. Nevertheless, confirmatory factor analysis of the responses to the CLOT-R showed that a one-factor interpretation only applied to the data of the Hong Kong but not the mainland sample. When the test was applied to mainland Chinese, the positively and the negatively worded items split into two factors. These findings were discussed in the light of issues related to generalisation of the revised Life Orientation Test across cultures.

Filial Obligations and Expectations in China: Current Views from Young and Old People in Beijing

This study examines how 90 university students and 77 old people in Beijing view filial piety in Chinese society now. The results show that old people continue to hold high filial expectations for young people and that young people still endorse strongly filial obligations for old people. Obedience received the lowest rating while respect received the highest rating. ‘‘Looking after the aged parents’’ and ‘‘assisting them financially’’ are the top filial concerns for young males whereas ‘‘retaining contact with the elders’’ is the top filial concern for young females. ‘‘Respecting elders but necessarily obeying them’’ appears to be a new cultural protocol for fulfilling filial obligations in Chinese societies now.

Selection of favourite idols and models among Chinese young people: A comparative study in Hong Kong and Nanjing

This paper examines the conceptual differences between an idol and a model among a sample of young people in China. A questionnaire was specifically designed to measure young people’s criteria for idol worship and model learning using three pairs of contrasting constructs: idealism versus realism, romanticism versus rationalism, absolutism versus relativism. The questionnaire also asks each respondent to nominate up to three favourite idols and models in life. Atotal of 826 high school students and university students in Hong Kong and Nanjing completed the questionnaire. The results provide convergent support for the hypothesised conceptual differences between an idol and a model. Idealism, romanticism, and absolutism were more important in idol selection whereas realism, rationalism, and relativism were more important in model selection. Hong Kong young people selected significantly more idealism-romanticism-absolutism oriented celebrities whereas Nanjing young people selected significantly more realism-rationalism-relativism oriented celebrities.

Compatibility of Chinese and Creative Personalities

ABSTRACT: The compatibility between the creative personality and the Chinese personality, as perceived by Chinese people, was investigated. Additionally, values attached to traits of both personalities were explored. A Likert-like checklist of 60 adjectives consisting of traits of creative, Chinese, and Western personalities was administered to 451 Chinese undergraduates from Beijing, Guangzhou, Hong Kong, and Taipei. Five strong factors of personality perception were derived from the Chinese descriptors and the creative descriptors of personality. Traits of creative and Chinese personalities were perceived as distinctive by all samples. The correlation coefficients between Chinese and creative personality characteristics were negligible. In all groups, participants valued Chinese personality traits the most, followed by creative and Western traits.

Exploration of Chinese humor: Historical review, empirical findings, and critical reflections

Abstract Humor was first documented around 2,500 BC in China when the first Chinese poetry and literary books appeared. Zhuangzi, a co-founder of Taoism, is recognized as the very first humorist in China. Chinese humor has been mostly characterized by joke-telling and funny show-performing. Humor has been traditionally given little respect in Chinese culture mainly due to the Confucian emphasis on keeping proper manners of social interactions. Confucius once ordered to execute humorists for having “improper performance” before dignitaries in 500 BC. The term humor was translated by Mr. Lin Yu-tang in 1920s and it has been increasingly popular in China. During the “Cultural Revolution” (1966–1976), however, humorists of various kinds were all criticized and even prosecuted. Since 1980s, humor got rehabilitated as an important element of creativity, personal charisma and social harmony. Important as it is, humor has rarely been studied in China. Of the few studies conducted, it was shown that (1) humor was not valued by the Chinese even though they all enjoyed it; (2) humor was often considered the least important factor in ration to creativity, and ideal Chinese personality.

Humor styles, self-esteem and subjective happiness

This study examined how humor styles could mediate the effect of self-esteem on subjective happiness. 227 Hong Kong undergraduate students completed the Humor Styles Questionnaire, the Roxsenberg Self-esteem Scale, and the Subjective Happiness Scale. Results showed adaptive humor styles (affiliative humor and self-enhancing humor) significantly predicted self-esteem and subjective happiness and mediated the relationship between self-esteem and subjective happiness. Maladaptive humor styles (aggressive humor and self-defeating humor) did not strongly predict self-esteem or subjective happiness. The mediation effects of humor styles found in the present research provided useful suggestions for future studies.

Identity Achievement and Idol Worship among Teenagers in Hong Kong

ABSTRACT Worship of idols, typically comprising pop stars and athletic stars, is common among the younger generation. Its influences on youths identity achievement, however, have largely been an untapped area in empirical research. The present study aims to conduct a holistic analysis of the origins, processes, and consequences of idol worship with regard to identity achievement. It collects data from 833 Chinese teenagers in Hong Kong through a telephone survey. The data allow for a causal analysis that reveals the processes of illusory romance, reification, and vainglory orientation in idol worship as predictors of lower identity achievement in the teenager. Moreover, a teenager who had greater exposure to the image and voice of stars on television and radio would suffer lower identity achievement.

Idol Worshipping for Vain Glory, Illusory Romance or Intellectual Learning: A Study in Nanjing and Hong Kong

ABSTRACT This study surveyed a sample of 549 and 277 secondary school and university students in Nanjing and Hong Kong to test hypotheses concerning the impact of preference for popular stars as idols or role models on valuations of vain glory, illusory romance, and intellectual learning. The illusory glory and romance represent only the characteristics of popular stars and are thus valued by their followers as a form of remote intimacy. To examine to what extent such valuations determined ones preference for popular stars, this study employed a causal modeling technique to estimate the reciprocal relationships. Supportive of the hypotheses, results indicate that preference for popular stars had weak but significant positive effects on valuations of vain glory and illusory romance and a significant negative effect on valuation of intellectual learning.

Whoever is influential is creative: how Chinese undergraduates choose creative people in Chinese societies.

This study surveyed 994 undergraduates in Guangzhou, Hong Kong, Nanchang, Nanjing and Xian about their nomination and evaluation of the most creative people in Chinese societies as well as their valuation of collectivistic and individualistic goals of creativity. Politicians and scientists/inventors were mostly nominated and were generally rated higher on social contribution than on creativity. Artists/musicians and writers/poets were rarely nominated and were mostly rated higher on creativity than on social contribution. Collectivistic goals of creativity were significantly more valued than individualistic goals of creativity. There appears to be a social validation of creativity such that meritorious salience of creativity and social influence of the creator were greatly emphasized. Merit-based attribution of creators may have a detrimental effect on perception and promotion of general creativity in Chinese societies.

Adolescent Modeling after Luminary and Star Idols and Development of Self-efficacy

ABSTRACT In theory, modeling after the luminary idol can foster the adolescents perception of self-efficacy. Rather than being an alienated subordinate to the idol, adolescents who model after their idols can actively develop their potential. They can benefit from modeling after luminaries who are talented and resourceful. In contrast, adoring star idols would tend to be an alienating activity that denigrates the adolescents self-efficacy. The study investigates these expected impacts of idol worship with data from 1,641 Chinese adolescents in Hong Kong and Mainland China. Results verify the expected modeling effect after idols and particularly luminary ones. The social learning effect was stronger for males in general and adolescents in Hong Kong.