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What national culture dimension scores for individuals tell us about people – and countries
No full textUsing national culture dimensions to explain differences in individual or group behavior has posed a challenge ever since Hofstede introduced the cultural dimension paradigm and stated that scores cannot be applied to individuals without committing the ecological fallacy. This limitation renders national dimension scores theoretically inapplicable for explaining cultural differences at any lower level than countries. However, people communicate, not countries. To address this issue, we calculate scores for 44,000 individuals from 54 countries for the Collectivism-Individualism and Monumentalism-Flexibility dimensions of the revised Minkov-Hofstede model. We derive a regression-based formula from the ecological level and employ it at the individual level, imposing the structure of countries on individuals. Aggregated back to the country level, they correlate with the original country-level factor scores at r = .98 and r = .92, respectively, indicating that national culture differences have been accurately preserved. Density curves of individuals\u27 scores per country show a large overlap between individuals of different countries, confirming the non-transferability of country scores to individuals. Yet, we argue national culture serves as a codebook for all individuals within a country. Further, our method provides insights into differences within countries, such as ethnic background and gender. Future work should focus on quantifying the impact of national culture on individuals
Travelling into culture : a social psychologist encounters many strangers from many strange lands
No full textAs I survey my intellectual journey post-PhD, I detect four, overlapping stages in my development as a cross-cultural psychologist. My first stage, that of innocence, involved examining human responses using the social-personality constructs and measures extracted from my training in North America up to that date. My second stage, that of discovery, involved applying those constructs and measures in the different cultural settings of Japan and Hong Kong, only to discover that the constructs worked differently to produce different responses. My third stage, that of understanding, involved using Mainstream and indigenously developed constructs and measures to begin understanding how cultural differences might be producing these differences in the responses of a culture’s individual members. Moving into the 21st Century, we cross-cultural psychologists either collected or were gifted with access to multi-cultural data sets tapping multiple constructs whose role in shaping psychological responses could be analyzed with increasingly sophisticated statistical packages. These resources now increasingly enable us to explore the moderating impact on individual responses of a growing set of cultural measures provided by culturologists studying various types of culture in addition to the national. My current and fourth stage, that of enlightenment, involves halting attempts to integrate this complexity of constructs and their measures into a coherent model of how an individual’s many cultural socializations across the lifespan affects his or her psychological responses. My journey continues
Do scale and size matter for culture and action?
No full textHow do people make choices about their actions? Broadly speaking, social scientific explanations tend to fall into two camps, emphasizing either individual decision-making or cultural/structural constraints. Scholars who examine organizational spheres offer a middle ground of sorts, focusing on the structure of relations among a set of actors and showing that individuals look to others in their organizational sphere to determine which actions lead to desirable outcomes. However, much of this work assumes that individuals operate within a single organizational sphere. Yet, in the contemporary world, many people are embedded in multiple spheres -- even within the same domain of activity -- each with distinct cultural and structural characteristics that shape how individuals obtain information about their cultural environment and make choices about their actions. This paper develops a theory of scalar variation in organizational spheres, arguing that spheres differ in both scale (from sub-national to supra-national) and size (from small to large), with significant consequences for how individuals navigate their social environments and make decisions. We propose a typology of organizational spheres based on these dimensions and explore how multi-scalar embeddedness influences action. By shifting the focus from fields as abstract structures to actors navigating organizational spheres with varying interpersonal dynamics, we build on and extend theories of fields to better account for how individuals make choices in complex social environments
Investigating the relationship between the home environment and the spoken English of primary school students in Hong Kong
No full textThis study investigates the intricate relationship between the home environment and the spoken English proficiency of primary school students in Hong Kong. The study focuses on exploring how specific factors within the home setting impact the acquisition and proficiency of L2 English skills among students. The research employs a mixed-methods approach involving quantitative assessments and qualitative interviews to explore the crucial role of family interactions, parental involvement, external activities, and children\u27s motivation in shaping language development. Through the analysis of the data collected from both high-scoring and low-scoring participants, the study highlights the significance of regular exposure to English, active engagement with language resources, and intrinsic motivation in fostering advanced spoken English skills among students. The findings emphasize the importance of a language-rich home environment and parental support in enhancing language proficiency. This research contributes to a deeper understanding of how various elements within the home environment can influence children\u27s language skills
《紅樓夢》中的女性婚姻悲劇
No full text《紅樓夢》作為中國古典文學的巔峰之作，以豐富的人物群像和復雜的情節結構著稱，尤其在對女性形象的深度刻畫上，達到了前所未有的藝術高度。《紅樓夢》中建構的女性婚姻悲劇書寫，深刻揭示了封建婚姻制度對女性的系統性壓迫。前人研究雖已注意到三位女主角的個體悲劇，或聚焦黛玉的愛情幻滅，卻忽視其背後的禮教壓迫；或探討寶釵的婚姻妥協，而淡化制度性的強制；或分析元春的政治聯姻，但未深入制度批判層面。以上都未能充分揭示其共同根源——封建婚姻制度對女性從精神到身體的全面壓制。
本文旨在以封建婚姻制度為批判視角，系統闡釋三位女性所承受的體制性壓迫：林黛玉的「情死」折射出制度對自由戀愛的扼殺，其才情與真情在「父母之命」的婚姻制度下必然走向毀滅；薛寶釵的「理婚」展現了封建制度對女性婚姻的異化，其婚姻選擇實為在制度壓迫下的無奈妥協；賈元春的「政婚」則暴露了制度將女性身體工具化的本質，其婚姻完全淪為政治交換的籌碼。通過這種體制性分析，本文將嘗試聯繫三位女性的不同悲劇命運，論證為同一封建婚姻制度在不同階層、不同性格女性身上的差異化呈現
風流、姿儀與記憶──《世說新語．容止》的魏晉人物美探析
No full text從先秦到魏晉，文學人物形象之風流、姿儀由道德的審美轉向了對內在氣質和外在身體的審美，這在以人物品藻、軼事傳說的形式描繪魏晉士人的文本〈世說新語．容止〉中有明顯體現。「容止」的美學不僅是士人個體的自覺，也是將士人形象進行記憶、回憶的實踐。以阿萊達·阿斯曼的「回憶空間」為經，皮埃爾·布爾迪厄的階級理論為緯，〈容止〉建構出了對士人形象的「記憶術」，將士人的風流與姿儀固定在「文化資本」中，並以此進行記憶的再生產。
本文一共分為五個章節。第一章介紹文本的研究問題、目的，整理前人比較重要的研究成果並梳理本文的研究方法及行文框架；第二章討論標題中「風流」和「姿儀」的語義流變，釐清二者的關係；第三章拆解〈容止〉全篇，結合阿斯曼的相關理論，指出「記憶術」在眾條目中的表現；第四章討論記憶和回憶所產生的效果，並結合布爾迪厄的相關理論，解釋士人形象的在記憶中的凝固和再生產。第五章收束全文，總結觀點
論蹇先艾三、四十年代鄉土文學的轉變──以《山城集》為中心
No full text二十世紀初的中國作家群中，貴州籍作家寥寥無幾。蹇先艾憑着描繪貴州鄉土的風俗民情，在文壇佔有一席之地。其鄉土小説可分為三個時期：早期、成熟期和解放後，各階段都以故鄉貴州為敍事中心。《山城集》輯錄了成熟期至解放前的短篇小説，反映出三四十年代的思想轉折——由鄉愁情結到現實批判。貴州的地理閉塞軍閥橫行和戰亂構成其轉變之催化劑。繼而逼迫作者面對現實，脱離精神家園，進一步催化其探尋出路的決心。
故此，本文以《山城集》為中心，結合時代背景，探析作者思想轉變的根源所在。以此歸納作者在語言風格人物形象和鄉土書寫的轉變。從作者的寫作策略，分析其思想深化和鄉土色彩之重塑
余華先鋒小說的敘事策略──以《十八歲出門遠行》、《河邊的錯誤》及《現實一種》為例
No full text在20世紀80年代中國先鋒文學的浪潮中，余華早期作品《十八歲出門遠行》（1987）、《河邊的錯誤》（1988）和《現實一種》（1988）體驗了敘述形式實驗和暴力敘述的先鋒性，以顛覆性敘事策略塑造個人寫作風格，現有研究大多聚焦於單篇文本，或是研究余華轉型後的作品，如《活著》和《在細雨中呼喊》，較少研究其先鋒敘事策略。
本文採用文獻分析法及文本細讀法，分析三篇作品的先鋒敘事策略，並結合80年代文學轉型期的歷史語境，解釋余華對傳統文學的顛覆。研究發現，余華通過對傳統文學規範的破壞、荒誕的建構，以及非常理寫作手法等先鋒敘事策略，將其小說主題昇華至社會層面及歷史創傷，為先鋒文學提供具有價值的參考。
本研究突破單篇解讀的局限，揭示余華早期創作形式及思想的關係，為先鋒文學的歷史定位提供新視角，探究如何以創新敘事回應社會的精神危機
「生活」與「本土」的對話：論《大拇指小說選》與香港七〇年代
No full text1970年代是香港本土意識形成的重要時期，青年作家透過文學創作，提出以「生活化」的書寫方式記錄香港社會現實，建立香港主體文化意識。本研究以也斯和范俊風合編的《大拇指小說選》（1978）為研究對象，探討兩個層面的議題：一、「生活化」如何作為七〇年代本土意識的基礎；二、這種「生活化」的本土意識如何在文學上具體呈現。通過《大拇指小說選》中六篇代表小說，包括李孝聰的〈意外〉、惟得的〈白色恐怖〉、革革的〈上面的日子〉、思絃的〈阿金的一天〉、小藍的〈來去〉和梁秉鈞的〈找房子的人〉，討論這些青年作家閱讀本土的方法，從刻劃本土符號、再現日常經驗與社會批判意識三個維度，剖析「生活化」書寫與本土意識的互動關係，呈現七〇年代文化主體性的建立。
本文分為四個部份。第一章介紹《大拇指小說選》及其研究現狀，界定本文的研究意義；第二章梳理「本土意識」與「生活化」書寫的定義與歷史脈落，以此作為討論《大拇指小說選》的切入點；第三章承接上文，進入分析六篇代表小說中「生活化」與「本土意識」的具體實踐；第四章為總結
“大輪五部秘咒”考 : 兼論唐代密教的下行及其“盜法”觀念
No full text安岳、大足兩地柳本尊造像題記、碑刻中的“大輪五部秘咒”是論述柳本尊及其教派與密教存在關聯的重要證據，但對其具體所指的研究相對有限。依據現有材料，“大輪五部秘咒”應爲“通過大輪金剛陀羅尼及相關修法所掌握的各種密咒”。關注於密法自身的大輪咒解决了密教下行進程中存在的“盜法”問題，相關信仰因此廣泛傳播。佛教中的“盜法”本針對於試圖融攝佛教的外道，約束力相當有限。密教將“盜法”從對動機的發掘轉向了對行爲的評判，通過對“盜法”的强調以捍衛其主體性，維護經濟利益，并試圖回避傳播過程中可能面對的諸多誤解。随着密教下行進程的不斷推進，“盜法”觀念與大輪咒最終失去了存在根基,其形式被引入近世民間宗教之中。
The inscriptions and stele texts related to the “Great Wheel Five Divisions Secret Mantras” found in the statues of Liu Benzun in Anyue and Dazu serve as crucial evidence linking Liu Benzun, his sect, and Esoteric Buddhism. However, research on the specific meaning of this term remains relatively limited. Based on available materials, the “Great Wheel Five Divisions Secret Mantras” likely refers to “various esoteric mantras mastered through the Great Wheel Vajra Dharani and its associated practices.” Focusing on the esoteric methods themselves, the Great Wheel Mantra addressed the issue of “Daofa” that arose during the decline of Esoteric Buddhism. As a result, related beliefs spread widely. In Buddhism, “Daofa” originally referred to non-Buddhist sects attempting to appropriate Buddhist teachings, but its constraints were relatively limited. Esoteric Buddhism shifted the focus of “Daofa” from motivations to actions, emphasizing it as a way to defend its subjectivity, protect economic interests, and avoid misunderstandings during the transmission process. As the decline of Esoteric Buddhism continued, the concept of “Daofa” and the Great Wheel Mantra eventually lost their foundational relevance. Their forms were later absorbed into early modern folk religions