《西游记》与道教:世俗性叙事观点

《西游记》虽然主要由佛教、道教形象及其情节构成,但统摄全书的基本叙事观点却并非道教观点,而是世俗观点。它不但对道教毫无敬意,而且内含反讽。这表明作者不是以道教立场,而是以世俗立场,借用道教题材来编自己的通俗故事,表达自己的世俗观念。《西游记》对道教社会特性的见解和反讽说明《西游记》的作者不可能是道教中人。     

从微观视角诊疗外语专业学生的“思辨缺席症”

诸多学者从不同角度对“思辨缺席症”的原因进行诊断,并开出了不同的“处方”,但因为过于注重传统历史文化和学科特点因素,治疗方面更多偏重于从课程、课标、教材、师资等宏观方面的研究,致使研究面过宽,可操作性较弱。从普存性和现代思维的角度来把脉“思辨缺席症”,然后从课堂、教师和学生等微观视角开出“去权威、培质疑、激思辨”的“处方”进行治疗,在大环境难于改变的情况下微调小环境下的教学思维来培养学生的思辨能力,为症状的消除提供了实践性和可操作性。     

Parenting Behaviors and Adolescent Psychosocial Adjustment in China: An Indigenous Perspective

This study considered the measurement properties of two indigenous constructs assessing Chinese parenting and parent–child relationships. The study also examined whether the relationships between guanjiao, xiao, and adolescent psychosocial adjustment, as theorized in previous scholarly work, hold for contemporary families in mainland China. Data were collected from a sample of 144 early adolescents in a southern Chinese city. Results suggested that guanjiao was best represented by two indicators: guan, which assessed parental monitoring, and jiao, which assessed parental teaching and expectations. Moreover, only jiao was associated with adolescent depressive symptoms and misconduct. Xiao appeared to be an important mediator between parenting behaviors and adolescent outcomes and may play a key role in predicting Chinese early adolescents' adjustment.     

Designing a campus support program for foster care alumni: Preliminary evidence for a strengths framework

Campus support programs for foster care alumni (FCA) have emerged in an attempt to improve higher education outcomes for former foster youth. However, these programs have little empirical or theoretical literature to guide their development. We present a case study of a newly developed campus support program for FCA which utilizes a strengths perspective. We analyze quantitative and qualitative data collected before and during the first two years of program operation to explore whether a strengths perspective can be successfully applied to the unique needs of FCA in higher education. Results reveal that the strengths perspective has potential and identifies three areas in which this approach appears to effectively intersect with challenges faced by FCA, a) promoting positive identities as survivors, b) respecting autonomy, and c) mobilizing assets of resilience, perseverance, and community. We discuss the benefits and challenges of helping students address these issues. Our findings also reveal that the strengths perspective is not redundant with traditional higher education retention models, and in the three areas identified, is diametrically opposed to the students' previous experiences with the foster care system.     

Creating a culture of participation: Early childhood education and care educators in the face of change

This study reports on critical participatory research in an early childhood education and care centre in Finland. The objective was to study which elements are critical in the development and construction of a culture of participation. The data comprise conversations, team meetings and educators' diaries. Data were analysed using thematic analysis. The results indicated that a culture of participation requires four elements: (a) a shared understanding of the image of the child, (b) a shared understanding of professional development, (c) leadership and (d) a shared we-narrative that enables the comprehensive understanding, promotion and maintenance of a culture of participation.     

When I'm 64: Psychological contract breach,work motivation and the moderating roles of future time perspective and regulatory focus

Abstract

There is an increasing need for managers to understand what motivates younger versus older workers to continue work within their company. We believe that this two-wave study among 90 Dutch employees is the first to examine: (1) the cross-lagged relationships between breach of psychological contract (which includes transactional and relational obligations) and intrinsic work motivation, and (2) the moderating role of the age-related variables future time perspective and regulatory focus. Regulatory focus concerns the orientation (either promotion-focused or prevention-focused) by which an individual pursues their goals. Based on psychological contract theory, we expected and found that relational contract breach predicts lower work motivation. Furthermore, based on lifespan developmental and regulatory focus theory, we assumed that this relationship would be stronger when workers experienced an open future time perspective and a promotion focus rather than a prevention focus. The results showed that future time perspective indeed had a strengthening, and prevention focus a reducing moderating effect in the relationship between psychological contract breach and work motivation. However, no significant effects for promotion focus were found. These findings indicate that age-related processes such as future time perspective and regulatory focus are important variables to include in future psychological contract research.     

An inquiry into self-identification with retirement

ABSTRACT

The aim of this qualitative study was to explore patterns in self-identification with being retired using deductive thematic analysis informed by the life course perspective. For this study, a set of women who self-identified as retired (n = 60) were asked to describe their current work status, major career interruptions, and factors that marked their retirement. This study provides important insights into the heterogeneity in women’s retirement including a subset of individuals who self-identified as retired, not based on their own work force transitions but on that of their spouse or peers. Findings highlight the importance of recognizing that the construction of retirement identity can be context driven, varied, and subjective.     

“主位”视角下光棍社会地位的再研究——基于江汉平原的经验调查

光棍在传统社会中成为一种依附性的力量,嵌入到村庄结构中。光棍是弱势的文化指涉始终是乡土社会实践的“非意外结果”。由此,学者通过“婚姻挤压”和“婚姻排斥”导演出光棍的“被迫性”问题。但是,随着差序格局的理性化和传统村落社区的解体,光棍的“弱势”意蕴逐渐得以“祛魅”。基于经验调查,本文从“主位”视角出发展开对光棍社会地位的再研究,从经济条件的优厚者、婚姻的高价者、家庭结构中的当家者、人情的积极互动者、关系和资源的拥有者五个方面来呈现出光棍较高的社会地位,打破光棍弱势之迷,光棍只是作为一种生活方式的选择而已,这样就将光棍研究进一步推向“主位选择”的纵深层面。     

’Til Divorce Do Us Part: Marriage Dissolution in Later Life

Late-life divorce—commonly referred to as gray divorce—is a rising trend that parallels the growth of the older adult population. We sought to gain an in-depth understanding of the experience of marriage dissolution, the divorce process, and life following divorce in a sample of older adults who divorced after more than 20 years of marriage. Qualitative data were collected from 10 divorcees (7 women and 3 men; M age = 63.5) and analyzed to understand the gray divorce experience; that is, factors that determined or delayed the decision to divorce and divorcees’ coping during and after divorce. Participants’ stories demonstrate that marriages endure despite problems because relationships are complex, and good experiences mix with bad ones. Outcomes of late-life divorce have significant health and financial implications for both individuals and society.