Foundations of Chinese Psychology Confucian Social Relations

Kwang-Kuo Hwang

Originally, the global exporting of psychology was considered a means of bringing science and modernism to underdeveloped parts of the world. In response, indigenous psychology has emerged as an alternative to the individual-focused theories and therapies of Western cultures, as well as a critique of the idea that the tenets of Western thought apply to all nations.

The first full-length work analyzing its Confucian roots, Foundations of Chinese Psychology strips away the myths and assumptions that can impede reliable scholarship while supplying the context necessary for decoding complex, longstanding traditions of behavior. The author re-interprets the widely held idea of collectivism (which is often defined as the absence of individualism) in favor of the more descriptive relationism, using the structure of Confucian ethics as a lens for testing theories and understanding findings on Chinese social relationships. Elaborating on key concepts such as guanxi (personal connection) and face (social standing), the book offers both a specific paradigm for studying non-Western cultures and a model for indigenous psychologies worldwide. Included in the coverage:

• The Confucian model of mind and the way of humanity.
• Confucian relationalism and social exchange.
• Life goals and achievement motivation in Confucian society.
• Ethics, morality, and the concept of face.
• Guanxi and organizational behavior.
• Indigenous Chinese models of conflict resolution.

Foundations of Chinese Psychology is a landmark volume of immediate interest to researchers, particularly members of the American Psychological Association, the Asian Association of Indigenous and Cultural Psychology, the International Academy of Intercultural Research, and similar organizations.

Autorentext

Kwang-Kuo Hwang obtained his PhD in social psychology at the University of Hawaii. He is currently National Chair Professor at National Taiwan University awarded by Taiwan's Ministry of Education, President of Asian Association of Indigenous and Cultural Psychology (2010- ),and National Policy Advisor to the President (2008- ). He has endeavored to promote the indigenization movement of psychology and social science in Chinese society since the early 1980s, and has published eight books and more than one hundred articles on related issues in both Chinese and English. He is past president of the Asian Association of Social Psychology (2003-2005), and was Principal Investigator of In search of excellence for indigenous psychological research project sponsored by the Ministry of Education, R.O.C. (2000-2008).

Klappentext
Foundations of Chinese Psychology
Confucian Social Relations

Kwang-Kuo Hwang

Originally, the global exporting of psychology was considered a means of bringing science and modernism to underdeveloped parts of the world. In response, indigenous psychology has emerged as an alternative to the individual-focused theories and therapies of Western cultures, as well as a critique of the idea that the tenets of Western thought apply to all nations.

The first full-length work analyzing its Confucian roots, Foundations of Chinese Psychology strips away the myths and assumptions that can impede reliable scholarship while supplying the context necessary for decoding complex, longstanding traditions of behavior. The author re-interprets the widely held idea of collectivism (which is often defined as the absence of individualism) in favor of the more descriptive relationism, using the structure of Confucian ethics as a lens for testing theories and understanding findings on Chinese social relationships. Elaborating on key concepts such as guanxi (personal connection) and face (social standing), the book offers both a specific paradigm for studying non-Western cultures and a model for indigenous psychologies worldwide. Included in the coverage:

• The Confucian model of mind and the way of humanity.
• Confucian relationalism and social exchange.
• Life goals and achievement motivation in Confucian society.
• Ethics, morality, and the concept of face.
• Guanxi and organizational behavior.
• Indigenous Chinese models of conflict resolution.

Foundations of Chinese Psychology is a landmark volume of immediate interest to researchers, particularly members of the American Psychological Association, the Asian Association of Indigenous and Cultural Psychology, the International Academy of Intercultural Research, and similar organizations.

Zusammenfassung

Mainstream psychology emanated from European-American and Judeo-Christian philosophical and scientific traditions. The application of this viewpoint, which embeds colonial and imperialist concepts is less relevant to Asian and other indigenous cultures. Although it has been accepted by non-Western scholars in an attempt to emulate Western scientific practice, the mainstream viewpoint is in a process of transformation to accommodate geographically relevant perspectives. In this light, Foundations of Chinese Psychology, bridges the gap between western and eastern traditions and elaborates on theories based on local phenomena, findings, and experiences by research methods that are contextually appropriate.

Using a guiding principle of cultural psychology 'one mind, many mentalities', this book advocates the balancing of a global psychology concept without sacrificing that of a specific locality and people. It analyzes the basics of Confucionism and compares them to Western ethical thinking, arriving at a series of theories concerning social exchange, face, achievement motivation, organizational behaviors, and conflict resolution.

Beyond the specifics of a particular culture, this book exemplifies the act of constructing autonomous social science that may be emulated in other non-Western settings. It also serves as an excellent guide for cross-cultural research as well as a caveat on the limitations of presumptive individualism and exclusionary perspectives.

Inhalt
The Epistemological Goal of Indigenous Psychology.- The Modernization of Non-Western Societies: A Perspective of Constructive Realism.- Western Philosophy's Concepts of Person and Paradigm Shifts.- The Construction of the Face and Favor Model.- The Deep Structure of Confucianism.- Paradigms for Studying Chinese Moral ThoughtA Meta-theoretical Analysis.- Moral Thought in Confucian Society.- Confucian Relationalism and Social Exchange.- Life Goals and Achievement Motivation in Confucian Society.- Face and Morality in Confucian Society.- Guanxi and Organizational Behaviors in Chinese Societies.- Chinese Models of Conflict Resolution.