Browsing by Subject "Cross-cultural"

Now showing 1 - 4 of 4
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    Influence of leader behaviors on creativity: a comparative study between South Korea and the United States
    (2013-06) Hwang, Seog Joo
    This study investigates what are the relationships between different leader behaviors (i.e. supportive, participative, and controlling leader behaviors) and follower creativity, and whether the relationships differ between South Korea and the United States. Although creativity research suggests that supportive leader behaviors tend to enhance follower creativity, and controlling leader behaviors are likely to inhibit follower creativity, the majority of the research was conducted only in Western contexts. However, cross-cultural leadership research notes that the effectiveness of certain leader behaviors is contingent on cultures. On the basis of theoretical linkages among the constructs, a conceptual model and hypotheses were established. The sample was drawn from academic advisors and their graduate advisee students, whose study fields are Science, Technology, Engineering, or Math at four South Korean universities and a large U.S. university. The hypotheses were tested using hierarchical regression analysis. The results suggested that none of supportive, participative, and controlling leader behaviors had significant relationship with follower creativity both at South Korean universities and at the U.S. university. However, participative leader behaviors were found to have positive relationship with intrinsic motivation, an important creativity-related factor, of all student groups in the study. In terms of job satisfaction, supportive leader behaviors were important to student groups at South Korean universities whereas participative leader behaviors tend to increase, and controlling leader behaviors tend to decrease job satisfaction of student groups at the U.S. university.
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    Personal and professional characteristics of Japanese Master therapists:a qualitative investigation on expertise in psychotherapy and counseling in Japan.
    (2010-09) Hirai, Tatsuya
    This qualitative study explored the characteristics of Japanese master therapists, extracted particular experiences conducive to optimal therapist development, and examined similarities and differences between Japanese and American master therapists. Data collection was conducted through in-depth, semi-structured interviews with 10 Japanese master therapists who gained the largest number of nominations from Japanese psychotherapists and counselors. Qualitative data analysis was processed utilizing grounded theory approach (Strauss & Corbin, 1998) and CQR method (Hill et al., 2005). Data analysis was jointly conducted by four Japanese psychologists through group consensus. Results clarified important characteristics of Japanese master therapists. First, as a foundation, they possess positive personality traits, such as modesty, warmth, sincerity, absence of self-centeredness, and resilience. Based on these characteristics, they are able to build trustful relationships with their clients, both at an early stage, and throughout the therapy process. Second, they possess exceptional ability to perceive and process various cognitive (i.e., case formulation, objective monitoring of the therapy process, keen observation of the client's verbal and non-verbal cues) and emotional (i.e., accurate empathy, use of the therapist's feelings during the session) information from the client, from the therapist him/herself, and from the therapy process. This perceptive capacity of understanding makes it possible to perform at a high level of therapeutic effectiveness, maintaining a flexible therapeutic stance depending on the client. Third, master therapists are able to continuously learn from their experiences, stimulated by their curiosity and creativity, as well as their sense of responsibility and discipline as professionals. Finally, cross-cultural comparison of Japanese and American master therapists was discussed, a model of master therapist development was proposed, and suggestions for future research and therapist training were offered.
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    Resilience and adaptation in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic: Complex mixed methods research of adults in Minnesota and Hong Kong
    (2023-05) Chan, Athena Chung Yin
    The COVID-19 pandemic has led to escalating family conflicts while limiting resources previously available to cope with stress. The mechanisms underlying resilience in the pandemic largely remain a black box. This dissertation aims to generate a holistic understanding of the trajectories of resilience capacity in response to complex acute-onset and chronic stress associated with the pandemic. My proposed Multisystemic Resilience Framework, a conceptual framework, illuminates resilience as a developing capacity changing over time. Informed by and empirically examining the framework, this dissertation employed complex mixed methods design targeting adults living with family members in Western cultures (i.e., Minnesota) and Eastern cultures (i.e., Hong Kong) over the first two years of the pandemic. Study 1 used a sequential, explanatory mixed-methods design to generate a fuller understanding of resilience capacity as manifested by individual and family resources, cumulative pandemic-related stressors, and mental health of adults. Structural equation modeling was used to examine the moderating roles of coping resources in each region, while qualitative content analysis elucidated the quantitative findings. Coping resources predicted around one-third of the variance in perceive resilience capacity during the early outbreak of pandemic in each region. Different individual and family coping resources were protective of adult mental health when facing high levels of pandemic-related stressors. The qualitative findings illuminated the situation-specific and culture-specific coping strategies utilized by participants. Study 2 used a critical realism paradigm to deepen the understanding of resilience mechanisms under specific contextual conditions throughout the pandemic. These resilience mechanisms, involving family hardiness, distress tolerance, and cognitive flexibility, offered insights into ways that individuals and families cope with complex stressors involving competing priorities. The study elucidated ways that individuals balanced family togetherness, family roles and responsibilities with their personal sense of safety from the infectious nature of COVID-19. Overall, this complex mixed methods research provides significant theoretical, methodological, and empirical contributions to our current understanding of resilience mechanisms within sociocultural contexts. While these empirical findings align with existing psychological treatments, the findings are suggestive of the need for culturally-tailored interventions to effectively ameliorate the negative impacts of a global pandemic and future related crises.
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    "To know the system and know the culture is difficult" Understanding the cultural adjustment process of teachers from China working in U.S. K-12 schools
    (2013-05) Hanson, Emily Claire
    This qualitative case study investigates the cross-cultural adaptation that teachers from China and Taiwan encounter during careers as Chinese language teachers in K-12 schools in the United States. The theoretical framework draws on Hall's (1959) integrated theory of culture and Hofstede's (2010) cultural dimensions theory to frame a review of existing literature about the growth of Chinese language instruction in the U.S. and the ways in which teachers from China and Taiwan adapt to U.S. school culture. This research highlights the extent to which cultural difference plays a role in how teachers from China and Taiwan understand and interpret U.S. K-12 school communities. Findings indicate that there are significant cultural differences between the K-12 school cultures in China, Taiwan and the U.S. The study provides recommendations of measures that can help teachers understand and adapt to U.S. K-12 school culture and become highly qualified teachers of Chinese language and culture.