Journeys of Ethno-Cultural Continuity: Comparing the Long-Term Acculturation of Jews with Maori and Chinese

<p>This thesis sought to establish a new field of research in cross-cultural psychology: Long-term acculturation. In Chapter one, ethno-cultural continuity was introduced as a group-oriented acculturation goal for diaspora and indigenous peoples, and the impact of the ethno-cultural group and the larger society on ethno-cultural continuity was recognised. In Chapter two, cultural transmission was considered as the central mechanism for ethno-cultural continuity, with endogamy playing a key role in ensuring coherent enculturation. As such, individual behaviour in terms of marital choice can also shape the future of the ethno-cultural group. Thus far, research on factors such as perceived similarity, attraction and social network approval that predict ethnic endogamy and its prelude, selective dating, has been interpreted as a manifestation of ethnocentrism. In contrast, a predictive model was posited wherein a greater ideological impetus underlies both endogamy and selective dating - that of individual concerns for collective continuity. Furthermore, it was suggested that such concerns were shaped by individual awareness of social representations of ethnic history. In Chapter three, the continuity of diaspora Jewry was compared to indigenous Maori and diaspora Chinese in order to understand how shared and unique collective experiences in the past and present shape the current acculturation of individuals. Hypotheses on the intensity of endogamy intentions, incidence of selective dating behaviour, and the importance and function of individual concerns for ethno-cultural continuity and awareness of ethnic history were drawn from ethnographic material on the long-term acculturation of these three ethno-cultural groups. The constructs of Motivation for Ethno-cultural Continuity (MEC) and measures of individual awareness of social representations of ethnic history were conceptualised in Chapter four based on qualitative analysis of three focus group discussions with Jewish (n=8), Maori (n=5) and Chinese (n=5) New Zealanders. In Chapter five, quantitative measures of MEC, subjects of remembrance (WHO), ethno-historical consciousness (WHAT), and vicarious experience of ethnic history (HOW) were developed and validated against measures of Collective Self-Esteem, Perceived Collective Continuity, Perceived Group Entitativity and Assimilation in a pilot study with 152 Jews from Sydney, Australia. Two quantitative studies were subsequently conducted to test the predictive model of endogamy: A cross-cultural study in Chapter six compared New Zealand Jews (n=106), Maori (n=103), and Chinese (n=102); a cross-national study in Chapter seven compared Jewish continuity in New Zealand (n=106), Australia (n=108), Canada (n=160) and the United States (n=107). The conclusions drawn in Chapter eight highlight that vitality affects continuity across ethno-cultural groups such that MEC is more important and functionally predictive of endogamy intentions only for 'small peoples'; and within ethno-cultural groups endogamy intentions and selective dating is thwarted in small communities. For the Jewish and Maori samples, MEC fully mediated the relation between ethno-cultural identity and intentions for endogamy and was a consistent and stronger predictor than similarity, attraction, and social network approval. For the Chinese sample, attraction and approval were the only significant predictors. Furthermore, individual awareness of social representations of ethnic history mediated the relation between ethno-cultural identity and MEC such that identity predicted ethno-historical consciousness (WHAT), that predicted a vicarious experience of ethnic history (HOW), that in turn predicted MEC. Overall the results demonstrate that in the field of long-term acculturation it is important to examine psychological variables such as MEC and individual awareness of social representations of ethnic history that provide internal momentum for the continuity of ethno-cultural groups.</p>

Journeys of Ethno-Cultural Continuity: Comparing the Long-Term Acculturation of Jews with Maori and Chinese

<p>This thesis sought to establish a new field of research in cross-cultural psychology: Long-term acculturation. In Chapter one, ethno-cultural continuity was introduced as a group-oriented acculturation goal for diaspora and indigenous peoples, and the impact of the ethno-cultural group and the larger society on ethno-cultural continuity was recognised. In Chapter two, cultural transmission was considered as the central mechanism for ethno-cultural continuity, with endogamy playing a key role in ensuring coherent enculturation. As such, individual behaviour in terms of marital choice can also shape the future of the ethno-cultural group. Thus far, research on factors such as perceived similarity, attraction and social network approval that predict ethnic endogamy and its prelude, selective dating, has been interpreted as a manifestation of ethnocentrism. In contrast, a predictive model was posited wherein a greater ideological impetus underlies both endogamy and selective dating - that of individual concerns for collective continuity. Furthermore, it was suggested that such concerns were shaped by individual awareness of social representations of ethnic history. In Chapter three, the continuity of diaspora Jewry was compared to indigenous Maori and diaspora Chinese in order to understand how shared and unique collective experiences in the past and present shape the current acculturation of individuals. Hypotheses on the intensity of endogamy intentions, incidence of selective dating behaviour, and the importance and function of individual concerns for ethno-cultural continuity and awareness of ethnic history were drawn from ethnographic material on the long-term acculturation of these three ethno-cultural groups. The constructs of Motivation for Ethno-cultural Continuity (MEC) and measures of individual awareness of social representations of ethnic history were conceptualised in Chapter four based on qualitative analysis of three focus group discussions with Jewish (n=8), Maori (n=5) and Chinese (n=5) New Zealanders. In Chapter five, quantitative measures of MEC, subjects of remembrance (WHO), ethno-historical consciousness (WHAT), and vicarious experience of ethnic history (HOW) were developed and validated against measures of Collective Self-Esteem, Perceived Collective Continuity, Perceived Group Entitativity and Assimilation in a pilot study with 152 Jews from Sydney, Australia. Two quantitative studies were subsequently conducted to test the predictive model of endogamy: A cross-cultural study in Chapter six compared New Zealand Jews (n=106), Maori (n=103), and Chinese (n=102); a cross-national study in Chapter seven compared Jewish continuity in New Zealand (n=106), Australia (n=108), Canada (n=160) and the United States (n=107). The conclusions drawn in Chapter eight highlight that vitality affects continuity across ethno-cultural groups such that MEC is more important and functionally predictive of endogamy intentions only for 'small peoples'; and within ethno-cultural groups endogamy intentions and selective dating is thwarted in small communities. For the Jewish and Maori samples, MEC fully mediated the relation between ethno-cultural identity and intentions for endogamy and was a consistent and stronger predictor than similarity, attraction, and social network approval. For the Chinese sample, attraction and approval were the only significant predictors. Furthermore, individual awareness of social representations of ethnic history mediated the relation between ethno-cultural identity and MEC such that identity predicted ethno-historical consciousness (WHAT), that predicted a vicarious experience of ethnic history (HOW), that in turn predicted MEC. Overall the results demonstrate that in the field of long-term acculturation it is important to examine psychological variables such as MEC and individual awareness of social representations of ethnic history that provide internal momentum for the continuity of ethno-cultural groups.</p>

From employee creativity to leader empowering behaviors: the roles of supervisor–subordinate guanxi and supervisor–subordinate similarity

Although employee creativity has been identified to promote organizational competitiveness, its effect on leader empowering behaviors remains underexplored. This study investigated the underlying mechanism and boundary condition under which employee creativity influences leader empowering behaviors. Drawn on social exchange theory and similarity-attraction theory, this study developed a moderated-mediation model in which supervisor–subordinate guanxi serves as the intervening mechanism and supervisor–subordinate similarity serves as a boundary condition influencing this relationship. Using three-wave, time-lagged survey data collected from 309 supervisor–subordinate dyads, this study found that supervisor–subordinate guanxi mediates the relationship between employee creativity and leader empowering behaviors, and that this relationship is stronger when supervisor–subordinate similarity is high rather than low. Finally, theoretical and practical implications were discussed.

THE ROLE OF PATERNALISTIC LEADERSHIP IN EMPLOYEE VOICE AND SILENCE MOTIVES: DOES SURFACE SIMILARITY MATTERS?

Purpose of the study: This study compared the effect of paternalistic leadership on employee voice and silence motives based upon gender-based similarity attraction account among employee-leader dyads in Higher Educational Institutions (HEI). The study was conducted in public sector universities of Balochistan, Pakistan. Methodology: The Study used Partial least squares–structural equation modelling, along with advanced methods for multi-group analysis, to assess and compare the proposed relationships between the gender similar and dissimilar dyads. Main findings: The results of this study revealed significant differences between groups for the effect of the authoritative dimension of paternalism on pro-social silence, benevolence dimension of paternalism on quiescence silence and quiescence voice, and morality dimension on opportunistic silence. Application of the study: The current study might help HEI authorities in understanding the effects of paternalistic leadership and diversity management. Novelty/Originality of the study: This study makes a significant theoretical contribution by comparing the effect of paternalistic leadership on voicing motives of employees based on similarity attraction account between gender similar and dissimilar leader-subordinate dyads.

The role of status and power inequalities in leader-member exchange

Demographically diverse leader-member relationships are predominantly studied based on similarity-attraction theory. However, empirical research examining the effect of similarity and dissimilarity on leader-member exchange (LMX) quality has resulted in inconsistent findings. I propose a new theoretical model which suggests that the LMX quality of demographically diverse leader-member dyads is affected by informal and formal status and power inequalities. My propositions, which lead to different outcomes than those of similarity-attraction theory, draw primarily upon social dominance theory and show how inequalities in demographic status and power and in positional status and power intertwine to affect LMX quality. Theoretical contributions and future research opportunities are discussed.

“Like will to like” or “opposites attract”? Management board diversity affects employer attractiveness

Purpose How diversity in management boards affects employer attractiveness has yet to be fully clarified. This paper aims to contrast the two main theoretical rationales – similarity attraction and diversity attraction – and examines whether potential employees are more attracted to an organization with a homogenous board (in terms of gender and ethnicity) or to an organization with a diverse board. Design/methodology/approach Participants (N = 629) were simultaneously presented with two pictures of management boards, whereby the gender and ethnic composition of the boards were manipulated. Moreover, to examine whether social desirability influences the ratings of an organization’s attractiveness, survey anonymity was varied using an indirect questioning technique. Findings The findings supported the diversity attraction rationale: organizations with gender-balanced, multicultural boards were seen as more attractive than organizations with monolithic boards. However, this effect seemed to be influenced – at least partially – by social desirability. Research limitations/implications Additional research is needed to examine the extents to which people care about the degree of similarity between themselves and a management board. Practical implications The findings illustrate board composition as an employer branding strategy. Specifically, the results indicate that an organization can benefit from a diverse management board when this information is communicated to applicants. Social implications People’s attitudes toward organizations with diverse boards seem – in part – to be rooted in their motivation to comply with social norms. Originality/value Theoretical accounts (similarity attraction theory vs diversity attraction) lead to somewhat contradicting predictions, and the available empirical evidence was rather indirect and correlational. This study provides a controlled empirical investigation contrasting the two contradicting predictions.

Towards a Sustainable News Business: Understanding Readers’ Perceptions of Algorithm-Generated News Based on Cultural Conditioning

The use of algorithms is beginning to replace human activities in the news business, and the presence of this technique will only continue to grow. The ways in which public news readers perceive the quality of news articles written by algorithms and how this perception differs based on cultural conditioning remain issues of debate. Informed by the heuristic-systematic model (HSM) and the similarity-attraction theory, we attempted to answer these questions by conducting a three-way one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) test with a 2 (author: algorithm vs. human journalist) × 2 (media: traditional media vs. online media) × 2 (cultural background: the US vs. South Korea) between-subjects experiment (N = 360). Our findings revealed that participants perceived the quality of news articles written by algorithms to be higher than those written by human journalists. We also found that when news consumption occurs online, algorithm-generated news tends to be rated higher than human-written news in terms of quality perception. Further, we identified a three-way interaction effect of media types, authors, and cultural backgrounds on the quality perception of news articles. As, to the best of our knowledge, this study is the first to theoretically examine how news readers perceive algorithm-generated news from a cultural point of view, our research findings may hold important theoretical and practical implications.

Similarity-Attraction Cluster of Outbound Chinese Tourists: Who Belongs There?

China has become the number one source market for tourists. This article seeks to understand whether cultural/lifestyle similarity is an important pull factor for Chinese tourists when selecting a destination. Specifically, 205 Chinese tourists were surveyed about their destination choices in relation to the seven most visited outbound destinations. The results from a latent class regression analysis found a similarity-driven segment to exist for all seven destinations, with segment sizes ranging from 22% to 62% of the sample. These results suggest that a substantial segment of Chinese tourists are motivated by perceived cultural/lifestyle similarity. Generally, those with high ethnocentrism, high uncertainty avoidance, low novelty seeking or less travel experience are more likely to belong to the similarity-driven segment. Further research is needed to examine the size of this segment in larger, more inclusive cities of the Chinese population, as the current study only concentrated on tourists from three major cities.

Understanding the effects of (dis)similarity in affiliative and aggressive humor styles between supervisor and subordinate on LMX and energy

Prior studies on humor have primarily focused on the effects of either leader or subordinate humor styles and thus have neglected the influence of (dis)similarity in humor styles between supervisor and subordinate. We draw on the similarity-attraction perspective to suggest that (dis)similarity in supervisor’s and subordinate’s affiliative and aggressive humor influences workplace energy via the leader-member exchange (LMX). Results show that LMX is higher when leader and subordinate both display high-affiliative and low-aggressive humor behaviors. Furthermore, LMX is higher when a low-affiliative humor subordinate is paired with a high-affiliative humor leader and when a high-aggressive humor subordinate is paired with a low-aggressive humor leader. Our findings reveal that LMX mediated the relationship between (dis)similarity in humor styles and employee energy. Taken together, our results contribute to the understanding of the effects of similarity and dissimilarity in humor behaviors in energic relational processes.