Diversity and the Imagined Community: Immigrant Diversity and Conceptions of National Identity

As immigrant diversity increases across most developed democracies, there is an increasing concern that perceived threats to mainstream interests (both cultural and economic) will produce an ethnocentric response. This study approaches the question using survey measures that explicitly tap respondents' normative conception of membership in the national community. Based on cross‐sectional and over‐time analysis of the ISSP's “National Identity Module,” it shows that more immigrant‐exclusive definitions of the national ingroup are linked to both contextual and individual measures of cultural threat. Perceived economic threat at the individual level is also powerfully linked to this outcome, but contextual measures of economic prosperity are not. This finding lends weight to the argument that increasing levels of immigrant diversity are a threat to an inclusive sense of national identity that includes both natives and immigrants.     

Sexual Identity Management Strategies: An Exploration of Antecedents and Consequences

Unlike many minority members, lesbian and gay employees often make conscious decisions about revealing their minority status at work. Past research suggests that lesbian and gay employees utilize different strategies (i.e., counterfeiting, avoidance, integrating) to manage a stigmatized sexual identity. This study explored the relationship between each strategy and predicted antecedents (i.e., sexual identity achievement, perceived organizational climate) and consequences (i.e., open group process). Results demonstrated that lesbian and gay employees are more likely to adopt an integrating strategy when they have higher sexual identity achievement and perceive an affirming organizational climate. Open group process was found to have a negative relationship with avoidance. A significant positive relationship was found between counterfeiting and open group process, suggesting that maintaining a false identity may facilitate some work group interactions. Implications for work group relationships and future research are discussed.     

Intergenerational Similitude of Ethnic Identification and Ethnic Identity: A Brief Report on Immigrant Chinese Mother-Adolescent Dyads in Canada

Intergenerational similitude of ethnic identification and ethnic identity is explored in Chinese mother-adolescent dyads (N = 118; n = 59 dyads) that immigrated to Canada since the birth of the adolescent. Findings reveal no significant patterns of similarity in processes of ethnic identification. Ethnic identity scores were positively correlated between mothers and daughters but not mothers and sons suggesting the importance of considering how gender socialization may be associated with the consolidation of ethnic group identity.     

Introduction to This Special Issue: Complex Thought and Construction of Identity

This Introduction summarizes the rationale for three Special Issues in the Journal of Adult Development. The first, the present Special Issue, is on the themes of complex thought and the construction of identity. Summaries of the six empirical and theoretical articles in this first Special Issue appear below. The argument is made that work in this area adds to our knowledge about the complex network of factors present in and intersecting with adult development.     

Age and Gender Variations in Healthy Immigrant Effect: a Population Study of Immigrant Well-Being in Canada

The healthy immigrant effect (HIE) is the phenomenon in which immigrants show better health than their native-born counterparts but this healthier condition declines with length of residence. This study investigated whether (1) immigrants also show better adaptation than non-immigrants as well as better health, (2) length of residence affects their health and adaptation differently, and (3) differential outcomes are found for different age and gender groups. Utilizing the Canadian Community Health Survey (2011–2012) data, immigrants (N?=?17,555) and non-immigrants (N?=?103,579) were divided into adolescents (15–19 years old), adults (20–49), older adults (50–64), and seniors (65–74) to examine their subjective general and mental health, diagnosed chronic and psychological illnesses, and self-reported daily stress, life satisfaction and sense of belonging. After controlling for key demographics, HIE was found to be more robust in health than adaptation. In general, recent immigrants reported better health conditions than long-term immigrants; however, the two did not differ with daily stress or life satisfaction. The older adult immigrants were the only segment of the immigrant population who did not display HIE; within the immigrant population, working-aged long-term adult immigrants were those experiencing negative well-being in both health and adaptation compared to the same-aged recent immigrants. Regarding diagnosed psychological illnesses, immigrants yielded no difference by age, gender, or length of residence, indicating ‘reluctant’ views on seeking professional help for mental health were persistently held by both recent and long-immigrants. The findings suggest that health policy needs to take into consideration age-related life stages, and enhancement of mental health awareness for immigrant well-being.     

Complex learning: the role of knowledge, intelligence, motivation and learning strategies

This work presents the main theories and models formulated with the purpose of offering a global overview on the acquisition of knowledge and skills involved in the initial development of expert competence. Setting from this background, we developed an empirical work whose main purpose is to define those factors in a complex learning situation such as chapter-sized in a knowledge-rich domain. The results obtained in a sample of Master students reveal that the several variables intervening, such as the qualitative organization of knowledge, intellectual ability, motivation, the deliberate use of strategies, and a rich learning environment, contribute in an independent way to provide an explanation for the acquired knowledge.     

Identity Coping in the First Years of University: Identity Diffusion,Adjustment and Identity Distress

In today’s advanced post-capitalist societies, consolidating identity with a view to acquiring adult roles is more complex than in the past. In Italy, the changes in the educational system are also associated with changes in the labor market characterized by lack of opportunity and instability. Therefore, young people on the threshold of university are discouraged from making long-term decisions and developing a coherent identity. The aim of the study was to explore what modalities Italian students adopt in order to cope with developmental tasks and how they proceed to negotiate and resolve identity-related concerns. The participants were 332 Italian students, balanced by gender, attending the first 2 years of university and aged 18–25. We used six self-report measures: Dimensions of Identity Development Scale; Identity Stage Resolution Index; Identity Distress Scale; Locus of Control Scale; Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale; and Depressive Symptom Subscale and Anxiety Symptom Subscale. Participation was voluntary, and anonymity was guaranteed. Findings indicate that identity processes, identity distress and sense of adulthood are related dimensions. We find five different modalities of identity coping (clusters) that identify different subjects. These retained clusters have also an effect on psychosocial correlates. Results advance the literature linking identity, sense of adulthood and coping with developmental tasks in emerging adulthood. Findings also support previous literature suggesting that coping with identity during first years of university is an important target of prevention efforts aimed at improving academic performance and identification of developmental path, particularly for individuals who exhibit identity diffusion and distress.     

Parsing Reality: The Interactive Effects of Complex Syntax and Time Pressure on Cognitive Processing of Television Scenarios

In a variety of domains, complexity has been shown to be an important factor affecting cognitive processing. Complex syntax is 1 of the ways in which complexity has been shown to burden cognitive processing. Research has also shown that the determination of a message's truth, or reality, is affected by message complexity. Cognitive burden has been shown to cause unrealistic events to be judged as more real. Two experiments investigate the effects of syntactic complexity on the typicality assessment of previously rated typical and atypical television scenarios. Complex syntax exhibited a curvilinear effect on reality assessment, such that highly typical events became more unreal and highly atypical events became more real, whereas moderately typical scenarios were unaffected. The cognitive load added by complex syntax appeared to limit the processing of both reality and unreality cues. Adding time pressure was expected to increase cognitive load; however, it appeared to reverse the effects of complex syntax. Participants' syntax recognition results suggested that the complex syntax did burden processing as predicted. Tests with response latencies indicated that atypical scenarios and scenarios described with complex syntax were more slowly recognized.     

Correction to: Half a Century of Stereotyping Associations Between Gender and Intellectual Ability in Films

Sex Roles - The original version of the article unfortunately contained errors.     

同一性与青年期同一性地位的研究 --同一性地位的构成及其自我测定

本文就自我同一性的诸问题进行了探讨,主要涉及自我同一性概念、同一性扩散、心理的延缓期几个方面;并介绍了中外有关自我同一性地位的研究的几项成果,包括马西亚(J.E Marcia,1964,1965)的研究、加藤厚(1993,1997)的研究和张日昇(1993,1994)对中国青年自我同一性地位的实证研究;此外,还介绍了自我同一性形成度的自我测定量表及测定方法.     

Of Intake and Outcomes: Wage Trajectories of Immigrant Classes in Canada

This study utilizes tabular data from the Canadian “Immigration Database” (IMDB) to look at the association between entry class and the wage earnings of immigrant cohorts arriving between 1990 and 2007. As expected, immigrants entering as skilled, principal applicants have the strongest earnings trajectories. Immigrants who enter under family or humanitarian considerations see more moderate earnings growth with government-assisted having the shallowest earnings trajectories.     

The Question of God in an Age of Science: Constructions of Reality and Ultimate Reality in Theology and Science

Both science and theology have lately faced a crisis of authority. Their shared realization of the extent to which knowledge is underdetermined by the data and socially constructed provides a kind of common ground for reconsideration of their respective methods of inquiry as well as of the status of the claims they have warrant to make. Both fields are now consciously and critically employing a models approach. This article proposes criteria for assessing models and applies the criteria to one model from each field. The model of understanding evolution as a struggle for existence is considered from the field of science, and the traditional model for understanding the God-world relation as that of a king's relation to his kingdom is considered from the field of theology. Each of these models is evaluated with respect to its credibility, religious viability, and moral adequacy. In each case an alternative analogy is proposed and argued for.     

Amalgamation of future time orientation,epistemological beliefs,achievement goals and study strategies: Empirical evidence established

Background Recently research evidence emphasizes two main lines of inquiry, namely the relations between future time perspective (FTP), achievement goals (mastery, performance‐approach, and performance‐avoidance) and study processing strategies, and the relations between epistemological beliefs, achievement goals and study processing strategies. To date, however, there have been very few attempts made to amalgamate these two strands of inquiry within one study and how they in totality determine the success of academic learning. Aims This study proposed and tested a conceptual model of relationships among FTP, epistemological beliefs, achievement goals (mastery, performance‐approach, and performance‐avoidance), study processing strategies and academic performance. Sample Two hundred and seventy‐five tertiary second‐year students (167 females, 108 males) enrolled in a university in the Pacific participated in this study. Method Likert‐scale inventories were used to elicit relevant data from students; for example, the epistemological questionnaire (EQ; Schommer, 1990 ) and the Zimbardo time perspective inventory ( Zimbardo & Boyd, 1999 ). Academic performance was collated from students' course and final exam marks in the course educational psychology. LISREL 8.72 and SPSS 15 was used to test and evaluate the conceptual model proposed. Results Latent variables procedures supported the conceptual model in general, although not all hypothesized paths were significant. MANOVA indicated no gender differences in the five theoretical frameworks or academic performance. Discussion The determinants of academic performance from our findings are deep and surface processing strategies. Furthermore, the established supports the mediating roles of deep processing strategies, mastery goals, and performance‐approach and performance‐avoidance goals.     

Components and Symbols of Ethnic Identity: A Case Study in Informal Education and Identity Formation in Diaspora

L’identité des membres de groupes ethniques qui vivent dans de nombreux pays est influencée par la culture environnante. Ce travail développe un outil qui peit aider les chercheurs à comprendre la façon dont les individus vivent leur identité ethnique. On analyse les composantes et les symboles qui fixent l’dentification ethnique. L’application de techniques d’analyse multidimentionnelle à un ensemble de données empiriques révéla une structure identitaire sur deux axes (cognitif–affectif; particulier–universel). Cette structure permet de faire des comparaisons entre des sous‐populations nationales selon leurs perceptions et accentuations diversifiées de l’identité ethnique. On examine ici les cas de membres de l’enseignement relevant de l’éducation juive informelle. 2119 de ces personnes provenant de sept pays ont fourni des définitions d’elles‐mêmes et des symboles qui exprimaient leur lien avec l’héritage ethnique et religieux. Cette typologie de base pourrait être utilisée dans des études portant sur d’autres groupes ethniques dont les membres ont émigré dans divers pays d’acceuil. The ethnic identity of members of ethnic groups who live in a number of different countries is influenced by the surrounding cultures. This study develops a tool which can help researchers understand the ways in which individuals perceive their own ethnic identity. The components and symbols that determine ethnic identification are analysed. By applying multidimensional analysis techniques to a set of empirical data, we were able to uncover a structure of identity along two axes: the cognitive/affective and the specific/universal. This structure enables us to make comparisons between national sub‐populations in terms of their various emphases and perceptions of ethnic identity. We examine here the case of staff members in Jewish informal educational settings: 2,119 staff members from seven countries were surveyed on the self‐definitions and symbols that express their relationship with their ethnic and religious heritage. This basic typology could be used in studies of other ethnic groups whose members have emigrated to a number of host countries.     

Parental Involvement in Chinese Immigrant Mothers: The Influences of Cultural and Parenting Cognitions

Journal of Child and Family Studies - The purpose of this research was to identify mechanisms by which cultural cognitions were linked to parenting cognitions and practices in acculturating Chinese...     

The Integration of Immigrant Teachers in Manitoba, Canada: Critical Issues and Perspectives

This article considers programming and policy debates pertaining to the integration of immigrant teachers in Manitoba, Canada, situating the discussion in critical theory that promotes ethnocultural and employment equity for immigrant professionals and advocates for a more diverse teaching force in newcomer-receiving contexts. Exploring recent immigration trends, the changing demographics of the teaching profession, and new certification requirements for Manitoban teachers, the authors share insights from a pilot bridging program for Internationally Educated Teachers (IETs) at the University of Manitoba. Policy implications for immigrant teacher related initiatives, both in Canada and beyond, are addressed.