Filial Obligations: A Contextual, Pluralist Model

In this article I investigate the nature and extent of filial obligations. The question what (adult) children owe their parents is not only philosophically interesting, but also of increasing relevance in ageing societies. Its answer matters to elderly people and their adult children, and is relevant to social policy issues in various ways. I present the strongest arguments for and against three models of filial obligations: the ??past parental sacrifices?? model, the ??special relationship?? model, and the conventionalist model. There is something to be said??and after consideration of objections something remains to be said??for all three models. In other words: filial obligations have more than one source, and an adequate model of filial obligations should reflect this. On its own, each of the above models is one-sided. They also fail to show the connections between the question of filial obligations and various other issues, such as issues of gender justice, the extent of institutionalization of eldercare, and social conventions regarding filial responsibility. Therefore, I integrate what I think we should keep from the aforementioned models into a contextual, pluralist model, which places filial obligations in a broader social and cultural context and relates them to issues of social justice. The model also highlights the difference between general and specific filial obligations, and the factors that determine their nature and extent, thus enabling a deeper and more comprehensive understanding of filial obligations.     

The Friendship Model of Filial Obligations

ABSTRACT This paper [1] is a defence of a modified version of Jane English's model of filial obligations based on adult children's friendship with their parents. (I) Unlike the more traditional view that filial obligations are a repayment for parental sacrifices, the friendship model puts filial duties in the appealing context of voluntary, loving relationships. (II) Contrary to English's original statement of this view, which is open to the charge of tolerating filial ingratitude, the friendship model can generate obligations to help our parents even if we are no longer friendly with them. (III) Joseph Kupfer has pointed out several ways in which parent-child relationships differ from peer friendships; but his arguments do not preclude our enjoying a type of friendship with our parents. (IV) In response to Christina Hoff Sommers, who objects that feelings of friendship toward our parents are too flimsy a ground for filial duties, the friendship model can provide a plausible, robust account of filial obligations. (V) As for adult children who have never formed friendships with their loving, caring parents, and refuse to give them much-needed assistance, they can be criticised by moral considerations independent of but compatible with the friendship model .     

Filial Obligations and Expectations in China: Current Views from Young and Old People in Beijing

This study examines how 90 university students and 77 old people in Beijing view filial piety in Chinese society now. The results show that old people continue to hold high filial expectations for young people and that young people still endorse strongly filial obligations for old people. Obedience received the lowest rating while respect received the highest rating. "Looking after the aged parents" and "assisting them financially" are the top filial concerns for young males whereas "retaining contact with the elders" is the top filial concern for young females. "Respecting elders but necessarily obeying them" appears to be a new cultural protocol for fulfilling filial obligations in Chinese societies now.     

Confucianism,Rule‐Consequentialism,and the Demands of Filial Obligations

Why should I take care of my aging parents? How far will morality require me to sacrifice for this cause? I will study these questions from the perspectives of Confucianism and rule‐consequentialism. Confucians believe that the continuity of families and the interactions between members of different generations can enhance the integrity of society in the long run. However, since Confucianism may impose extreme demands on its followers, this theory may be problematic. In this paper, I argue that despite its demands, the Confucian doctrines are defensible and are worth upholding. To explain my view, I draw upon rule‐consequentialism and explain how the rule‐consequentialist analysis complements and enhances the Confucian claims. I believe that the consequentialist conception of Confucianism can provide a useful resource for responding to the moral challenge of population aging in the current state of the world.     

A Study of Blocking and Overshadowing in Filial Imprinting

The occurrence of blocking and overshadowing in filial imprinting was investigated in junglefowl chicks (Gallus gallus spadiceus). When subjects were exposed to a novel object in the presence of a familiar one, imprinting on the novel object was impaired in one of two experimental groups (Experiment 1). When subjects were exposed to two objects from the beginning, imprinting on each object was impaired (Experiment 2). These results suggest that phenomena resembling blocking and overshadowing in conditioning may occur in imprinting. The fact that overshadowing was much more prevalent and convincing than blocking is discussed by referring to processes involved in the formation of internal representations. It is suggested that processes connecting these representations to the executive system of filial behaviour may follow the rules of associative learning.     

孝道的心理学研究现状

孝道是中国家庭文化的核心,但直到20世纪70年代,心理学家才开始对其进行实证研究。本研究简要论述了孝道的内涵及其社会心理学观,在综述前人有关研究的基础上,评述了目前孝道的心理研究在方法及内容上的不足,指出孝道是我国心理学中丞待加强的研究课题。     

The Process of Systemic Change in Filial Therapy: A Phenomenological Study of Parent Experience

This phenomenological study represents the first qualitative exploration of parents’ experiences of the process of filial therapy from a systemic lens. Filial therapy is a treatment approach that teaches parents how to conduct weekly thirty minute play times with their target child at home in an effort to improve the parent–child relationship. Previous research has focused almost exclusively on the impact of this model on this relationship; however, the results from this focus group study (n = 8) indicate several relational shifts that occur within the greater family and societal contexts and suggest potential reasons for treatment gain maintenance over time.     

亲子沟通对青少年社会适应的影响:兼及普通学校和工读学校的比较

该研究利用协方差结构模型的方法,对青少年的亲子沟通与其行为问题、同伴关系和学业成绩之间的关系进行了考察,并就父子沟通和母子沟通对青少年社会适应影响的差异进行了分析,最后用多样本比较分析了普通学校初中生和工读学校学生之间的差异。结果表明：(1)理论模型与数据吻合很好,家庭亲子沟通影响青少年的行为问题、同伴关系和学业成绩。(2)父子沟通与母子沟通对学生的同伴关系、行为问题和学业成绩的影响无显著差异。在各观察变量中,父子沟通时间和母子沟通态度对青少年的同伴关系有显著影响,亲子沟通(父母)时间对青少年行为问题的发生有影响。(3)不同类型学校之间多样本比较表明,普通校与工读校的青少年在模型结构上存在差异。工读校的青少年,其母亲的沟通态度和选择的沟通场合对同伴关系有显著影响,其父亲对沟通场合的选择和母亲的沟通内容对行为问题的发生有显著影响,父亲沟通的内容与主动性对青少年的学业成绩有影响。(4)普通校学生的同伴关系对行为问题没有显著影响,但在工读学校,同伴关系对行为问题有显著影响。     

A Relational Obligations Approach to the Foot-In-The-Mouth Effect

An earlier study by Howard (1990) employed a "foot-in-the-mouth" approach (FITM) to increase the frequency of compliance with charitable requests. This effect was explained through consistency theory: People are more likely to comply with a request for a charitable donation if the person making the request first asks the potential donor how he or she is feeling, and then acknowledges the donor's response. The potential donor was expected to behave in accordance with his or her publicly stated feeling-state. However, some of the compliance in Howard's study may be attributable to an increased perception of relationship between the requester and donor (Roloff, 1987). Not only was the donor required to be consistent with his or her publicly stated feeling-state, but the donor had to behave in a manner consistent with the relationship implied by the requester. Two studies examined this possibility. The first study found a FITM approach that manipulated only relational obligations consistency resulted in higher rates of compliance than both the standard and feeling-state FITM approach. A second study examined the mechanism for this increased compliance. Results show that although both FITM approaches produced more positive relational perceptions between the requester and donor than the standard approach, the relational obligations approach produced more positive relational perceptions than did the other FITM approach.     

Qualifying Confidentiality Obligations

Objectives : To test the range of beliefs regarding the ethics of testing, in resource poor settings, new therapies that are less efficacious but more affordable and feasible than the best current therapeutic standard.

Design : Using a web-based survey, we presented a hypothetical scenario proposing to test a therapy for HIV disease ("therapeutic inoculation") known to be less efficacious than highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART). Respondents evaluated various trial designs as ethical or unethical.

Participants : 604 subscribers to two listservs for individuals interested in international health research ethics.

Main outcome measures : Proportion of respondents endorsing trials testing this "substandard" therapy, and proportion endorsing placebo-controlled trials.

Results : There were 215 respondents from 47 countries. Forty-five percent of respondents were from low or middle income countries; 96% devoted at least some time to research activities; and 75% had "some" or "considerable" research experience in developing countries. Of respondents, 97% (95% CI 94.7 to 99.4) endorsed testing therapeutic inoculation, without HAART, in patients with HIV disease; 86% (95% CI 81.4% to 90.7%) endorsed testing against placebo. Sixty-eight percent explicitly endorsed principles where the standard of care for subjects in clinical trials is determined by local, not universal, standards. There were no differences in responses based on respondent education-level or the income-level of their country of citizenship.

Conclusion : There was broad agreement that a therapy of potential local benefit may be tested, even when that therapy is known to be inferior to the standard of care in wealthy countries. Most agreed that a placebo control may be used in some circumstances.     

孔子与亚里士多德的朋友观之比较

本文首先考察了朋友概念的历史变化,然后比较了友爱和仁两个基本概念,这些是全文的铺垫。本文主要从“信”和“乐”两个方面比较了孔子与亚里士多德的朋友观。“信”为友道之基,这是《论语》强调“信”的原因所在;亚里士多德认为不同类型的朋友“信”的情况不同,有的无“信”可言,有的靠法律来保证,有的靠道德来保证,有的则是朋友本身应有之义。朋友为人类生活带来快乐,孔子认为这种快乐是“仁道之乐”;亚里士多德认为是“理性之乐”。比较有助于我们认识两位大师的伦理、政治以及哲学思想。     

Filial maturity: Analysis and reconceptualization

The concept of filial maturity has often been utilized to describe the nature and quality of the adult parent-child relationship. This paper will critically evaluate filial maturity as a central construct for understanding filial relations, present a reconceptualization of the concept, and identify areas for further empirical and conceptual elaboration.