Life Satisfaction Among Recent Immigrants in Canada: Comparisons to Source-Country and Host-Country Populations

Research examining how changes in life circumstances affect subjective well-being has been dominated by set-point theory. New evidence challenges the assumptions of this theory, indicating that major life events can result in lasting changes to individuals’ life satisfaction. This study examines whether changes in national-level conditions following migration affect the life satisfaction of immigrant groups from different source countries by comparing the average life satisfaction levels of immigrant groups to that of non-emigrants in their source countries. Life satisfaction differences between immigrant groups and the native-born population in Canada are also examined. Results show that migration to a country with improved national-level conditions increases immigrants’ life satisfaction. Most immigrant groups had higher life satisfaction than their source-country counterparts and life satisfaction scores were similar to those of the native-born population. These findings persist when the sample includes immigrants who have resided in Canada for up to 20 years.     

An analysis of the changing doctor-patient relationship in China

As China is undergoing marketization and privatization, the doctor-patient relationship (DPR) is changing, posing numerous social problems such as a trust crisis. In this article, the authors look at the characteristics of the DPR, and then present an historical account of the changing features of the Chinese DPR. In the final section, they explain how Chinese traditional culture is important for rebuilding the DPR in reform-era China and make suggestions for its health care reform.     

Electronegativity difference as a factor for evaluating the thermal stability of Al-rich metallic glasses

This article proposes a factor, the critical electronegativity difference Δx _cri, to correlate alloy composition with thermal stability and glass-forming ability of Al–Ni–RE (RE: Rare Earth element) ternary metallic glasses. The Al-rich metallic glasses with Δx > Δx _cri exhibit glassy behavior, whereas alloys with Δx < Δx _cri are nanocrystalline. Nanoglassy alloys occur when Δx ≈ Δx _cri. The best glass formers are located near Δx _cri. Furthermore, an equation has been deduced to calculate Δx _cri with varying RE covalent atomic radius.     

Efficient atomic packing clusters and glass formation in ternary Al-based metallic glasses

In this article, we propose an efficient atomic packing cluster-based composition protocol to help design Al-based metallic glasses. Its validity is verified by some typical experimental data from the literatures. Furthermore, with this understanding, the Al–Ni–Y alloy system is re-evaluated. As a result, the best glass former Al₈₆Ni₉Y₅ in this system, with the critical thickness of about 500 µm, is successfully fabricated by wedge casting.     

Microstructural characterization of the M23C6 carbide in a long-term aged Ni-based superalloy

The microstructural features of M₂₃C₆ carbide in a long-term aged heat- and corrosion-resistant Ni-based superalloy have been investigated in detail using various kinds of transmission electron microscope (TEM) techniques. It is found that TEM contrast, which is related to structural and chemical inhomogeneities inside the grains, always exists in the interior of grains in the alloy. The structure of these inhomogeneous regions has been determined to be the same as that of the γ′ and t-M₂₃C₆ phases, where t-M₂₃C₆ indicates a transitional and metastable phase. Although possessing the same structure as the M₂₃C₆ phase, the chemical composition of the t-M₂₃C₆ is different from that of the M₂₃C₆ phase. Compared with M₂₃C₆, t-M₂₃C₆ is richer in Ni, Co, Al and Ti but poorer in W, Mo and Cr. This phenomenon of structural and chemical inhomogeneity demonstrates that pristine M₂₃C₆ carbide (p-M₂₃C₆) precipitated in standard heat-treated samples is unstable. Therefore, upon long-term ageing treatment, Ni, Co, Al and Ti may locally enrich inside the p-M₂₃C₆ phase, finally forming the γ′ phase, which can be described by the decomposition reaction p-M₂₃C₆ → M₂₃C₆ + γ′.     

Effects of parental expectations and cultural-values orientation on career decision-making difficulties of Chinese University students

This study examined the effects of cultural-values conflict and parental expectations on the career decision-making difficulties of university students in three cities in China (Beijing, Wuhan, and Hong Kong, N = 1342). The Multidimensional Scales of Individual Traditionality and Modernity (Yang, Yu, & Ye, 1989) were used as a measure of cultural-values conflict and cultural orientation. The Living-Up-to Parental Expectation Inventory (Wang & Heppner, 2002) was used to measure parental expectations. The Career Decision-Making Difficulties Questionnaire (Gati & Saka, 2001) was used as a dependent measure. It was found that levels of cultural-value conflict were associated with higher levels of career decision-making difficulties for students in the Chinese Mainland cities but not for students in Hong Kong. Perceived parental expectations and perceived self-performance in the expected areas were found to be predictive of career decision-making difficulties. Cultural-value orientation, especially endorsement of Chinese traditional values, was found to moderate the relationship between parental expectation and career decision-making difficulties. Theoretical, research and practical implications of findings were discussed.     

商讨理论视野中的伦理、民主、人权和民族国家

本文根据哈贝马斯的访华演讲和相关著述,对商讨理论视野中的伦理、民主、人权和民族国家概念进行了考察,并在此基础上提出了某些基本的判断和论点。     

亲子互动研究及其进展

亲子互动研究是从父母与儿童互动的角度来研究父母与儿童的交往行为,在近几十年来越来越受到国内外研究者的关注。该文从亲子互动影响因素和亲子互动与儿童心理、行为发展的关系两个方面介绍了亲子互动的有关研究,同时又从有缺陷儿童的亲子互动和父亲在亲子互动中的作用介绍了亲子互动研究的进展。     

夫妻依恋风格、婚姻归因与婚姻质量的关系

本研究采用主—客体互倚模型(actor-partner interdependence model,APIM)的方法深入探讨夫妻的依恋风格、婚姻归因与自身及配偶感知到的婚姻质量之间的关系。以方便取样的方式在北京地区选取155对夫妻,采用Brennan等(1998)编制的亲密关系经历量表(ECR),Stander编制的婚姻归因量表(MAQ)和Spanier编制的婚姻质量问卷(DAS),要求夫妻双方分别报告其依恋风格、婚姻归因方式和感知到的婚姻质量。通过配对t检验、相关分析和结构方程模型分析发现:(1)夫妻对婚姻质量的总体知觉较为一致,但丈夫的婚姻满意度显著高于妻子;(2)夫妻双方在回避依恋和焦虑依恋两个分量表上不存在显著差异,但在婚姻归因上,妻子比丈夫表现出了更多的消极归因;(3)妻子的消极依恋显著地负向预测自身感知到的婚姻质量,而丈夫的消极依恋对自身感知到的婚姻质量没有显著影响;(4)在控制了丈夫、妻子的依恋风格、归因方式对其自身婚姻质量的主体效应之后,丈夫的依恋风格不能显著预测妻子感受到的婚姻质量,但其归因方式可以显著地预测妻子感受到的婚姻质量;然而妻子的归因方式并不能显著预测丈夫的婚姻质量。     

言语吸引力影响因素探索：物理属性和社会特征

语音吸引力是个体吸引力的重要组成部分。为探索言语吸引力影响因素,以汉语词汇为材料,设计实验分析语音基频、共振峰等物理属性以及词义、声音受喜欢程度和语音性别等社会属性对语音吸引力的影响。结果表明：分析物理属性,基频、共振峰等并未能预测语音吸引力;分析社会属性,较之词语意义,声音本身具有的吸引力水平对言语吸引力评价影响更大;而男性和女性对两种性别言语吸引力评价差异不显著。言语吸引力评价在男性和女性间具有一致性：＂好声音＂比＂会说话＂更加容易被认为具有吸引力。