Predicting Chinese identity and self-esteem by studying Chinese culture and history in Hong Kong youth

ABSTRACT

As youth’s national identity or adopting the nation as the identity is a public concern, arranging them to study in school and know about national culture and history is a supposed strategy. However, critics contend that the study is boring, unintellectual, and thus detrimental. To resolve the controversy over the study, this empirical study analysed survey data on 617 locally born Chinese youths in Hong Kong, which is a special administrative region of China. Results revealed that studying Chinese culture and history in junior high school and its concomitant knowledge were positively predictive of Chinese identity and self-esteem in the youth. Furthermore, the predictive power of the studying was higher for Chinese identity in the undergraduate than in the senior school student. These predictions follow the integrated model of socialization and life crisis resolution theories. Consequently, studying national culture and history is justifiable for strengthening youth’s national identity and self-esteem.

KEYWORDS:

• National identity
• self-esteem
• studying national culture and history
• national knowledge
• crisis resolution
• national education

Disclosure statement

The authors indicate no potential conflict of interest.

Additional information

Funding

The authors are grateful of the MFPRC-CityU Internal Fund for PRC Grant [#9680237] for funding this study.

Notes on contributors

Chau-Kiu Cheung

Chau-kiu Cheung, Ph.D., is an associate professor at the City University of Hong Kong, China. He has recently published books or articles concerning emerging adulthood, child abuse, resilience, character education, moral development, peer influence, and class mobility. His current research addresses issues of idolatry, violence, distress, career, and prosociality.

Xiao Dong Yue

Xiao Dong Yue, Ph.D. is now a professor at the School of Psychology, Capital Normal University in Beijing, and earlier at the Department of Social and Behavioural Sciences, City University of Hong Kong. He has published widely on studies of creativity, humor, adolescent idol worship, and counseling practices in Chinese society. He has also written many popular books of psychology.