The Impact of Filial Piety on Self-Authorship Development of Chinese Undergraduate Students

• In Event: International Education, Environments, and Experiences

Abstract

This study examined the self-authorship development of 12 mainland Chinese undergraduate students attending a U.S. university. The findings of the study indicate that the cultural construct, filial piety (deference to parents) greatly impacted the participants’ self-authorship development, particularly in decision-making and relationships. Contributing to the insight of filial piety’s impact on self-authorship development were three themes that emerged from the data: (a) the embedded nature of filial piety in Chinese culture, (b) the changing practices of filial piety, and (c) the effect of the one-child policy on filial piety. Implications of the research include suggestions for U.S. educators, Chinese students, their families, and Chinese institutions.

Author

• Leslie L Bohon, College of William and Mary