Different Ways of Coping, Different Ways of Learning: How Adaptation Shapes Transferable Skills in Military Conscription (Poster 10)

• In Event: AERA Poster Session Friday 3:45pm
  In Invited Poster Session: 2026 AERA Undergraduate Fellows Research Poster Fair

Abstract

This study examines how male Taiwanese college students adapt to short-term compulsory military service and how these adaptation processes shape transferable learning outcomes post-service. Focusing on Taiwan’s Two-Summer College Conscription program, which divides four months of service into two summer sessions, the project studies a population that is typically oriented toward non-military careers and may perceive conscription as a disruption rather than a developmental opportunity. The study investigates both the diversity of adaptation pathways and the underexplored link between these pathways and post-service learning transfer.

We plan to conduct semi-structured interviews with 12 peers from the 2024–2025 cohort. Each participant will complete two in-depth interviews. The first centers on mapping adaptation experiences over time through a journey-mapping activity, highlighting key emotional and behavioral shifts. The second focuses on identifying specific learning takeaways (e.g., discipline, teamwork, self-awareness), the processes through which they emerged, and their applicability in civilian contexts.

The study aims to contribute a process-level understanding of how different adaptation patterns, such as reliance on social support versus inward self-management, produce distinct forms of learning and transferability after the service period. By clarifying how short-term conscription can yield meaningful civilian-relevant skills, the findings will inform both academic discussions on adaptation and practical guidance for future conscripts seeking to maximize personal development during mandatory service.

Author

• Henry Lee, Northwestern University