Constructing a hero–victim identity through reminiscing: a phenomenological study on rural Chinese elders

Constructing a Conformer-Explorer Identity in Pandemic Narratives: A Qualitative Study of Chinese Emerging Adults

Existing research indicates that social crises such as the COVID-19 pandemic reshaped young people's sense of self, but little is known about what identities emerging adults construct in their pandemic narratives. Following propositions of narrative identity and Terror Management Theory, this qualitative study investigated Chinese emerging adults' identity construction in their narratives of the national outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in late 2022. Participants were 62 college students invited to share their pandemic experiences with reflections. Thematic analysis of the data suggests that the participants shared their pandemic experiences as a process of managing their death terror activated in the pandemic which threatened their sense of self and meanwhile motivated them to reconstruct who they are in the world. Based on their meaning-making capacities, the participants disclosed death awareness and vulnerabilities, adopted a temporal perspective in storytelling, emphasized their interpersonal and social connections, and made meaning out of the pandemic experiences to defend against death terror. As an outcome of their narration, a conformer-explorer identity was constructed in their pandemic narratives and we proposed a dialectical model to capture the dynamics of the construction. Although with limitations, this study contributes to our understanding of the functions of mortality salience on narrative identity among emerging adults in collectivist cultures during crises such as the COVID-19 pandemic.

A Cultural Impostor? Native American Experiences of Impostor Phenomenon in STEM

Using a framework of colonization in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), this U.S.-based study examined how seven Native American PhD students/postdoctoral scholars experienced impostor phenomenon. Participants were identified/contacted at a national conference on minorities in STEM through purposeful sampling. Surveys computed impostor phenomenon scores on a validated scale, while interviews documented how identity and culture contributed to impostor phenomenon in academia. Using a phenomenological approach, interviews were analyzed inductively using a constant comparative method. Surveys scores indicated high to intense impostor phenomenon. Interviews with the same participants further identified the following aspects of impostor phenomenon in relation to their minoritized identity: cultural differences and lack of understanding of Indigenous culture, lack of critical mass and fear of standing out, academic environment, family background and upbringing, and looks and diversity status. Developing a diverse and culturally competent STEM workforce requires a deeper understanding of what deters Native American individuals from pursuing a STEM career. They have the lowest college enrollment and retention rates compared with any race in the United States and could be vulnerable to racial bias and discrimination. Understanding impostor phenomenon through culturally relevant experiences would be crucial to broaden participation in STEM careers.

Elder abuse in life stories: a qualitative study on rural Chinese older people

Holding beliefs such as elder respect seems to make Chinese older adults vulnerable to feel abused. This study investigated how Chinese older people in the countryside perceive abuse and make sense of their abusive experiences while telling their life stories. Following a narrative approach, we conducted semi-structured interviews with 17 older persons living in a rural village, Yunnan province, China, collected their life stories, and paid special attention to their telling of abuses. Thematic analysis of the data suggests that elder abuse for the participants is a betrayal of trust that is established within Chinese cultural values. Four themes were identified in explaining the participants' experiences of abuse: disrespect, dependency and the down-valued self, disconnection and rejection, and social comparisons in the construction of abuse. We discuss implications for future research and practices in stopping elder abuse.