Media

Hong Kong Adolescents' Social Identification Study Changes in the Last Decade

09 Jun 2007

 

(Hong Kong - 9 June 2007) This year marks the 10th anniversary of Hong Kong's return to China. The social identification of Hong Kong adolescents before and after 1997 is an intriguing phenomenon. Their social identification does not only affect their perceptions of and interactions with Mainlanders but also their sense of national responsibility.

In view of this, Dr. Lam Shui-fong, Associate Professor, Department of Psychology at The University of Hong Kong (HKU) and her research team members have conducted a large scale study that spans over 12 years from 1996 to 2006, to track the changes of adolescents' social identity and their attitudes. Over 13,000 Hong Kong secondary school students aged around 15 were surveyed.

Findings of the survey will be announced in a press conference. Media representatives are cordially invited to attend, the details are:

Date: 12 June 2007 (Tue)
Time: 12:00 noon – 1:00pm
Venue: Convocation Room 218, Main Building, HKU, Pokfulam
Speaker: Dr. Lam Shui-fong, Associate Professor, Department of Psychology, HKU
Medium: Presentation is in Cantonese, with Q&A session in English and Cantonese.

The study will address:
• Are there more or less adolescents identifying themselves as "Hongkonger", "Chinese", "Chinese, secondarily Hongkonger", or "Hongkonger, secondarily Chinese"?
• What are the changes in association between their social identification and attitudes towards China and Mainlanders ? eg their trust in mainlanders, belief that HK people are superior to mainlanders, their willingness to build good relationships with mainlanders, China should be completely westernized for modernization etc.
• Has their political and economic evaluation of China improved? Has their confidence in themselves or the future of Hong Kong improved?
• Does their social identification affect their views of the Nation? Does "patriotic" mean one has to support the State's policies?