New Horizons in Education

Abstract

Background: Chinese people were inclined to view creative people with a meritorious evaluation bias (MEB) such that the more social merits or influence a person has, the higher creativity he or she is likely to be accorded with. It is interesting, however, to examine if the MEB would apply to perception of successful, lovable, creative and adorable Chinese to youngsters in both Mainland and Hong Kong.

Aims: This study attempts to examine existence of the MEB in Chinese youngsters’ view of the most successful, lovable, creative and adorable Chinese and to explore the underlying reasons.

Sample: A total of 2849 students participated in the study, with 970 undergraduates and 343 high school students from Hong Kong and 1055 undergraduates and 471 high school students from Mainland.

Method: Surveys were conducted and quantitative methods were employed to analyze the data.

Results: While nominating the most successful Chinese, students in both Hong Kong and Mainland China nominated mostly politicians and scientists; while nominating the loveliest Chinese, students in both areas nominated mostly politicians and pop-movie stars; while nominating the most creative Chinese, students in Hong Kong nominated mostly scientists, politicians, and pop/movie stars while students in Mainland China nominated mostly politicians and scientists; while nominating the most admirable Chinese, students in Hong Kong nominated mostly pop/movie stars while students in Mainland China nominated mostly politicians and scientists. Rarely did students in either area nominated artists, musicians, and businessmen for the four kinds of people.

Conclusion: The results indicate that MEB did apply to the Chinese young people’s perception of the most successful, loveliest and most adorable Chinese, and this is largely attributable to the cultural valuation of social influence or social significance of celebrities or luminaries in Chinese society.

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