Current empirical research on cynical attitudes mainly focuses on the discussion of organizational cynicism in the field of management, often adopting a negative and derogatory perspective towards cynicism, considering it detrimental to organizational development. Departing from the diversity of individual personality traits and the subjectivity of life growth, this study explores the developmental context from classical cynicism to modern cynicism. It argues that while cynical attitudes may contain negative connotations, they still possess elements worthy of positive affirmation and should not be criticized or prohibited. Particularly in the fields of education and psychological counseling, a balanced perspective should be employed in handling students' cynical attitudes. This study, involving 1280 university students Taiwan, utilizes a questionnaire survey to understand the current status of their cynical attitudes and explore the relationship between cynical attitudes and coping styles. The results indicate that university students in Taiwan primarily exhibit classical (positive) cynical attitudes, with the expression of modern (negative) cynical attitudes being less prominent. Significant differences in cynical attitudes are observed among students of different genders and academic fields, and a significant correlation exists between cynical attitudes and coping styles. Based on the findings, recommendations for teaching and counseling university students are proposed, along with suggestions for future research directions.

Authors:
Ming Chang Tsai, National Chiayi University, Taiwan

About the Presenter(s)
Professor Ming Chang Tsai is a University Professor/Principal Lecturer at National Chiayi University in Taiwan

See this presentation on the full schedule – Thursday Schedule

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