Sophia Chia-Min Chou
Biographic Data
| ID | 907451 |
|---|---|
| NAME | Sophia Chia-Min Chou |
| GIVEN NAMES | Sophia Chia-Min |
| FAMILY NAME | Chou |
| SIGNATURE | CHOU S C |
| AFFILIATIONS | National Taiwan Normal University |
| ORCID | 0000-0002-1227-4768 |
| VERIFIED | Yes |
| TOTAL WORKS | 5 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 2 |
| AUTHOR COUNT | 5 |
| EDITOR COUNT | 0 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2024 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2026 |
| H-INDEX | 1 |
When Meaning Becomes Meaningless
Modern societies face an increasingly pervasive existential challenge: individuals struggle not only to discover but also to sustain meaning in life. Even when meaning is found, it may collapse when the world ceases to make sense, life loses its value, and purpose no longer provides fulfillment. Yet existing research has largely focused on meaning discovery, leaving the question of how meaning is sustained underexplored. This theoretical article …
Rethinking Social Comparison Through Self-Cultivation
Human beings possess an inherent drive for self-understanding, often pursued through social comparison . However, Western research highlights its psychological costs: upward comparison (with superior others) can lower self-esteem, evoking negative emotions and at times reducing effort, whereas downward comparison (with inferior others) may inflate self-esteem, fostering arrogance and diminishing motivation. This theoretical paper examines how Eas…
Beyond Reach but Within Sight
Inspired by Confucianism, Daoism, and Buddhism, many East Asian ethical leaders have aspired to emulate seemingly unattainable sages and buddhas throughout history. This aspiration challenges the common psychological view that significant gaps between role models and actual selves might hinder emulation motivation. It also differs from Western findings, which suggest that ethical leadership often emerges from emulating attainable exemplars like i…
Ethical leaders' search for meaning
In secular Western societies, individuals often embark on an autonomous quest for meaning in life, which, however, can lead to frustration. In contrast, many East Asian ethical leaders draw on age-old teachings to find fulfillment-an underexplored topic that merits further investigation. By analyzing ancient Confucian tenets and the discourses of modern Confucian leaders, this paper unveils three key aspects of the Confucian meaning of life: The …
The journey from unrealistic to realistic optimism
The notion of "realistic optimism" seems paradoxical, intertwining the contradictory elements of objective judgment and a positive outlook. Extant research often falls short in analyzing this dilemma and in capturing the cultural nuances. Given Confucianism's endeavors to reconcile realism and optimism, this paper explores the cultivation of realistic optimism in Confucian classics. Further, an account of a contemporary Confucian merchant is prov…
Ethical leaders' search for meaning
In secular Western societies, individuals often embark on an autonomous quest for meaning in life, which, however, can lead to frustration. In contrast, many East Asian ethical leaders draw on age-old teachings to find fulfillment-an underexplored topic that merits further investigation. By analyzing ancient Confucian tenets and the discourses of modern Confucian leaders, this paper unveils three key aspects of the Confucian meaning of life: The …
The journey from unrealistic to realistic optimism
The notion of "realistic optimism" seems paradoxical, intertwining the contradictory elements of objective judgment and a positive outlook. Extant research often falls short in analyzing this dilemma and in capturing the cultural nuances. Given Confucianism's endeavors to reconcile realism and optimism, this paper explores the cultivation of realistic optimism in Confucian classics. Further, an account of a contemporary Confucian merchant is prov…
Beyond Reach but Within Sight
Inspired by Confucianism, Daoism, and Buddhism, many East Asian ethical leaders have aspired to emulate seemingly unattainable sages and buddhas throughout history. This aspiration challenges the common psychological view that significant gaps between role models and actual selves might hinder emulation motivation. It also differs from Western findings, which suggest that ethical leadership often emerges from emulating attainable exemplars like i…
Ethical leaders' search for meaning
In secular Western societies, individuals often embark on an autonomous quest for meaning in life, which, however, can lead to frustration. In contrast, many East Asian ethical leaders draw on age-old teachings to find fulfillment-an underexplored topic that merits further investigation. By analyzing ancient Confucian tenets and the discourses of modern Confucian leaders, this paper unveils three key aspects of the Confucian meaning of life: The …
The journey from unrealistic to realistic optimism
The notion of "realistic optimism" seems paradoxical, intertwining the contradictory elements of objective judgment and a positive outlook. Extant research often falls short in analyzing this dilemma and in capturing the cultural nuances. Given Confucianism's endeavors to reconcile realism and optimism, this paper explores the cultivation of realistic optimism in Confucian classics. Further, an account of a contemporary Confucian merchant is prov…
Rethinking Social Comparison Through Self-Cultivation
Human beings possess an inherent drive for self-understanding, often pursued through social comparison . However, Western research highlights its psychological costs: upward comparison (with superior others) can lower self-esteem, evoking negative emotions and at times reducing effort, whereas downward comparison (with inferior others) may inflate self-esteem, fostering arrogance and diminishing motivation. This theoretical paper examines how Eas…
When Meaning Becomes Meaningless
Modern societies face an increasingly pervasive existential challenge: individuals struggle not only to discover but also to sustain meaning in life. Even when meaning is found, it may collapse when the world ceases to make sense, life loses its value, and purpose no longer provides fulfillment. Yet existing research has largely focused on meaning discovery, leaving the question of how meaning is sustained underexplored. This theoretical article …
Cultural Differences and Values (5 works) · East Asia (3 works) · Environmental ethics (3 works) · Philosophy (3 works) · Workplace Spirituality and Leadership (3 works) · Aesthetics (2 works) · China (2 works) · Epistemology (2 works) · Philosophy (2 works) · Ancient history (1 works)