Idol Worship in Chinese Society: A Psychological Approach (Routledge Studies in Asian Behavioural Sciences)

This book introduces psychosocial studies of idol worship in Chinese societies. It reviews how idol worship is perceived in Chinese culture, history, and philosophy as well as how it differs from the concept of celebrity worship that is more dominant in Western literature. Using a pioneering hexagonal model of idol worship, this book explains how idol worship is affected by various demographic and dispositional variables as well as the cognitive and social functions of idols and idol worship. Finally, it discusses idol worship from a contemporary Chinese perspective, including emotional, interpersonal, and social learning aspects, and ends with a discussion of moral development perspective. Cover Half Title Series Page Title Page Copyright Page Contents Preface 1. Idol worship and related concepts Idols, celebrities, and idol figures Fans and fandom Idol worship, idolatry, and celebrity worship Different kinds of idol worship Differences between star idols and role models Nomination studies of idol worship in Chinese societies Summary 2. Theories and perspectives of idol worship Psychological theories of idol worship Compensation perspective on idol worship Compensatory and compatibility perspectives of idol worship Role model emulation Summary 3. Comparing and verifying absorption-addiction idolatry and identification-emulation idolatry Identification-emulation idolatry Verification of AAI and IEI Summary 4. Idol worship and personality factors Self-esteem, self-efficacy, and idol worship Attachment, self-esteem, loneliness, and idol worship Summary 5. Religiosity, self-identity, and idol worship Idol worship and religious orientation Idol worship and self-identity Summary 6. Idolatry, self-efficacy, attachment, and intimacy Part 1: Existing possibilities Functions of idolizing Idol roles or identities Correlating idolizing with self-efficacy, attachment, intimacy, and idol characteristics Correlations between idolizing and self-efficacy Correlations between idolizing and secure attachment Correlations between idolizing and intimacy Correlation between idolizing and star worship Summary Part 2: New findings in China Relationships between idolizing, self-efficacy, attachment style, intimacy, and idol features Predicting idolatry Idolatry revealed in China Idolatry as celebrity worship Idolatry as compensation Idol modeling, befriending, and personalizing as spillover Idol popularizing and befriending as immaturity Idol romanticizing as maturity Idolatry as a gendered expression Idolatry as a Chinese characteristic Idolatry as fandom Summary Glossary Notes References Index This book introduces psycho-social studies of idol worship in Chinese societies. It reviews how idol worship is perceived in Chinese culture, history and philosophy, and how it differs from the concept of Celebrity Worship that is more dominant in Western literature.