The aim of this research lies in the study of how Japanese console videos games have been re-territorialized into Taiwan in Taiwanese context. Since making its debut in 1970s, video game industry has developed into a multi-billion dollar business in which Japanese console and game developers have been the pioneers. Academic studies on video games, however, had been largely focusing on the physical and mental affection of video game playing, and it is until recent years that video game has begun to be analyzed as a cultural product. Looking to fill the research space of how video games have been consumed and received under different geographical and social contexts, this research examine show Taiwanese, the former colonial subjects of Japan, localize Japanese console video games through measures during the process of production, re-production, circulation, and consumption in the context of Taiwanese society. Attention has been particularly paid to Taipei City Mall, where gamer gatherings of a Japanese video game had been regularly held. Through intensive participatory observation on the gathering and in-depth case studies on a few selected personalities, the author will show how a Japanese cultural good is being re-territorialized under an alien social context. The thesis then argues a new paradigm, in which the individual desire is considered as equally important with other mediation factors, should be adopted in conceptualizing the migration of a cultural good. / published_or_final_version / Modern Languages and Cultures / Doctoral / Doctor of Philosophy

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In the Western view, shyness has long been perceived as an undesirable personality trait that may interfere with one's interpersonal interactions and adversely affect life satisfaction. However, shyness is viewed differently in Chinese cultures. In Chinese society, individuals are encouraged to restrain personal desires in the interest and wellbeing of the greater good. Given the cultural endorsement of internalized self-control, shy children in Chinese culture are favored for their seeming social competence and selfdiscipline; they are well-liked by their peers and teachers, and considered socially fit. Among the variables that influence L2 strategy choice and use, personality type and motivation are two critical predictors, whereas foreign language anxiety and willingness to communicate often influence learners' performance in L2 communication. This study examined the interrelationship among shyness, L2 learning strategy use, L2 learning motivation, foreign language anxiety, and willingness to communicate. Participants were 364 students enrolled in either Freshman English or Sophomore English courses in a private university in Taipei. They were asked to fill out self-report questionnaires about their global shyness, strategy use and motivation regarding their English studies, the degree of foreign language anxiety they experienced in their current English class, and their willingness to communicate in both Chinese and English contexts. Results indicated that non-shy students reported using strategies more often across all strategy types than their shy counterparts, with compensation strategies being used the most often, and social strategies the least often. In addition, results from a series of hierarchical multiple regressions showed that intrinsic motivation to know appears to be the most important predictor among all motivation regulations for all students' use of most of the strategies. Results also indicated that shyness, foreign language anxiety, and willingness to communicate in both Chinese and English were correlated. Students who reported experiencing more foreign language anxiety in their English class showed less willingness to communicate in both Chinese and English. Moreover, shyness and foreign language anxiety had a moderate positive correlation. Implications for research and practice are discussed. / text

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published_or_final_version / Economics / Master / Master of Social Sciences

Early childhood programs have been proliferating in Taiwan for the past decade due to the drastic changes in the society, and to public and professional concepts of child development. Children, today, are placed in non-maternal and academic-focused early childhood programs at a much younger age than previously. The current trend of so-called the earlier the better' in Taiwan raises issues about the effects of early formal schooling experiences on children's optimal development. However, very little is known about young children's early schooling experiences in Taiwan due to the lack of empirical studies. The purpose of this study was to explore the perspectives and experiences of Taiwanese mothers, children, teachers, and administrators regarding young children's early schooling involvement. Participants were recruited mainly from two preschools (one public and one private) in a west-central city of Taiwan. Research participants included 32 mothers, 10 young children, 3 teachers, and 3 administrators. A qualitative design with a phenomenological approach was used in the study to investigate the subjective experiences of the phenomenon. Data were collected by using focus groups and individual interviews. In addition, a content review was conducted to gain an overview of how young children's early schooling involvement was viewed by the parental advice literature in Taiwan. From the analysis of the data, the following five general themes emerged: children's development, mass media, social competition, differences between individuals and groups, and cultural change aspects. The specific meaning of each theme is illustrated, including similarities and differences amongst the participants. Finally, limitations, implications and future research directions are discussed.

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Transition to motherhood is referred to as change in the new role and relationship during women's developmental stages. Difficult transitions may cause problems in the mother-infant relationship and influence the acceptance of this role. The purpose of this study was to investigate transition to motherhood as it relates to early mother infant interaction, stress and social support of first time Taiwanese mothers, and to determine other maternal characteristics related to transition to motherhood. Purposive sampling was used to recruit 63 first-time postpartum mothers between ages of 18 to 35 who intended to breastfeed their infants. The subjects were recruited from a maternity unit of one medical center in south of Taiwan between year 2004 to year 2005. Four major instruments were used to collect the data: Revised What Being the Parent of a Baby is like Questionnaire, The Nursing Child Assessment Scale, The Perceived Stress Scale and The Interpersonal Support Evaluation List. The first administration of all questionnaires was conducted and the feeding interaction was observed and scored on the postpartum day during hospitalization (Time 1). After observation, immediate feedback regarding their feeding interaction including positive feedback and suggestions were given to all participants by the investigator. The second administration of all questionnaires was conducted at 4 weeks postpartum (Time 2). The last administration of all questionnaires was mailed to participants at 4 months postpartum (Time3). T-test, analysis of variance, Pearson Correlation and stepwise multiple regression were utilized to analyze the data. Findings indicate that first- time mothers with lower perceived stress and longer breastfeeding had an easier transition process to motherhood. During this transition, social support mediates the effect of perceived stress. The data fit the model and explained 42 % of the variance in transition to motherhood. Up to 29 % of variance was explained by perceived stress and of 13 %was explained by the length ofbreastfeeding. The study provides a knowledge base for further research on transition to motherhood and designing advanced educational program for new parents and clinical practice is required. Key words: transition, motherhood, mother-infant interaction, stress, social support.

During recent reforms to the Taiwanese health care system, discharge planning for hospital patients has become an issue of great concern as a result of shorter hospital stays, increased health care costs and a greater emphasis on community care. There are around five million patients visiting in emergency departments (ED) per year in Taiwan with up to 85% of these, 4,250,000 emergency patients, discharged directly from the emergency department. This significant number of ED visits highlights the need to implement discharge planning in the ED. ED nurses are not only responsible for providing appropriate assessments of a patient's future care needs but also for implementing effective discharge planning as a legal obligation; discharge planning is also a patient's right in Taiwan. For ED nurses to function effectively in the role of discharge planner, it is important that they have a comprehensive understanding of implementing discharge planning. To date, no published research focuses on nurses' experience of implementing discharge planning in the ED in Taiwan. This study is the first step in identifying the experience and understanding of nurses in implementing discharge planning in the ED in Taiwan and may have implications worldwide. The purpose of this study was to identify and describe the experience and understanding of the qualitatively different ways in which ED nurses’ experience of implementing discharge planning for emergency patients in Taiwan. In order to identify and describe the experience of implementing discharge planning, the qualitative approach of a phenomenography was chosen. Thirty-two ED nurses in Taiwan who matched the participant selection criteria were asked to describe their experience and understanding of the implementation of discharge planning in the ED. Semi-structured interviews were audio-taped and later transcribed verbatim. The data analysis process focused on identifying and describing ways ED nurses’ experience and understanding of implementing discharge planning in the ED. There were two major outcomes of this study: six categories of description and an outcome space. These six categories of description revealed the experience and understanding of implementing discharge planning in the ED. An outcome space portraying the logical relations between the categories of description was identified. The six categories of description were implementing discharge planning as ‘getting rid of my patients’; implementing discharge planning as completing routines; implementing discharge planning as being involved in patient education; implementing discharge planning as professional accountability; implementing discharge planning as autonomous practice; implementing discharge planning as demonstrating professional nursing care in ED. The outcome space mapped the three levels of hierarchical relationship between these six categories of description. The referential meaning of implementing discharge planning was the commitment to providing discharge services in the ED. The results of this research contribute to describing the nurses’ experience in the implementation of the discharge planning process in the emergency nursing field, in order to provide accurate and effective care to patients discharged from the ED. This study also highlights key insights into the provision of discharge services both in Taiwan and World-wide.