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Comparing the happiness of Chinese undergraduates in H.K., U.K., U.S.A. and Australia
Author(s)
Date Issued
2014
Citation
Yuen, W. K., & Chu, W. L. (2014 Nov 13). Comparing the happiness of Chinese undergraduates in H.K., U.K., U.S.A. and Australia. Conference on Self-financing Tertiary Education: The Way Forward, The Hong Kong Jockey Club.
Type
Conference Paper
Abstract
The goal of this paper is to compare the happiness of Chinese undergraduates in H.K.,
U.K., U.S.A. and Australia. Using chain-referral sampling and email questionnaire, a total
sample of 471 Chinese undergraduates (151 from Hong Kong, 94 from U.S.A., 71 from
Australia and 101 from U.K.) were examined. It was found that students in H.K. are the
most unhappy group in comparison with the other three areas. This paper tried to explain
the difference in the current happiness of Chinese undergraduates in the four areas with
six variables, namely, the happiness of students with their academic performance; the
subjective positive mindset of students; the concern of students about other people’s
view; the ability of students to explore their potential; gender and household income. The
empirical results showed that the current happiness of students depends on (1) their
happiness with their academic performance in the case of H.K., U.K. and Australia but not
in U.S.A.; (2) the students’ subjective positive mindset in all four areas; (3) other peoples’
views about them in case of H.K. and U.K. but not in U.S.A. and Australia; (4) their ability
to explore their potential in case of U.S.A. but not in the other three areas. In all four areas,
the current happiness of undergraduates did not depend on their household income or
gender.
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