Subjects: Psychology >> Social Psychology Subjects: Psychology >> Other Disciplines of Psychology submitted time 2023-11-22
Abstract： The unique Chinese first name "Zhaodi" (招娣) offers an intriguing lens to examine provincial variations in son preference and its deep-rooted ties to clan culture. While most first names carry implicit or ambiguous meanings, "Zhaodi" stands out as it explicitly signifies parents' fervent hope for a male child next. At a provincial level, the prevalence of the name "Zhaodi" can be viewed as an indicator of son preference. Clan culture, deeply intertwined with Confucianism, emphasizes a patriarchal lineage and distinct social norms, such as sons enjoying more privileges than daughters. Though clan culture permeates throughout China, its intensity varies across provinces. This study aims to investigate the provincial variations in the naming of "Zhaodi" and its correlation with clan culture. We hypothesize that regions with a stronger clan culture are more likely to name their daughters "Zhaodi".
Data on the prevalence of "Zhaodi" and clan culture across provinces were sourced from public government databases. Initially, the frequency of "Zhaodi" was obtained from www.gjzwfw.gov.cn, considering the top 10 popular surnames. Subsequently, female population data was sourced from the National Bureau of Statistics (www.stats.gov.cn). The prevalence of "Zhaodi" was then computed by dividing the frequency of "Zhaodi" by the female population, adjusted per million (ppm) for each province. Clan culture strength was determined by the prevalence of "jiapu", as per the methodology of Greif and Tabellini (2017). Data on "jiapu" was sourced from the National Jiapu Platform of the Shanghai Library (www.library.sh.cn). Control variables included modernity, percentage of rice paddy, climate demand, latitude, societal tightness, and population density.
Results indicated significant provincial variations in the naming of "Zhaodi", χ²(473236764,17) = 99874, p < .001. Jiangxi had the highest prevalence at 537 ppm, while Chongqing had the lowest at 2 ppm among the 18 provinces studied. Correlation analysis revealed a positive association between the prevalence of "Zhaodi" and clan culture, r(18)=.51, p =.03; r(18) =.70, p =.001. Regression analysis further confirmed that clan culture positively predicts the prevalence of "Zhaodi", β(18)=.51, p = .046.
This study underscores the provincial variations in the naming of "Zhaodi" and establishes a positive correlation with clan culture. These insights enrich cultural psychology by quantitatively assessing the impact of clan culture, a feat rarely achieved. Furthermore, it highlights the societal implications of the name "Zhaodi" as an indicator of son preference.
Conclusion: This research reveals significant provincial variations in the naming of "Zhaodi" and establishes a positive correlation between such naming practices and the strength of clan culture.
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