Since June 2019, Hong Kong has been witnessing ongoing protests due to a proposed amendment to its extradition law. Therefore, the Public Policy Research Fund called for proposals that address different issues pertaining to these social incidents. Dr. Jianbin Li and Dr. Catalina Ng, Assistant Professors of the Department of Early Childhood Education (ECE), have each been awarded a grant.
Dr. Li will examine the individuals’ beliefs about aggression acceptability, identifying environmental factors associated with these beliefs and testing personal characteristics as moderators. The findings will reduce normative beliefs about aggression acceptability and prevent aggression in the future.
On the other hand, Dr. Ng will examine individuals’ readiness for reconciliation, determining effective reconciliation strategies for Hong Kong citizens and advising on how the community should implement these strategies. The findings will resolve grievances, distrust, and disharmony originated from the social incidents.
The results reflected ECE’s critical roles in addressing important social issues, using research to make a difference to the community.