CHAPTER 7

DICHOTOMOUS (TRUE OR FALSE) TASKS

by Hugh M. Lewis

A number of dichotomous True and False inventories were employed in this study to assess the 'reported' response pattern to basic values and beliefs. These emerged as a fairly successful form of task as most subjects did not seem too threatened by it, and many even seemed not too bothered by doing them. They developed one after the other, beginning with a basic 15 item "Dogs-Children-Women" dichotomous inventory (N = 121), and leading to a 25 item Sex-Authoritarianism dichotomous inventory (N =71), and a 20 item "Products-Commercials-People" inventory (N = 64), a 22 item grid (N =61) rating basic categories of people along five basic dimensions of cleanliness, generosity, and obedience, a 15 item set of miscellaneous assorted questions filling in gaps in the other inventories (N = 58), and finally a 25 item set of questions relating religion, fortune, and parental authority (N = 30) that was administered toward the end of the study.

Open to many vicissitudes of cross-cultural difference, elicitation, translation, subjective evaluation and vagaries of response, interference, etc., the partial value of these inventories is to get at patterns of cross-correlation in response that suggest important orientations of attitudes and values within the community.

Because the questions emerged in the course of the fieldwork following leads as to things that might be important to ask, they might be seen as less inherently biased in the cultural sense than the adoption of questions directly from such inventories designed in the U.S. and at least implicitly for an American target population. Problems of translation to Hokkien were considerable, and many initial questions had to be left out because of the seeming irrelevance or else the difficult of framing the question in a manner that would make any sense in Hokkien.

Questions on these tasks were set up in such a way that uncertain responses were given a default of false, and subjects were encouraged to express themselves and expand on their responses at will. It is in these interjections of opinion that as much was learned about the attitudes and value orientations of the community as in the pattern of responses to the questions themselves.

Samples were large enough to permit comparison of subsamples along relevant dimensions, usually being split into children, male adults, female adults, Non-Jetty adults and the reference group which was kept separate. Only on the last inventory was the sample size to small to permit this.

While there are no established norms for any of these inventories, and it is therefore difficult to determine exactly what, if anything, they are measuring, these limitations are offset by the cultural relevance of the questions in which they were framed.

There is a clear sense that the questions are basically open and there are not clear indications of a correct response. The questions appear to be ambiguous at some semantic level of understanding, in the sense that there are no clear or obvious "correct" answers nor any indications given as to the motives behind the question. The questions themselves have a certain weight of authority just by being asked the way they were. There was a since that there exists for most of them some kind of "default" or expected answer, and that seeing through the question meant discovering "exceptional cases" to the expected pattern, cases often drawn from personal experience or a relatively more open-minded attitude. It seems that people had to struggle to think through the response, to see through the more or less obvious frame, to the wider implications beyond. Often, responses fell clearly into two groups of agreement and disagreement. Sometimes, there was no clear demarcation line, and the obvious answer was not so clear as well.

It can be hypothesized that these questions form a kind of linguistic frame comparable in a verbal way to the visual symbolic frames thus far presented. As such, they can be expected to yield a pattern of consensus in typical responses. It can be expected that some people who respond in a certain typical manner to these sets of questions are tending to fall back upon conventional frames of reference for their interpretation and expression, while others, with perhaps more worldly or interpersonal wisdom, may think again about what kind of response to give.

There is a clear sense in studying the qualifications for many of the answers that those individual's who had had personal experiences, especially in the world, were better able to see alternative points of view and to accept the possibility that all things may not be as they seem.

In the first task, there was an interesting in understanding any possible relationship of attitudes and opinions toward animals, cleanliness, women, and children. Of fifteen questions, the five in which there is near uniform agreement across the total sample (N = 124) the following:

Older children should take care of their younger brother's and sisters. (97.6%)

If adults are talking, children should not interrupt. (99.2%)

Nearly unanimous positive responses to these questions in all sub-samples must be interpreted as representing fairly uniform, and to some extent, core Overseas Chinese cultural values. The following questions all show over fifty percent agreement across the entire sample:

A child should not answer back an adult. (88.7%)

Showing too much affection to a child will spoil the child. (87.9%)

A daughter-in-law should respect a mother-in-law's wishes. (65.%)

A child should be punished for spilling its food. (52.42%)

Strong agreement across the sample show that traditionally, a daughter-in-law is in little better position than a child in relation to the mother-in-law, and that the mother-in-law's perogative will be held to out weigh that of the wife. More loosely, it can be interpreted that the chief responsibility of the daughter in law would be to take care of the children of the household. It is interesting that it is among the women themselves that there is the least agreement to this last question (28 out of 51, or 54%).

Dogs do not feel pain like people do. (19.35%)

Women should not sit in coffee shops by themselves. (36.29%)

A dog should not come inside. (43.55%)

Women should always listen to their men-folk. (45.96%)

It is best to whip a dog with a cane to make it obey. (48.38%)

Chaining a dog up makes it a good watchdog. (49.2%)

These responses can be interpreted as showing greater agreement in regard to children than in regard to either dogs or women. The manner that the questions were set up, shows surprising amounts of "authoritarian" orientation on almost all the question attitudes rooted in a traditional Chinese culture orientation. Given an American orientation, a score above 1 or 2 would indicate a fairly authoritarian and narrow mind set. In this task, the men's sample (N = 28) had a high average score of 9.6 and the women's sub-sample (N =51) average was 10.843. These were at odds with the child's sub-sample (N =8) which was 8.75, with the Non-Jetty sample (N =17), which was 8.35 or the reference group sample (N = 20) which was 8.95. It can be said that in relation to these questions about dogs, women and children, women have a slightly more conservative and traditional orientation than the men, and both men and women have a more conservative orientation than the other samples. For the women, there were 18 (35.29%) who had a score of 13 or above and 33 with a score of 10 or above (64.7%) between compared to 5 men (17.857%) with a score of 13 or above and 16 with a score of 10 or above (57.14%).

It is my opinion that this difference between the men and the women reflects the nature of the experiences and relative level of education between the men and the women. The women on average appear to be more bound to the Jetty than the men.

Dogs are not dirty if you know how to take care of them. Strays are dirty. Housedogs are clean. A dog can come inside the house, but only if it is clean and not a stray. A good dog can come in only if the owner lets it. If a dog is dirty it cannot come inside. Rich people let them come in and they eat better than humans. Personally I don't. Dogs are dirty, cats also. All animals are dirty. If a dog bites people it should be chained up, but if you chain a dog it will bite you when you take it off the chain. If you chain a dog for the whole day it will run wild, just like persons or children. Chaining a dog makes it fierce, it goes mad. If a dog doesn't listen you must also beat it. Sometimes it must be beat, but only if it has done something bad or mean. Sometimes must beat, sometimes must love. If you beat it, it will bite you. Must train it from young, teach it, scold, check or explain. I don't beat, I only scold. You have to teach it like a child, if it is wrong you can beat it, but not always.

If you beat a dog hard enough, it will definitely feel pain just like children do. Dogs have flesh like people do. But dogs can run and they forget. If you beat a stray, next time he will remember you. They make a sound--it hurts. According to scriptures some animals feel more pain than humans. If you cut class and play truant on your own, if you discipline a child, nowadays parents will come, parents are concerned, can't do much. Dogs can whine but do not feel pain like humans do. Some people say that dogs can cry. Dogs and cats, if hit, they will feel pain. How can dogs not feel pain?

Older children should definitely take care of their younger siblings, but sometimes they do and sometimes they don't. It is Chinese tradition. Sometimes children don't have older siblings. Children should definitely no interrupt while adults are talking. They have ears but no mouths. Showing too much affection to a child will spoil it, with a friend or with a child. You can love but you cannot show it because in the long run you will spoil the child. Some naughty children grow up to be good and some good children grow up to be naughty. Children do not know anything. You shouldn't beat them for spilling food. You must teach them, scold them, tell them. It depends, if it's an accident, O.K., if not... Depends, scold first, beat if the child gets stubborn. Accidents can happen, must explain. If parents love they won't beat, otherwise they will beat. You must threaten or scold them. Children should not answer back an adult. In olden days this was so, mothers can reprimand without children answering back. Now it is hard to control them. If they are bigger they also talk facts to you. It depends if parents are right or wrong. Sometimes adults accuse you of something you haven't done.

Women should listen to their men-folk, but you have to disagree if they are wrong. If the man is wrong I don't listen. Depends on if they are right or wrong. Sometimes yes, sometimes no. Only if they are right, you must be fair. They take care of us. For me it is a two way street. Have to talk reason, be equal. But nowadays women don't. They should, but don't. If the men are wrong it doesn't apply. A woman who dresses too daringly is shameful. In olden days they closed themselves up, but now it depends on situation. They want face. It depends on the fashion. I don't like to see these things. If a woman is attractive she does not have to dress too daringly, only unattractive women dress too daringly. If a woman is asking for trouble, she can also wear decent clothes and trouble still will come. Nowadays in the modern world it doesn't matter. Depends if its East or West. To me it is nothing. A women should not go out to drink by herself, unless her job is a bar hostess. The modern world cannot wait for the husband. I also go out and drink by myself. It depends on the individual. Two or three people, it's O.K. You must go with your husband, else people will say you are a bad woman. A lot of women drink and smoke now. Women should not drink. A woman should not sit in a coffee shop by herself. She can drink at home. It is only all right if just for coffee. So many women and girls are working now it doesn't apply anymore. This rule is 40 years old. If it is an older woman it is all right. But she must be accompanied by her parents or other women. If not people will say she is a bar girl. It is nothing just to eat. Some do for snacks and coffee. It depends on the Coffee shop environment, who will know the kind of men there. The modern world is different. If the mother's-in-law are right, daughters-in-law must listen to them. Daughter's-in-law must have filial piety. Chinese law--must always listen to mother in law wishes even if she is wrong. The mother-in-law is like your mother. Only young women should do it. Nowadays its different. They do not listen. Daughter's-in-law control their mother's-in-law, sometimes they fight them and even beat them. But some mother's-in-law are mean. If she is right she should be listened to. Now they talk facts. Nowadays it depends.

Another inventory was designed with the attitude of eliciting attitudes in relation to women. Items showing the most agreement were the following:

A husband should help do housework. (91.5%)

It is O.K. for little boys to play with little girls. (90.14%)

It is O.K. for the daughter of a hawker to marry the son of a banker. (90.14%)

It is O.K. for an unmarried man over 40 to live with his parents. (88.73%)

It is O.K. for a child to wipe up an invalid parent's bodily excrement. (88.73%)

It is O.K. if a daughter of a doctor marries a construction worker. (85.92%)

It is important for a child to work for and support the parents. (84.5%)

It is right for a woman to leave her husband if he regularly mistreats her.(83.1%)

It is O.K. for a father to clean his infant daughter's bottom. (81.7%)

A child must not be allowed to see its parents naked. (78.87%)

A man can serve his wife a meal at the table. (63.38%)

It is important for a son to continue his parent's religion. (53.52%)

Questions which show the most consistent false answer across the total sample include the following:

A son or daughter can scold his or her parents. (9.86%)

It is best if a child follows its parents choices in marriage. (16.9%)

It is all right for a woman to get drunk sometimes. (18.3%)

It is O.K. for an unmarried woman to sleep with a man. (19.72%)

It is all right if a woman touches a man in public. (21.13%)

Highly intelligent women are attractive. (26.76%)

It is good for husbands to go out to night clubs or bars on weekends without their wives. (28.17%)

It is O.K. for a single man and woman to be alone together inside a room. (32.39%)

It is O.K. for a man to wash a woman's clothes. (38%)

Women can behave like Tomboys and men can behave like women. (38%)

It is O.K. for a single unmarried woman to pursue a professional career even if it means indefinitely postponing marriage and having a family. (38%)

It is O.K. if a man gets drunk ocassionally. (49.29%)

The scores were adjusted such that a low score is equal to a high rating of authoritarianism. The average score of the female sample was 7.55, compared to a male average of 8.33. The children's average score was 8.75, the Non-Jetty sample's score was 10.56, and the reference group's average score was 8.1. Again, the women show slightly more authoritarian attitudes than the other samples.

There is a since of a clear double standard as far as attitudes towards men and women are concerned. For instance, while almost 50% agreed that men can get drunk, only 18% said that a woman can get drunk. While 38% said women should not sit in coffee shops by themselves, 28% said that men can go out to bars on weekends without their wives.

This sample is comparable to another non-overlapping sample based earlier version of the same task task (N = 15, 6 men and 9 women). In this sample, highest agreement was for the question "A child must not be allowed to see its parents naked" and "It is O.K. for an unmarried man over 40 to live with his parents" (100% each), followed by "It is O.K. for a father to clean his infant child's bottom," "It is important for a child to work for and support the parents" and "It is right for a woman to leave her husband if he regularly mistreats her." (93.33% each), followed by "A man should share in the feeding of his baby," (8.6.67%) "It is O.K. for a child to wipe an invalid parent's excrement" and "Women can behave like tomboys and men can behave like women," (73.33% each) "It is best if a child follows its parents choices in marriage" and "It is important for a son to continue his parent's religion" and "It is O.K. if a single unmarried women pursues a professional career even if it means indefinitely postponing marriage and having a family" (66.67% each).

In this sample, the least agreement across the sample was "It is all right for a woman to get drunk sometimes." (6.7%) followed by "It is best if a child follows its parent's choices in marriage." (13.3%), "A son or daughter can scold his or her parents", and "It is all right if a woman touches a man in public," (20% each) and "It is O.K. for the daughter of a hawker to marry the son of a banker" (33.33%), "It is O.K. for an unmarried woman to sleep with a man" (40%), "It is good for husbands to go out to nightclubs on weekends without their wives," "A man should share in the feeding of the baby at night", and "It is O.K. if a man gets drunk occasionally." (46.67%). The average score for this sub-sample was 11.066.

Highly intelligent women are attractive, and also vicious. It is not true.

It is O.K. for husbands to go out to nightclubs without their wives, but only on business or for dinner. If it is in the company of friends to drink and party with girls it is no all right. It is not good to drink

A women can only drink when she is sad. What if a man puts something in your drink and then you must follow the man's wishes. A woman can drink but not get drunk. My sister has problems with her husband and she drinks to forget. If it is fun or playtime, it is O.K. At home it is O.K., but not in a public place. Where to find?

It is O.K. for men to drink as long as they behave themselves. It is better not to drink. Only at home, not outside while driving. Should not drink until one gets drunk. If you drink until you get drunk it is wrong. Drink but don't come back and bring it to the house. It is stupid if they drink. It is not good to drink. Some will drink until they are senseless. The drunker the better. It is best to drink until one gets drunk.

Nowadays a woman will go inside a room alone with a man--now it is normal. Now during the dating period, they go into rooms by themselves. My aunt's daughter went into the room with her boyfriend. She got married after she got pregnant. If they are just talking it is all right, but you cannot close the door. It depends on what they are doing. Chinese custom decrees otherwise. If they are not doing anything. Object. It is up to them, you cannot tie them up.

It is not wrong for a woman to touch a man in public, but only if it is holding hands. Only if they are married. It is up to the woman. Just a little pat is O.K. If holding hands but not glaringly holding each other. If they do, you must beat them. If friends all right. Nowadays it happens, but not right if in public. It is not nice to see but nowadays it is quite common. It is so "gili" only to see.

Nowadays unmarried couples sleep together. Last time not, but now everyone does it. If both are consenting adults it is O.K., but it is not good to sleep around with too many different partners. English-style, nowadays it is very common.

A child must not see its parent's naked. No way. Women can see women, it's O.K. Father's can see mothers. Children will pay each other a dollar to tell them what their parents look like naked.

Boys and girls can play together when they are young, as long as they are happy. There is no problem, but only in the open. When they are young it is O.K. Children do not know anything. When they get older it is better if boys play with boys and girls with girls.

Girls can behave like tomboys and boys like girls if they are born that way, then it is natural, but it is better not to. But if they are not born that way and they acquire it when they are older it is not right. Older people say it is not right. If they want to be that way what can parent's do. Better not. It is not right for women to behave like tomboys, but some men look masculine but may be effeminent.

It is important for a child to work for and support the parents. But my uncles just ignore their parents. If the child can afford extra, then it is O.K.

A child can scold their parents if their parents are wrong. Nowadays they are bold, they can answer back. Parents must explain to them and teach them. Now children curse back. Some also say "Fuck mother." I scold my mother when she gets me angry. I have done it too. Parents hope children won't do it. They must use the cane.

It is O.K. for the daughter of a hawker to marry the son of a banker, if they are in love with each other. If she is pretty and agreeable. It is their wish. There is no line between rich and poor. If both are willing. It is up to the parent's wishes. If they love each other and their parent's object they may commit suicide. Some parent's seek rich in-laws, some prefer working class. Some say it is not equal, it is too high for the girl.

If the daughter of a doctor and a construction worker love each other, then it is all right to get married. If they are both willing it is up to them, only I'm afraid the parents will object. If there are no objections, usually the rich parent's will object. They are not equal at all, not matched. It depends on if they love each other. Usually the rich marry the rich, but not always.

A child should follow its parents choices in marriage especially if the child has no friends. They will then have to follow the parent's choices. It's up to whether they like their parent's choices. They cannot force them. It depends on whether the couple like each other. What if child doesn't like the choice, marriage is forever. If match is agreeable, it is fine. If the children are agreeable too. What if partner is ugly, then the child has to object. It depends on whether it is fated to be. Parents do not like to match. Only if the match is good. Parents cannot force them into marriage. If the child wants a love match, they should find their own respective loves, if they want their parent's to find a match for them, they should follow their parent's choice. It depends on the individual's choices. Only in the olden days, yes. Nowadays, no way, too old fashioned. I don't want. I want to find by myself.

It is O.K. for a single man over 40 to live with his parents. It's only the English way to object to this. Here if they are as old as anything they will stay with their parents. But what if they work far away? Women also can stay with their parents. Some share their premises with their friends and sleep in the living room when there is no room.

Some fathers dare not clean their daughter's bottom. It is a woman's job. Usually the mother does it. Men will do it, but only when the mother is busy. The mother should wash the babies bottom. They ask the wife to do it. It is not good. According to Chinese, men do not do it.

We wash our clothes by machine now, so men can wash women's clothes, but not by hand, and never hang them out. Older people will scold. But if the wife is sick we can wash only the wife's clothes. If my wife works it's up to me. Only when the wife is busy. Ask wife, some can and cannot, some do and some don't. For Chinese, no. It is women's work, men work outside. My brother washes my clothes for me.

It is not a husbands duty to feed an infant in the middle of the night if he is working. Some men share in this work. They have a share in the baby. Some will help and some say they are going to work the next day. Chinese fathers love their children and will do it. Some will do it, but Chinese don't. Some ask their wives to do it.

It is certain that a child should wipe up an invalid parent's excrement. Usually people are hired to do it, but a child should do it. It is a must. If children don't do it, who will. They raised us from young, but if the children are far from home? Daughter's-in-law should do it.

A husband can help with the housework but not everyday. He can help around with the children, especially if the wife is busy, but not wash clothes. If the wife works so hard. Some help and some do not. The good ones will do it. Especially those who sell food, husband and wife should work together. They should help each other. If the husband works outside he cannot help with the housework.

When the wife is busy, and if it is one's own husband, it is O.k. if he serves the wife a meal at the table, but only sometimes. It is quite all right, but not always. Do not make it a habit. If they are scared of their wives, they serve them. Nowadays men serve their wives. Usually it is the other way around. Very rare, a pimp can. Everything is cooked, together can sit down and eat. Some yes, some don't. Maybe, because my husband does it for me.

A wife does not need the sort of husband who regularly mistreats her. If she can tolerate him she should stay with him, but if she can't she should leave. If he is bad, she should find a better one. I will leave also. She should see the reason, it is not right to leave if it is just an argument. Wife should not leave her husband, cannot do it. Each has their own problems.

It is not right for a woman to pursue a professional career even if it means postponing marriage and a family. It is a big wrong--women must have a family to be complete. She should marry and have a family. Every woman should have a family. Parents cannot take care of her forever. If there is no family, there is no reason for life. Better to marry, you have your husband to take care of you. Must have a family, when you get older you will yearn for family and children. If picky life will pass you buy. Some may be ugly or too choosy. Some are scared they may find a bad husband. Some think getting married to the wrong person is horrible. If you work and earn money but don't have anyone to leave it to, then the government will take it all. Yes it happens, a lot of single women nowadays. It is up to the individual. Look at me, I don't want to get married.

On the next inventory, subjects were asked to evaluate comparative relationships between men, women, boys, girls, adults, children and dogs on the basis of five dimensions (cleaner than, more affectionate than, more obedient than, more trustworthy than and more generous than). The greatest amount of agreement was "Adults are more generous than children" ( (81.96%), followed by "Children are cleaner than dogs" (78.68%), and then "Men are more generous than women" (77%), then "Women are cleaner than men" (73.77%),"Adults are cleaner than children" (70.49%), "Dogs are more obedient than children" (68.85%), "Children are more affectionate than dogs" (67.21%), "Boys are more generous than girls" (63.93%), "Adults are more obedient than children," (57.38%), "Children are more trustworthy than dogs" (55.74%), and "Adults are more obedient than dogs" (49.18%).

The questions show the greatest false answers over the entire sample are "Men are more affectionate than women" (6.5%), "Boys are more obedient than girls" and "Boys are more affectionate than girls" (9.84% each), "Boys are cleaner than girls" (11.48%), "Men are more obedient than women" (19.67%), "Boys are more trustworthy than girls" (27.87%), "Adults are more affectionate than children" (29.5%), "Men are more trustworthy than women," (32.78%) "Children are more trustworthy than adults" (37.7%) and "Adults are more trustworthy than dogs." (47.5%)

It is hard to say, children like to pee and poop. Adults are also dirty. Children can also be clean and neat, it depends on the situation. Adults are all the same. Some women are dirtier than men. Women like to beautify themselves. Some men are also clean, but men that can keep clean are very few. Some women are more dirty than men. Men work and come back home dirty. It is hard to say if children are cleaner than dogs. Children are also dirty. It is up to the mother to care for them. It's women's business. Dogs are dirty, they sleep and roam the street. Older people take care of children, bathe them all the time. Dogs are not that way. Girls are cleaner than boys. Both of them are clean if you take care of them. Boys are more wild. Girls like to pretty themselves. Both boys and girls are clean, both are affectionate, both like to fight and quarrel. If you buy for one you have to buy for both.

Women are more affectionate than men. Some women can be affectionate and some cannot. Women are that way because they want the men to buy them something. Both are the same. Both men and women are equally affectionate. Boys are uncontrollable, "oh lor". Boys are cheeky. Girls are more affectionate than boys. Both are disobedient. Girls know their parent's love them more. Girls are more loving. Boys spend more. Both are the same, both are affectionate. Children are more affectionate than adults. Some adults lie and some don't. They want to lie to the child. Dogs are more affectionate than children. They come to be petted just like children. Dogs are glad to see you. They wag their tails when they see their owner. Dogs are more affectionate than adults. If you feed dogs they wag their tails when they see you.

Boys like to lie, they are more cheeky and stubborn. Girls are more obedient. If you take care of them well they will both be obedient. Some girls are naughtier than boys. You have to teach them right and wrong. In our grandparent's time they liked boys more. Men and women are the same, with age both become equally disobedient. Women are more obedient than men. With age, women tend to listen more. Dogs are sometimes more obedient than children, especially if you train them from young. Children are also more obedient than dogs. Children are more obedient than adults, they listen more. You have to teach them and they become obedient. Children do not know anything. If grown-ups are rascals, you cannot trust them. It depends on the situation. Dogs are more obedient than children. Dogs can only bark, they do not talk back.

Women are more trustworthy than men. Men in front say "honey" but behind their backs you don't know what they may be doing. Men are more untrustworthy. Men are liars. Both men and women are untrustworthy. Both cannot be trusted. It depends on the person, it is up to the individual's behavior. Some women are con people. Women can change. It depends on the situation, for example, if they lose their money when they are gambling. Children sometimes can also tell lies. Children lie a lot, they are great liars. You cannot trust children. But children do not tell lies. Girls always tell the truth. You have to see how boys and girls talk. It is up to what they say. Boys like to lie, girls are more trustworthy. Can trust girls. Both girls and boys are the same, they blame each other. Children cannot be trusted too much. They say each telling truth. Adults can be trusted over dogs. Dogs cannot carry talk. Dogs do not talk, they only listen. Adults know better, dogs are just animals. Children can be trusted over dogs, but need dogs also to take care of the house. You can believe in dogs. Both also can be trusted.

Boys are more stubborn than girls, but it is hard to say if they are more generous. It is give and take, some share and some cannot. If parents teach them. Men are more generous than women. Women count until the last penny. Children forget faster than adults. Adults are more generous.

It appears in this that women are rated the highest in the most positive categories, followed by men. Adults are rated higher than children. Girls are rated higher than boys. Adults are rated higher than children, and children are rated above dogs.

In the next inventory, (N = 65), the most agreed upon questions were:

Smoking is worse for women than for men. (83.1%)

Newer appliances are better than older appliances. (73.85%)

It is better to buy a larger quantity more cheaply on sale. (73.85%)

Newer things are better than older things. (70.76%)

People on commercials are wealthier than average. (67.6%)

Thin women are more attractive. (67.6%)

Things on sale are a better deal than things not on sale. (67.6%)

Newer clothes are better than older clothes. (59.76%)

Questions upon which there were the most false answers were:

Men who smoke live as long as men who do not smoke. (9.2%)

Wealthy people are more attractive. (26.15%)

More expensive things are better than cheaper things. (32.3%)

Smoking is not a dirty habit. (35.38%)

Products advertised on television are better than those not advertised. (35.38%)

Products sold at Komtar (Supermarket/Mall) are better than those sold at the market. (40%).

Men who smoke are more masculine. (44.6%)

Wealthy people are like people who are on commercials. (46.25%)

People on television are better looking than those who are not. (49.23%)

The object of this inventory was to elicit attitudes and value judgments that were related to acculturation, smoking, the media, and materialism. The average score for the children (N = 6) was 9.17. For the women (N = 20) it was 11.7. For the men (N = 12), 9.67. For the Non-Jetty sample (N= 9) it was 7.78. For the reference group (N = 18) it was 8.72.

New things are better to use than old things. You have to take care of new things. Sometimes new things break down faster, they last only one year. Older things last longer. Both are the same. Some old things are also good. Old used things are better, the older the better.

"Newer clothes are definitely better, they are much more fashionable, more action, more face." New clothes are prettier (2), but older clothes are more comfortable (6). I like old clothes. Some prefer old clothes. The Chinese prefer new clothes for Chinese New Year. Both new and old clothes are the same, you must also see the quality of the material.

New and old appliances are the same. Older one's are better. My older fan is good.

New appliances break down faster. They have more plastic. Sometimes they breakdown after one year. Older appliances also break down, but are much easier to use.

Old things are not nice, according to the current things. Old things are better looking than newer things. Personally, I like old things like antiques.

Things advertised on television are definitely better than those not advertised--people will buy them. TV ad products sell better. If business is good only then put add in the TV If you do not advertise, people will not know your product. New brands are advertised on the TV TV products are better known. Some advertised things are also bad. Some unadvertised things are better. Some here say those things not advertised are no good. Not all products advertised are 100 percent good. Products advertised on TV usually do not sell. Things not advertised on TV are better. Advertised products are usually scam jobs. It depends on how individuals use them. Advertised and unadvertised things are the same.

More expensive things are not necessarily better than cheaper things--not 100%. Both have their uses. It depends on the brand. Cheaper things are also good. Cheaper things are better, expensive things are good as long as you can afford them.

Larger quantities are cheaper per box. Bulk is cheaper. But if you buy it, it is not so cheap. If you buy products more often then you should buy in bulk. It depends on the goods. If you buy little you conserve more, if buy a lot tend to over-indulge. It means greed.

Usually sale things are not so good. Canned things that are expired are sold more cheaply. Things on sale are usually inferior quality. Sale is name only. Things on sale are cheaper but usually older and out of fashion. Sometimes sale things are expensive, they jack up the price. Things are really not on sale--discount a few cents only. Look out for the differences in prices. Sale things are not so cheap, only a little bit cheaper.

Things sold at the shopping center are definitely better, but sometimes more expensive then things sold at the market. There are more expensive brand names. The packing is nicer, and the things are cleaner. Things at the market and at the shopping center are more or less the same, only cheaper or more expensive. It depends on the product, there is good and bad. Market things are better, cheaper, produce is better, fresher. If imitation then it is O.K., as long as it is cheaper.

Imported products are better than Malaysian made products, I have worked in the supermarket before. Not everything imported is better, it depends on the product. A lot of people say M'sian products are inferior. Only the proton car is not so good, the rest are comparable. Rubber things are best in Malaysia. Malaysian products are better.

Smoking is a very dirty habit, also smelly. Ashes are everywhere. You get diseases, bad for the health. Smoke gets into the heart. Smoking is dirty, but people still want to smoke. Nicotine is addictive. People say smoking is toxic. I don't know, I don't smoke. It depends on the individual. I smoke.

Men who smoke are mostly more masculine, although those who don't smoke are also masculine. Women who smoke are different. I hate smokers. I get angry at smoking.

Men who smoke die faster. They live shorter lives. Smokers get sick. Cigarettes have nicotine that sticks to the lungs. Smoke affects the lungs. If you smoke you get disease of the lungs. Smoking is addictive, 90% of the men smoke. People who smoke live the same length as men who don't--maybe smokers live only a few months less. It is the same, only smokers tire more easily. If smokers stop, they still have a chance. Some non-smokers also live short lives. It is hard to say. They say smoking is bad. Some smokers live longer lives, it is not necessarily so that smokers will live shorter lives. People who don't smoke have short lives. It is up to our fate, we never know when we will die.

Smoking for women is bad taste. Smoking is the same for women as it is for men. Both can get cancer. It is equal, no difference. Women are less heavy smokers unless they work in bars or night clubs. Older women are better, teenage girls who smoke do not look good. Teenage girls smoke mentholated cigarettes--it seems it is in fashion. Smoking is bad for men, the lungs get bad. It is up to the individual

Cannot say if wealthy people are like those on commercials. Some poor people also put on acts. Most rich people are proud, off course there are humble ones. Rich people can afford to buy expensive cosmetics more easily.

Some people on commercials are also poor, but they have a higher salary. They get more money. You just need to be good looking. They con people out of their money.

People who get on television are definitely better looking than those who are not. You must have personality to be on television. If producers need you they hire you. There money is more easy to come by. People make up when they go on TV Some ordinary people are also good looking.

Wealthy people are definitely more attractive than poor people--they use more makeup and have more time for relaxation. Wealthy people can afford facials and expensive makeup. They can afford all the expensive cosmetics to cover themselves, poor people just work and do not take care of themselves. Rich people are afraid of the sun and eat good. Some rich people have ugly daughters, it's all in the makeup. Some rich people are also ugly, and attractive people usually have no money.

Thin women are definitely more attractive. Most men prefer thin women. Thin women have shapely bodies. Not too thin, too thin is not good. Thin and fat women are the same. Average women are nicer looking. Medium is best, cannot say. Not really, fat women have their own attractiveness. Nonsense that thin women are more attractive.

On the following inventory, 15 "odds and ends" questions were asked that were meant to plug any holes left over from the previous questionaire.

The greatest agreement were on the following items:

Young men and women should not have sexual relations. (70.2%)

Most men prefer to marry attractive women. (68.4%)

Boys and girls should start dating early in life to find the right partner. (64.9%)

It is O.K. if an older woman marries a younger man. (63.15%)

Police protect rich people more than they protect the poor. (61.4%)

People who do not gamble are afraid of losing. (56.14%)

The average tourist is a middle-aged couple. (56.14%)

The questions on which the most number of false items were marked included the following:

Most police do not take bribes. (14.03%)

It is O.K. for a single young man to sleep with a woman. (29.8%)

It is alright for a man to have more than one wife. (29.8%)

You are bound to strike it rich if you keep playing numbers. (35%)

Most Westerner's are wealthy. (36.84%)

A child should be discouraged from marrying outside one's own race. (40.35%)

Long engagements result in better marriages. (42.1%)

Police will assist you if you report your bag snatched. (49.12%).

The average score of true for the children (N = 6) is 5.17. For the women (N =15) it was 7.4. For the men (N =9), 7.11. For the Non-Jetty sample (N = 9), it was 6.89. For the reference group (N = 18) it was 7.33.

Most tourists have money, because they are tourists, "you hardly see any beggars." But who says so, some are also poor. Most of them are middle-aged, but some are also young individuals or couples.

Now, young men and women sleeping together out of wedlock is common and O.K.. In the modern world nowadays it happens. With Westerners it is O.K., but with our culture it is a no no.

Now some couples are sleeping together before marriage. Not like the old days. Now it is a young world so younger men and women have sexual relations. Nowadays there is a lot of premarital sex, when they know each other a few weeks. It's not like grandparent's time. Modern days are different, each generation is different.

Boys and girls date early, nowadays anything is possible. If they do not mix, parent's can match for them. If it is a fellow worker, it is all right, but don't mix with bad people. Sometimes you don't have to go out to find the right partner, they will come to you.

Some people go out to disco bars to meet them.

Long engagements, "Teng hoon", result in better marriage, but short engagements also resulting long marriages. Couples know each other better. Some long engagements will also end in divorce. Engagements should not be too long, "familiarity breeds contempt." Too long is not right. Engagements should not be too long, only about 2 or 3 months. Long engagements break up in the long run. Now there are no engagements.

If an older woman and younger man are agreeable to each other, then it is all right if they get married. If they can match together and love each other, it is all right. It is up to her. A lot of marriages are like that, the wife a few years older. It does not matter now, if the woman is rich and can afford to keep a man, then it is all right. Personally, I have never seen this kind of thing. It is not so good, it will not last long. They are not equal. The younger man will change. But someone, the man, wants the woman's money. If the woman is too old, it is not too nice.

A child should be discouraged from marrying outside their own race. It's best to marry one's own kind. If my ancestors have never married out, then I will follow suit. There will be a communication barrier. All races are the same. If the partner is bad, why bother, or if there is a communication barrier. One cannot say, it depends on where they work. Nowadays it is difficult to say. Also nowadays they can do it if they love each other. It's up to a person's choice, especially when they are adults. It is up to them, they can marry whoever they want, one cannot say anything.

The first thing a man looks for in a wife is beauty. Attractive women belong to everybody. If I were a man, I would not do it, it is unsafe. Not 100 percent want beautiful wives, ugly ones will have to soak in brine or salt water. Some also don't have pretty wives. It is up to a man what kind of wife he prefers. Most prefer a woman who is good.

For women's responses, if the wife is bad, it is O.K. for the husband to have another. Men can have more than one wife only if they have the money. Two or three are also all right, but it is better to have only one. The wives will fit among themselves, so cannot. What can you do, they find ways and means to get another wife. You cannot stop men, they hide it from their wives.

For the men's responses, only if men have money can they have more than one wife. Some men also have friends on the side. If I have money, why not. Two wives are enough. If the first one dies, sometimes men will take another. Two or three wives also never mind. As long as there is money, it is O.K., but by law only one. Personally, I do not want more than one wife.

All policemen always take bribes. Most usually take bribes, 9 out of 10. Some yes, some no. Its 50/50. They do not have enough to feed their families. Even a little money is O.K., they have little. But not from me.

After your purse has been snatched, the police will wait for someone to return the identification card. "They say they will help?" By law you have to report, you just report the loss to cover yourself for your license and identity card, but you must find it yourself. It is hard to find back. The bag will never be recovered. They will assist you but it takes a long time to find it. Only 50% will help you.

Police help the rich more than the poor because they want the rich man's money. They also protect the rich. They "jack" only the rich. "The rich are afraid of bad people, bad people are afraid of the government, the government is afraid of rich people." Rich people know the rules, poor people do not. Rich people give them more "kopi" (coffee) money. They also want rich people to pay them pocket money. Not all police but usually that is the case.

If you play the lottery a long time, you are bound to win. Everyone hopes like that. Sometimes only. Sometimes will lose all, even if you win you will not get all the money back. If it was that way, I would not be standing here working. If you are lucky you get big money, if not then only small money. It depends on your luck, sometimes if you gamble till you die you will not get anything. Usually you strike little, only "small luck". I have never stricken it rich. Some people play many times and never strike it rich.

Some people like to save their money instead of gambling, it doesn't mean they are afraid of losing. I do not gamble, I am afraid of losing. It is up to the individual. Some just do not want to gamble, some just do not like it. Most like to gamble whether the stakes are big or small. Mostly 40 years or older like to gamble to pass the time. It is all right. I do not know how to gamble. It is better not to gamble, do not be too greedy. Some people are just not greedy. It is very hard to get lucky money. It is better not to, I don't like gambling.

The final dichotomous inventory was designed to elicit beliefs about the supernatural and about fate. Because it was designed toward the end of the study, it suffered a basic translation problem. The sample size was relatively small (N = 30), so the scores are collapsed into a single group:

The most agreed upon questions were:

Children are basically good and learn how to be bad. (86.7%)

Gods are willful and unpredictable. (83.33%)

Money is a cause of evil. (70%)

A person who does bad deeds is bound to suffer misfortune. (70%)

Money is good. (66.67%)

Gods are willful and unpredictable. (63.33%)

One's fortune on earth is influenced by one's filial piety. (56.67%)

Questions upon which there was the least agreement by the answering of false were the following:

Success in making money is a sign of one's fate in heaven. (10%)

One's place on earth is influenced by one's ancestors in heaven. (13.33%)

One's place in heaven is measured by one's fortune on earth. (13.33%)

The Gods can be influenced by the deeds of people. (16.67%)

A child should obey its parents even if its parents are wrong. (16.67%)

A person's fate in life determines that person's state after death. (16.67%)

Our parent's are influenced by our ancestor's fate in heaven. (20%)

Success in business is influenced by the worship of one's ancestors. (23.3%)

Our thoughts and actions can be influenced by the will of Gods. (23.3%)

If a parent is wrong then heaven will punish the children. (26.67%)

Success in life depends upon the goodwill of the Gods. (30%)

Evil spirits cause human misfortune. (30%)

A man's good fortune depends upon the happiness of his ancestors. (30%)

Happiness is measured by how much money one makes. (30%)

Good people are favored by the Gods more than bad people. (30%)

Fate is controlled by the Gods. (30%)

Success is a sign of respect for one's ancestors. (30%)

A person will suffer misfortune if spirits aren't placated. (33.33%)

One's ancestors in heaven are influenced by one's fortune on earth. (33.33%)

People are controlled by fate. (40%)

Success in money is a sign of good fortune. (46.67%)

Children are basically bad and must be taught to be good. (50%)

Your ancestor's will reward you if you work hard. (50%)

Overall agreement to the tasks as indicated by the number of true scores is 45.33%.

This may signify that the task was not very well designed or interpreted, but also that there may not be clearly uniform agreement of a theodetical beliefs by these people of the Jetty.

Many of the questions were more inherently ambiguous, even with proper translation, thus being more difficult for people to answer in a definite and clear way.

Qualifications to the answers, as in "People are controlled by fate" indicate that either people were not sure or believed that our fate was up to ourselves. Success in life depends not so much on the goodwill of the Gods but upon "shear hard work". Human misfortune is caused as much "by our carelessness" as it is by the Gods. Good fortune in this life depends not so much on the happiness of the ancestors but upon "luck" or Feng Shui. Happiness is not necessarily measured by money, "the best is average person, do not need that much money." Many people were reluctant to answer or unsure whether a person will suffer misfortune if spirits aren't placated. For many, money is "number one" and "without money things cannot be done." People "dare not say" if one's fate in life determines a person's state after death. Children are both good and bad so "we must teach them." The "Gods bless everybody." Each person is for him or her self in the world, so we must work hard. No one will know if one's place in heaven is influenced by one's fortune on earth. One's ancestors in heaven are influenced by the place of their burial. Money may not be the sign of one's fate in heaven, we "cannot say whether we can go to heaven or not." If a child does not obey its parents even if they are wrong, then the child "will get beaten." Success is not so much a sign of respect for one's ancestors as it is a matter of fate.