Imperfect Culture

The Imperfect Culture

Kenneth Wang, PhD

Office

Psychology Building 143
Fuller Theological Seminary
180 N Oakland Ave
Pasadena, CA 91101

Email

[email protected]

Phone

MISSION

The Imperfect Culture (TIC) Lab focuses on three main areas of research – perfectionism, cross-cultural adjustment, and scale development. Culture intersects across these three topic areas. And our lab embraces the compassion to accept imperfection.

PROJECTS

Perfectionism

The Imperfect Culture lab’s research team and collaborators have worked on several studies on perfectionism. Projects include examining perfectionism across cultures (e.g., China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, the United States, Russia, India, African American, and Latinx) and expanding the construct to family perfectionism, religious perfectionism, and perceived perfectionism from God. For more information on perfectionism measures, please visit Almost Perfect Scales.

Cross Cultural Adjustment

The lab has completed several longitudinal studies on the adjustment of Chinese international students. Dr. Wang’s team has also created measures to examine cross-cultural loss and international friendliness of college campuses. Currently, the team is studying third-culture kids (TCKs) and hopes to examine missionaries in the near future. For more information on the international friendly campus assessment project, please visit the InFA website.

Scale Development & Psychometrics

The lab has been involved in the development and psychometric evaluations of multiple psychological measures. Most notable are the Family Almost Perfect Scale (FAPS), Cross-Cultural Loss Scale (CCLS), International Friendly Campus Scale (IFCS), Religious Perfectionism Scale (RPS), Perceived Perfectionism from God Scale (PPGS), Religious Discrimination Scale (RDS), Attitudes Towards Religion Scale (ATRS), and Communion with God Scale (CGS).

SELECTED PUBLICATIONS

1. Wang, K. T., *Park, J., & *Kang, M. S. (2024). Distinct mediating effects of scrupulosity across types of Christian perfectionists. Journal of Psychology and Christianity, 43(4) 313-326.

2. Wang, K. T., Kim, S. H., Wang, J. K., Wang, K. J., *Jun, H. H., & Lee, D. D. (2024). FOBism unveiled: Quantifying assimilative racism within Asians in the United States. European Journal of Investigation in Health, Psychology and Education, 14(10), 2800-2818. https://doi.org/10.3390/ejihpe14100184

3. *Huang, J. P. E., Wang, K. T., & *Kang, M. S. (2024). Adjustment and campus friendliness for international students studying in the U.S.: A thematic analysis. International Journal of Intercultural Relations, 102, 102044. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijintrel.2024.102044

4. *Lin, C. Y., & Wang, K. T. (2024). Clergy wives and well-being: The impact of perceived congregational perfectionism and protective factors. Religions, 15, 965. https://doi.org/10.3390/rel15080965

5. Wang, K. T., *Kang, M. S., *Lee, H.-C., & *Sipan, I. (2023). The Religious Perfectionism Scale: A cross-cultural psychometric evaluation among Christians in the United States. Journal of Psychology and Theology, 51(2), 251-262. https://doi.org/10.1177/00916471211011595

6. *Jun, H., Wang, K. T., Suh, H. N., & Yeung, J. G. (2022). Family profiles of maladaptive perfectionists among Asian international students. The Counseling Psychologist, 50(5), 649–673. https://doi.org/10.1177/00110000221089643

* indicates student co-author