本研究採取本土心理學研究取徑，在關係主義的預設下，以楊國樞（1993，2004）權威取向為基礎，探究華人權威取向的形成歷程及內涵。本研究為一質性研究，以深度訪談法訪問18位成人，10位男性和8位女性，從敘說資料中萃取出權威取向形成的歷程及歷程中各階段的權威取向內涵。資料分析結果顯示，歷程包括：(1)前權威取向階段：權威取向尚未形成的階段；(2)工具性階段：形成「權威畏懼」與「權威依賴」（合稱「工具性權威取向）；(3)義務性階段：形成「權威敬重」與「權威服從」（合稱「義務性權威取向）；最後為(4)「習慣性階段」：即先前階段習得的對權威之心理與行為模式都會變成習慣反應，也會衍生出「權威敏感」。基本上，後階段產生的心理成分並不取代前階段之心理，而是附加於權威取向的內涵中，因此，權威取向的形成是由簡單而趨向複雜之過程。最後，本研究將此新構念與歷程，分別與楊國樞的權威取向、西方的權威性人格做比較，並提出未來研究之方向。

An indigenous approach and the perspective of Chinese relationalism were used to investigate the formation process and components of Chinese authoritarian orientation (AO) and compare it with AO as conceptualized by Yang (1993, 2004). A qualitative study was conducted in which 18 participants (10 men and 8 women) were interviewed regarding their experiences interacting with authority figures (e.g., parents and teachers) since childhood. The narratives were analyzed based on the principle of hermeneutic circle. The results showed there are 4 stages in the formation of AO: pre-AO, instrumental, obligational, and habitual. After the pre-AO stage, authority-dread and authority-dependence appear in the instrumental stage. Authority-reverence and authority-obedience develop in the obligational stage. In the habitual stage, the psychological and behavioral modes learned during previous stages become habits reflecting authority-sensitivity. The components emerging from the latter stages do not substitute for the earlier ones, but instead supplement them, meaning that the formation of AO goes from simple to complex. Chinese AO as described in this study was compared with Yang’s AO and with authoritarian personality as defined in the Western literature. Future research directions are also discussed.