The impact of American film and television on Asian ESL students' perceptions of American culture

The increasing pervasiveness of American film and television programs has caused concern among sociologists and educators in the United States as these media have become powerful agents of socialization, are primary sources of information, and tend to create social stereotypes that can often be misrepresentative. There has also been concern about the impact of these media overseas, as the United States is the leading exporter of television programs and films to the rest of the world, and for many foreign viewers, these media are still the sole or principal source of information about American culture.; Although many studies have established that American television has indeed had an impact on many foreign viewers' impressions of Americans and American culture, most have been quantitative and few have focused on the impact on foreign students studying at universities in the U.S. As cultural knowledge is essential in language learning and socialization, and television and films are pervasive and powerful transmitters of cultural values, beliefs and stereotypes, this issue is particularly important. It is particularly so in light of the growing phenomenon of globalization and world interdependence and the need for cross-cultural competence for improved international relations.; In a qualitative research study conducted at a California Community College in Fall 2001, 23 students from seven different Asian countries who were enrolled in an intensive, academic English as a Second Language reading program, were interviewed to determine how they perceived viewing American films and television programs affected their perceptions of American culture, their and their peers' behavior, and their socialization into American culture and a college environment. The data revealed that students had acquired a wide range of perceptions and perceived the media to be accurate at times and inaccurate at others based on the extent of their socialization in American culture.