The Chinese "Mosaics" In A Snapshot

The comparative study of values has been a core component of intercultural communication since even before its inception as a field. But most values studies compare nation to nation studies, neglecting the rich content of variations within cultures. For many years scholars have been suggesting that diverse contexts are also"cultures,"and more"intercultural"study approaches need to take place within nations. By sampling on the two extremes of the Chinese population (urban Shanghai vs. rural Gansu), the present study is an attempt to investigate intra-cultural differences among the Chinese population on a cross-section. Specifically, this study addresses two questions: 1) Does Schwartz's a priori individual level values theory apply among Chinese adolescents? And 2) how do rural and urban Chinese adolescents differ in their values structures?In the first study, the gender matched Portrait Values Questionnaire was carefully translated into Chinese and was administered to the rural respondents together with an additional questionnaire to test their personal values. Schwartz's individual level values theory is largely supported in the first study. At the same time, father's education and family size were found to have a potential influence on the values development of rural adolescents. In addition, the values structure of rural adolescents tends to show a three-region pattern instead of a regular circle as postulated in Schwartz'values theory.The second study was built on the first study and was carried out to see if a clearer values structure would appear among urban adolescents. As expected, data analysis of the urban sample yielded clearer values structure than the rural sample. Besides, gender difference in values development of urban adolescents was found to be significant. Female respondents were found to have a clear values structure with 10 individual values arranged neatly in a circular structure while analysis with the male respondents only shows 6 value types in a distorted circle. The reason behind the gender difference was also investigated in the second study.Next, a comparison was drawn between the values structures of rural and urban adolescents. Urban adolescents tend to have clearer values structure than their rural counterparts. The potential reasons for the difference in their values structures are also considered.Implications of the present study for Chinese values studies are noted and directions for future research are also proposed at the end of the thesis. The author's main argument is that intra-cultural differences should be addressed rather than ignored in Chinese values studies.