Comparison Of Changes In Sino-American Cultural Values Based On Kluckhohn's Value Orientations

Cultural values are the deepest part of a nation's culture.In intercultural communication,the research on cultural values is also a core issue.China and USA are the most important developing and developed countries in the world respectively.As the representatives of Eastern and Western cultures,it is of great importance to study them.There are more and more studies related to Sino-American cultural values.Most of the current researches concentrate on the analysis of Sino-American cultural differences from the macro and micro perspective,or the study of the two traditional cultural values.There are less researching tools on studying cultural values.This thesis tries to analyze cultural values with the help of teleplay,a relative new angle.Six Sino-American teleplays are chosen as the research sample,which reflects the mainstream values of Chinese and American cultures in corresponding times respectively.The Chinese teleplays are Golden Wedding,Struggle,and Beijing Youth;while American teleplays are The Goldenbergs,Modern Family,and How I Met Your Mother.The paper attempts to discuss the changes of Sino-American cultural values with the help the selected teleplays based on Kluckhohn&Strodtbeck's value orientations.It is found that values are of relative stability and durability.But with the development of society and economy in both countries,more and more intercultural communications between two countries has become frequent.Some of Sino-American values have subtle changes and have similarities in some aspects.In human nature orientation,most Chinese have developed a tendency to the mixture of human nature,and become more cautious in management.In human-nature orientation,some Americans embrace Chinese idea think humans should get along with nature harmoniously.In time orientation,many Chinese youth focus on future development,reform,planning,and punctuality.In activity orientation,many Chinese young people pay more attention to doing-orientated activity as Americans do,especially the attitude towards work and the way of expressing love.In relational orientation,although Chinese young people still can not get away from the influence of traditional ideas,they have been affected a lot by American individualism.In both countries,subtle changes have taken place in the family patterns and attitudes towards marriage.Furthermore,Chinese senses of hierarchy are gradually changing.However,humans are faced with many common challenges in the era of globalization.And so they share many common needs,showing several convergences in some orientations.In modern times,both Chinese and Americans value rigorous attitude,being harmonious with nature,efficiency and punctuality,science and technology,diligence and innovation,independence,privacy,freedom,equality,personality and so on.Social factors,economic factors and educational factors are the underlying causes for the changes of Sino-American cultural values in modern time.Although a few changes and convergences have happened in both countries,they have their respective characteristics because of their different traditions and national conditions.The trend of cultural globalization will be the coexistence of cultural convergence and diversity.