跨文化视角下的中西公益广告文化价值观对比.doc

AbstractValues are important parts in national cultures. Recently, communication between countries is increasingly close, so it is necessary for us to study the different Chinese and western cultural values. Although values are abstract concepts, they can be shown through advertisements. Public service advertisements are advertising communication activities which aim to provide service for public action, public welfare and to promote the social moral values, behavior norms and ideology. Due to the characteristics and purposes of public service ads, the sense of responsibility, people-oriented values and moral are all showed in the Chinese and western public service ads. Based on the Kluckhohn and Strodtbeck five cultural value orientations, this thesis selects around 60 piece of public service ads randomly in which Chinese and western covers about 30 pieces. And it intends to discuss the similarities and differences in cultural values and the causes of differences through comparing the Chinese and western cultural values from Chinese and western public service ads.The study found that the cultural values mainly reflect in four aspects including human nature, the relationship between human and nature, activity orientation and time orientation. The sense of responsibility and crisis awareness are the common cultural values in Chinese and western public service ads. While differences are whether humans live in harmony with nature or not, whether past time orientates or future time orientates, whether it is indirect or direct, whether it is collective or individual and whether it is humorous and free. And the reasons of these differences are historical, social and religious factors.Key Words: Kluckhohn and Strodtbeck values; Chinese and western public service advertisements; culture values; contrastive Study摘 要 价值观是一个民族文化的重要组成部分。当今社会，各国交往日益密切，对中西方不同文化下价值观的研究非常必要。虽然价值观是一个抽象的概念，但它可以通过广告等表现出来。公益广告是为公益行动、公益事业提供服务并以推广社会道德观念、行为规范和思想意识为目的的广告传播活动。由于公益广告本身的特点及目的，这就决定了中西公益广告中必须体现一定价值观，比如社会责任性、人文性。本文以Kluckhohn & Strodtbeck的五大价值取向为理论支撑，从网上随机挑选了60条公益广告，其中西各占一半，试图对中西公益广告中的文化价值观进行对比分析，探讨其文化价值观的异同点及其产生差异的原因。研究发现，中西公益广告中的文化价值观主要体现人的本性，人与自然的关系，活动取向，时间取向这四个方面。责任感与危机意识是包含在中西方公益广告中的共同文化价值观，而差异则体现在人与自然和谐相处与人类支配自然、过去时间取向与未来时间取向、含蓄与直接、集体主义与个体主义、幽默、自由这些方面。同时，主要是历史、文化、信仰等因素造成了中西方之间的差异。关键词:中西公益广告;跨文化交际;文化价值观;对比研究 IContentsAbstractI摘 要IIContentsi1 Introduction11.1 Research Background11.2 Purpose21.3 Significance22 Literature Review32.1 Kluckhohn & Strodtbeck Cultural Value Orientations32.2 Related Studies of Public Service Advertisements43 Manifestation of Different Values in Public Service Advertisements53.1 Chinese Cultural Values53.1.1 Human Nature53.1.2 Relationship Between Human and Nature63.1.3 Activity Orientation63.1.4 Time Orientation73.2 Western Cultural Values83.2.1 Human Nature83.2.2 Relationship Between Human and Nature83.2.3 Activity Orientation93.2.4 Time Orientation94 Similarities and Differences Between Chinese and Western Cultural Values104.1 Similarities104.1.1 Sense of Responsibility104.1.2 Crisis Awareness114.2 Differences124.2.1The Relationship of Human and Nature124.2.2 Time Orientation134.2.3 Direct and Indirect134.2.4 Collectivism and Individualism144.2.5 Humor154.2.6 Freedom164.3 Causes of the Differences174.3.1 Historical Factors174.3.2 Social Factors174.3.3 Religious Factors185 Conclusion18References201 Introduction1.1 Research BackgroundFlorence Kluckhohn and Fred Strdotbeck, two American anthropologists, set out to operationalize a theoretical approach to the values concept. They analyzed cultural patterns. After examining hundreds of cultures, Kluckhohn and Strodtbeck（1961）reached the conclusion that people turn to their culture for answers in Variations in Value Orientations . Florence Kluckhohn and Fred Strodtbeck developed a theory which included human nature, the relationship between human and nature, activities orientation, time orientation. Public service ads is an advertising campaign which is not for profit, but for spreading good social ideas, thoughts, behavior, advertising campaign to the public by the technique of expression of art. Since Leech began studying advertising in the late 1960s, advertising received widespread attention of western scholars. But there is a handful research on public advertising. Lynn explored the persuasive effect of public service advertising. Hacker reviewed the history of the development of public advertising in Hong Kong. Pearso and Appel studied the nature, origin and effect of public service advertising. It shows that the results of domestic research about advertising are rich. Chen Huixing pointed out that although the public service ads play an important role in the modern society, they did not cause enough attention in Chinese academic field. Compared with commercial advertising, the study of public advertising is relatively weak. From the perspective of language and culture on the study of public service ads ,the paper is main focused on the characteristics of public service advertisement language, rhetoric and discourse pattern. This thesis analyzes the similarities and differences between Chinese and western cultural values which reflected by the public service ads based on Kluckhohn and Strodtbeck cultural value orientations. And it explains the reasons for the similarities and differences.1.2 Purpose Value is an important part of national culture. In modern society, the communication between countries is so close that the study of Chinese and western values under different culture background becomes necessary. Although value is an abstract concept, it can be shown through advertising. Public service advertisements as a kind of special form focus on peoples thought and behavior, promoting traditional virtues. In practice, the quantity and quality of our country public service ads is too bad and lacks of flexibility. And its sustainability is poor. So it cannot give a deep impression on the public mind. Also it is not literally. The role which public service played is limited. Foreign public service ads start in the early years, so they are relatively mature, more complete in operating mechanism. It leads to the differences between Chinese and western cultural values. Media using and governments operation are very impotant in advertising. They have certain guiding significance. At first, the thesis analyzes the embodiment of the Chinese and western advertisement culture values.Then it gives a comparative study of Chinese and western public service advertising cultural values .At last, its studies the causes based on Kluckhohn and Strodtbeck cultural value orientations.1.3 Significance Public service advertisements, as a conceptual, have quite a social sense of responsibility. They reflect the current urgent significant social problems, and can produce good social effect. Value is an important performance of Chinese and western public service ads. This thesis looks for public service ads and chooses the representative of advertising from the magazines and the Internet. Through this thesis, it is hoped to make people understand the different mode of public service advertisements under the cross culture between Chinese and western countries. At the same time, it can also make us understand the differences of peoples cognitive style under different culture background.Through knowing the cultural similarities and differences between different countries, we can grasp and apply knowledge better. And we hope that the results of this study can help the public service advertisement producers design better public service ads so that it can improve the publics moral consciousness, promote moral behavior.2 Literature Review 2.1 Kluckhohn & Strodtbeck Cultural Value OrientationsBecause public service ads mostly focus on people, the relationship between man and nature, man and society, and peoples behavior way, so this thesis studies Kluckhohn & Strodtheck theory of value orientation and the external natural environment, their relations with others in peoples minds, human activities leading to three aspects, analyzes the Chinese and western public service advertisement of similarities and differences between the cultural values of the two countries. Values of right and wrong for people is a persistent belief, or a belief with the order in accordance with the importance degree of the system. Social individuals have their own values, different cultures of the individuals of a particular world outlook and outlook on life has formed the unique national cultural values. Florence Kluckhohn (1961) on the variation of the Value orientation (Variations in Value Orientations, 1961), the author puts forward six kinds of Value orientation in the model, namely the view of human nature, the relationship between human and environment, people orientation, space concept, time orientation, people view of their relationship with others. For the first time in the book Kluckhohn proposed the definition of value orientation. She points out that value orientation refers to the so-called principle of complex but sure modeled, linked to solve common human problems, plays an instruction in human behavior and thought and guiding role (Kluckhohn and Strodtbeck, 1961). Obviously, the concept of the differences of culture values for subsequent research laid the foundation.In the 60 s, China began to research on the values. Chinese researchers based on different theories had many exploration content classification of values. 2.2 Related Studies of Public Service Advertisements Public service ads, as the carrier of cultural values, cause the attention of many scholars. Public service ads first appeared in the early 1940s in United States in American wartime advertising the WAC Council (War Advertising Council), aimed to help the government to pass emergency message. It is considered as the prototype of the modern public welfare advertisement. For the study of public advertising, they also gradually enter the general advertising scholars schedule. The studies on the definition of public service ads, characteristics, development status and the operation mechanism, the role and function, media, creative and performance techniques, themes appears.OKeefe and Reid (1990) emphasized the importance of integrating theoretical models into public service campaigns, annotating that recent successful PSA campaigns have incorporated theoretical models of communication or persuasion in their development. They also stressed the importance of examining how individual differences could affect psychological modes of information processing, as PSAs target different audiences from other forms of advertising. Atkin (2001)revieted the previous research exploring effects.Roberta, Ellen Pearson (1998) in his book, A Comprehensive Study of the Nature, Origins and the Effects of Televised Public Service Advertising in Public Service ads is a commercial skill to non-commercial purposes. Public services ads focus on topics include public health, resource protection, and safety and health issues. Usually by a government agency, nonprofit organizations and media companies such as sponsorship and promotion.Gao Ping (1999) put forward in the public service ads movement of public service ads is a non-commercial advertising services for the public interest. Aims to spread by advocating or warning some public welfare concept, promote social spiritual civilization construction.Zhang Mingxin (2004) said in the So-called Public Service Advertisement that the Public Service Advertisement intends to seek the artistic technique of expression, to the public spread advertising campaign on its beneficial social ideas, to promote the change in attitude and behavior. Public service ads in the form of lively short, technique of expression is divers form, easily accepted by the audience. Public service ads are in the form of advertising, communication and promoting social justice and morality, and the public to cultivate the public consciousness and humanistic spirit. At this point, the expression of the theme in public service ads in two languages, in large part is similar, and therefore there is a common cultural value.3 Manifestation of Different Values in Public Service Advertisements3.1 Chinese Cultural Values3.1.1 Human NatureIn Kluckhohns cultural value orientations, there are three kinds of values of human nature. It includes basically good, basically evil and mixture good and evil. Human nature is the essential attribute of human being, which is the fundamental attribute of man and other animals. Human nature good makes the basic theory of human nature in traditional Chinese culture, which profoundly influences the Chinese people value orientations and behaviors. At the same time, in traditional Chinese culture, the theory of human nature is good points out that there are other elements besides good. Without proper control and discipline, these ingredients may turn into evil. So traditional Chinese people should pay more attention to the introspection and improvement of the character. (1)人之初，性本善(2)仁者爱人 Influenced by Chinese tradition culture, people believe that human nature is basically good. Children are focused on remembering “人之初，性本善”. The “人之初，性本善” cultural value is a warning for Chinese people against the corruption outside and it teaches people to be kind-hearted to embark on everything.3.1.2 Relationship between Human and Nature. Based on the view of human beings and external natural environment, Chinese emphasize on the harmony of human and nature. They are influenced by Chinese traditional thought of nature-human integration, Chinese always want to adapt to the natural environment. So it derives the heaven induction, man proposes, god disposes, geographical and human conditions and so on. Chinese harmonious philosophy is embodied in many environmental protection public service advertisements. (3)动物是人类亲密的朋友，人类是动物信赖的伙伴。(4)保护地球环境人类共有的家园。(5)保护环境就是保护我们自己。In (3) and (4), it regards the animals as their friends, looks upon the earth as their home which not only closing the relationship between mankind and nature, but also revealing the theme that people must live in harmony with nature. Case (5) also reflected the closely relationship between the environment and human, expressed the Chinese best wishes that they want to live in harmony with nature. 3.1.3 Activity OrientationThere are three kinds of human activity orientation, doing, being and being-in-becoming. Being orientation doing orientation is opposite. Patience is considered to be one of the virtues, rather than doing nothing. Kluckhohn and Strodtbeck divided peoples activities by using being a man and doing things. The countries which focus on being a man activity orientation emphasize to self-cultivation. But the countries which focus on do things activity orientation emphasize to the achievement, aggressive and active.Chinese culture is the being orientation, advocating coping with all motions by remaining motionless. In addition, if people want to know a person, they always ask her background, such as family background, education levels, work units, social relations, etc in China. But ignoring what they did ever, what personal achievement they owned.(6)先做人，后做事。 (7)诚信方能成人。(8)失去诚信，一文不值。Chinese society emphasizes being a man. Human orientation reflects the traditional Chinese values and the values is reflected in many public service ads, such as cases (6) and (7) expresses that being a man is the premise of doing things successful. But must be faith first. Case (8) warns that there will be how the consequences of loss of integrity.3.1.4 Time Orientation Human time orientation can be divided into three types. One is the past-orientation which emphasizes respecting history and tradition. Second is the present-oriented which usually pays attention to short-term and immediate. The last is the future-orientation which the social stress changing for a long time.Past-orientation mainly exists in the traditional culture. They worship ancestor, respect the old man, respect teachers, attaches great importance to the age and experience, because these aspects are related to the past. The past orientation affects the Chinese behavior and the way of thinking. In Chinese society, people dont care much about the future, unless it is very far away or ideal future. Before doing one thing, People always consider whether the thing was done in the past, what lessons can be drawn from successful experience, what lessons should be learned from failure. So the routine work has become a kind of social norms.(9)孩子的成长需要你细心的培养(10)为儿女们着想!In modern China, each married couple usually has one child. Therefore, it turns out that future-orientation is also manifested with the increasing care and love for the only child. The two AD all show the strong desire for the children future. 3.2 Western Cultural Values3.2.1 Human NatureDifferent from traditional Chinese theory of human nature, western Christianity thinks that human nature is evil. Western ancient religious prophets believed that the person oneself is guilty in the presence of god. Only believing in god, may we get a soul to save? Only showing repentance, may we live in the trial of the end of the Christ established. From this original sin, in order to become a good man, there is a series of laws to govern the people. Everything must be done within the law, or it will be punished.(11)All humans have been born with original sin duo to that behavior.(12) God will not save you. (13) Goodness can be achieved by constant hard work. In western Christianity, they th