中美家庭价值观对比-英文版.doc

中美家庭价值观对比-英文版.doc

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DifferencesofFamilyValuesBetweenChinaandAmerica

Abstract:

ThispapertriestomakeacomparisonofdifferentfamilyvaluesbetweenChinaandUS,whichappearedinmanyfields,forinstance,theAmericanemphasistheindividualismbutChinesefocusonthecollectivism,therelationshipbetweenfamilymembersandtheirattitudestoeachotherarealsoquitedifferent,thelifestyleinfluencedbyfamilyvaluesarevaried.Reasonsforthesedifferencesarecomplex,includingdifferentcustoms,culturesandsocialbackgroundsandsoon.

Keywords:

familyvalues,lifestyles,cultures,differences.

Ⅰ.Introduction

Familyisthemostbasicunitofallhumansociety.Itreflectstheethicalvaluesofasociety,itsculturalcharacteristicsandtheuniquefeaturesofanation.Peoplebegintolearnanythingabouttheworldandtheirculturethroughthefamilytheyarebroughtupin.Whatyouthink,howyouact,evenyourlanguage,arealltransmittedthroughthefamilyfromthewiderculturalcontext.

Familyvaluesarethecoreintheresearchofculturalvalues,andithasahugeinfluenceonpeople’sthoughtsandbehaviors.Soifwewanttogetaglimpseoftheculturesoftwodifferentcountries,itisnecessarytoknowtheirdifferentfamilyvalues.Inthispaperwewillanalyzefamilyvaluesfromdifferentaspects,includingthedecisivefamilyvalues,theattitudetothefamilymembersandtheirrelationships,andtheinfluencesoffamilyvalues.

Ⅱ.Thedifferencesoffamilyvalues.

A.TheindividualismVS.thecollectivism

TheAmericanemphasizethepersonalindependence,whileChineseemphasizeonthewholefamily,notanyindividualmember.ChildreninAmericahavemorefreedomthanthatinChina.Theirparentsrarelyinterferewiththeirprivateaffairs,andusuallytrytoenhancechildren’sall-aroundabilitieswhentheyareyoung.Theyhandletheirownaffairsthemselvesandtrytogetsupportfromtheircolleaguesorexpertswhoworkintherelevantfield,andtheirfamilymembersonlygivesuggestionstothem.Thekeypointofitssocietyisfreedom.Obviously,weChinesepaymoreattentiontotheinterestofwholefamilythanthatofanyindividual’s.InChina,childrenusuallylivewiththeirparentsevenaftertheyaregrown-up,sinceChinesepeoplewantamoreunitedfamilyandcloserrelationshipbetweenfamilymembers.ThelivingstyleinChinaisdifferentcomparedwiththatinAmerica.Chinesepeopleliketolivewiththeirparentsandtheythinkthiskindoflivingstylemayhelpthemhavemoreopportunitytounderstandotherfamilymembers.Thiskindoflivingstylecannarrowthegapbetweenfamilymembersandwhenanybodyfaceswithaproblem,theotherscanhelphimeffectivelyandefficiently.ThelivingstylealsoreflectsthatChinesepeoplemainlyemphasizethewholefamilybutnottheindividuals,whichisquitedifferentfromAmericans.

B.TheattitudetothefamilymembersandtheirrelationshipsinChinaandAmerica.

Chinesepeoplehaveabigfamilywithvarietyofrelatives,whichmaybeeasytocausecompetitionandsuspicion.Soinordertomaintainorderandfamilyharmony,theyparticularlyadvocateshowingrespecttotheirseniorityinthelightofthetheoryoflawanddisciplineriteofConfucius.And'Actyourolewell'isthekeytoaharmoniousfamilyrelationship.Allthefamilymembersshouldberankedstrictlyandaccordingtotheirpositioninthefamilyhierarchytheywouldbetreatedseparatelyandberequiredtodowhattheyshoulddo.SointraditionalChinesefamily,theelderishighlyrespected.Parentsbringuptheirchildren,thenafterparentsaregettingold,itistheirchildren’sresponsibilityanddutytocareforthemandgivethembothmaterialandspiritualsupport.InthetraditionalChinesefamily,fatherwasalwaysthecentre.Itisnotbecausethefeudalconceptthatmanissuperiortowoman,butalsoforwhatmanhasearnedisthemainsourceoffamily’sincomingandusuallymanearnsmoremoneythanwoman.Andwomanisresponsibleforthefamilyhouseworking.Thoughmosthouseholdaffairsaresolvedanddecidedbymother,themostimportantthingrelatedtothewholefamilyaredeterminedbyfather.Betweenparentsandchildren,parentsaregivenmoreprivilegeandrighttocontroltheirchildren.TomostChineseparents,agoodchildmeanstobeobedientanddocile.Itisnormalforparentstoarrangeeverythingfortheirchildren.

ToAmericans,itisnormalthatparentsandchildrenareseparate;reunionisabnormal.Parentsbringupchildrenandthechildrencontinuetoraisetheoffspring,sotheagedisexpelledtothesociety.Fortheattitudetobringupthechildren,Americanparentsconsiderthattheyhavethelegalliability,butinasense,thechildrenshouldtakeresponsibilityfortheirbehaviors.Americanssniffattheconceptoffilialpietyandthinkitrestrainstheirself-awarenessandego-developmen