跨文化交际课程第三单元

美国人的价值观念系统
4．行动和行为取向 西方从古代希腊的海洋文化起，就企图征服自 然，战胜自然，争取个性解放；在个人奋斗中克服 常规，求变，求动是他们精神的动力，并在做事中 发展这一动力，因此“做事”，“有所成就”就自 然变成了他们的重要的文化取向或价值观念。西方 人重视外向行动和行为，中国文化中那种“做人” 的气质在他们眼中变成了消极的东西。只有进取， 铤而走险，快速行动，追求效率，并有所成就才是 积极的品质。“动”和“做事”取向使美国人养成 了外向的性格，向外索取的精神；他们直率、喜动、 冒险、竞争、求变、不依靠他人。对美国人来说， 变化、发展、改善、进步、成长与未来几乎都是同 义词，没有变化就没有进步，就没有未来。
美国人的价值观念系统
1．人性取向 影响西方的基督教的人性论是“人之初性本恶”。人们认 为自己在上帝面前是有罪的，这就是被西方学者称为的“原 罪说”，即人之初之际，因为（亚当与夏娃）吃了禁果，犯 了原罪，失去乐园，堕落到万恶的现世上来受罪。在世上只 有悔罪，才能在基督再世的审判末日得到解脱。 在西方，人从原罪为起点，为了变成好人，因而规定了 一系列法律来治理上帝的臣民，一切行为必须在法律范围内 进行，否则会绳之以法。 然而，以原罪为起点的西方文化，为改变原罪，人们不 断忏悔，设法改变罪的本性，努力超越现世，奋起变化，以 期待世界末日的审判，从而达到彼岸，这就造成西方人求 “动”，求“变”的心态。这就是为什么西方人更倾向于变化， 更喜欢求异，喜欢新颖。
Case Analysis
Judy and Carmen are not real friends. They don’t want to get together, really. They once met each other a month ago. Americans sometimes make general invitation like “Let’s get together sometimes.” Often this is just a way to be friendly. It is not always a real invitation. If they’d like to set a specific (exact) time, that means a real offer.
Five basic questions of any culture’s value system (Page 85)
1．What is the character of innate human nature? (人之天性观：性本善/性本恶) ＝Human nature orientation (人性取向) 2．What is the relation of man to Nature? （人和自然的关系） ＝Man-nature orientation （人和自然取向） 3．What is the temporal focus (time sense) of human life? （时间取向） ＝Time orientation （时间取向） 4．What is the mode of human activity? (做人与做事/动与静) ＝Activity orientation （行动和行为取向） 5．What is the mode of human relationships? (人际关系) ＝Social orientation （社会取向）
Unit 3 Cultural Diversity
Case 7 (Page 76) Between friends there is inevitably a kind of equality of give-and-take. But in different cultures, people view this differently. In Chinese culture, friendships develop slowly because they are built to last. We Chinese prefer the saying “A friend indeed is a friend in need.” And we never refuse the asking for help from a friend. We never forget the timely help by a friend when we are on the rocks. But In American culture, they view this in a different way. Once helped, they offer their help only once. That’s why Jackson said that Mr. Zhao was asking too much. In their view, friendships are based on common interests.
Family Structure (P83)

Chinese Family Filipinos Family Vietnamese Family Japanese Family (See Case 9 and Case 10) Latin American Family
Case 9 (Page 96)
补充案例 （American Friendship）
Two mothers, Carmen and Judy, are talking to each other at a park while their children are playing together in the sand. Caemen: Hi, Judy. Judy: Hi, Carmen. How are you? Carmen: Fine. I’m glad to see that our children like to play together. Judy: Yeah, me too. I remember just a month ago they weren’t sharing their toys. Carmen: Now it looks like they’re enjoying each other. Judy: Finally! Maybe we could get together at each other’s houses sometime. I’m sure the kids would enjoy that. Carmen: Sure. That’d be nice. Judy: Well, let’s do it soon. Carmen: O.K. (Judy and Carmen continue to talk while their children play.)
Traditional Japanese respect their elders and feel a deep sense of duty toward them. The elders in traditional Japanese families are typically overpowered. So the grandfather seemed to be an absolute authority for the young chairman. In Japanese culture challenging or disagreeing with eilder’s opinions would be deemed as being disrespectful. That is why the young chairman said nothing but just nodded and agreed with his grandfather. And it results in the Japanese company’s withdrawal from the negotiations concerning a relationship with Phil’s company a week later.
Case 10 (Page 97)
In Japan, a company is very much like a big family, in which the manager will take care of the employees and the employees are expected to cevote themselves to the development of the company and, if it is necessary, to sacrifice their own interests for the interests of the company. But to the French, a company is just a loosely-knit social organization wherein individuals are supposed to take care of themselves and their families. And the family is the number one priority, which is unlike the Japanese model “not involving females and the right to decide by dominant male”.
美国人的价值观念系统
2．人和自然取向 美国人从古至今倾向于把宇宙分成两个截然不 同的世界，天人相分，二者对立。西方人对“原罪” 的自我意识使他们为赎罪而不屈不挠地征服自然， 改造自我从而得到神力，达到神人合一。西方的哲 学家从古代起，就认为世界上的万物都是对立的， 一切二分：人与自然，物质与精神，社会与自然等， 一切二分对立。在生活中，如果一个人得不到自己 想要的东西或地位，他们相信，这并不是天命，而 是由于自己的懒惰和缺乏斗争精神所致，顺从命运 的人受到人们的唾弃。这就是为什么西方人把自己 比作一部机器，或一个独立存在的原子的缘故。
ቤተ መጻሕፍቲ ባይዱ
Different Lands, Different Friendships (P 77)

French Friendships German Friendships English Friendships

Chinese Friendships (见补充材料） American Friendships (见补充材料）
美国人的价值观念系统
3．时间取向 在讨论人的本性时，我们提及“性本恶”必然 导致未来时间取向。西方人，尤其是美国人，一切 着眼于未来，因此未来取向是他们的重要的价值观 念。对他们来讲，回归过去如同走向“原罪”，因 此后退是没有出路的。由于这种取向的影响，西方 人很少循规蹈矩，很少崇拜祖先，也不像中国人那 样尊老敬师：年龄和经历也未必值得敬仰，他们更 不相信命运，因此他们的精力和努力都放在实现近 期规划方面。
• 美国人使用时间十分精确，时时刻刻都有一种时间 的“紧缺”意识，凡事做到准时不误。我们比较一下 美国和中国的挂历的设计结构和使用情况，就会明 了二者之间在时间使用方面的差异：美国挂历被按 时、分分割成若干时区，而中国挂历一般充当装饰 品供人欣赏。 • 在一定程度上，美国人受时钟的“铁碗”控制，操纵 人们的社会生活，时刻表决定他们做什么，不做什 么，什么必须先做，什么可以留到最后一分钟。当 你约会某人时，他会说，“好，我把它写在日程表 上”。或邀请某人时，他会说：“我需要看一下我妻 子的日程表，看她是否有什么安排”等等。例如，一 位即将离开美国的中国教授，打算与美国朋友话别， 他邀请这位美国朋友第二天去吃饭，没想到这位美 国人会当面拒绝，他说：“噢，对不起，我明天已有 安排，很抱歉”。中国人自然会感到美国人太绝情了， 实际上这是时间“铁碗”的“残酷无情”所致。