Values In Change--A Comparative Study Of Chinese And American Values

Values are at the core of the culture. The study of values form the basic lenses through which we view our own actions and the actions of others. This dissertation will begin from the definition of values in the context of culture and then introduce the traditional Chinese and American values according to Kluckhohn and Fred Strodtbeck's theory. In the body part of this dissertation, value shifts in both countries, especially the youth value shifts will be discussed and compared so as to see if there is also a trend of global values integration in the time of global economic integration. In the study of Chinese youth values, the 70s is the generation to be focused on, while in the study of American youth values, the Busters and the Mosaics are the guards to be discussed. In the time of global economic integration, the young generations in China and in the United States do share some common value trends: First of all, young people in both countries become more and more individual-oriented; they embrace the idea of postmodernism; they value traditional cultural heritages and national virtue; and at the same time, they have become more and more global-minded. However, because of different national conditions and different traditional cultures, there are also a lot of different features of value shifts in both countries:Inwardly, the 70s in China become more diversified and confused about the concept xin yang; while the Mosaics in the United States become more enthusiastic about religion; as to the sense of achievement, the 70s show a clear tendency of utility and materialism; while the Mosaics want to be well educated so as to be more independent; toward marriage and family forms, the 70s in China become more and more tolerant; while the Mosaics, facing the high divorce rate, are dreaming of traditional love and family; etc.