摘 要
当代全球化的趋势已使不同文化背景的人有效地进行跨交际成为挑战。价值观是文化的核心, 是人们行为的向导, 研究探讨价值观有利于培养和提高跨文化交际能力。以往对价值观的跨文化研究往往夸大了差异, 或者没有辨别差异的层面, 对中美价值观的概括大多是非此即彼, 非黑即白的极端做法，且学者们对价值观的研究大都深奥难懂。本文主要通过对中美两部最流行的电视剧集《老友记》和《奋斗》来分析当代中美年轻人的价值观异同，以及提出中美价值观的发展趋势。
关键词：价值观；中美比较；《老友记》；《奋斗》
ABSTRACT
Nowadays globalization poses unique challenges to the issue of how people from diverse cultural backgrounds communicate effectively in the process of cross-culture communication. Value is the core of culture and it guides people’s behaviors. So a contrastive analysis of the value systems of the American and Chinese allows insight into behaviors of both Chinese and American and leads to successful communication. The previous researches on values pay too much attention to differences, or show little respect to the levels of differences, and overlook similarities. And the philosophers’ researches on value mostly are abstruse and hard to understand. This thesis mainly analyzes value of the American and Chinese through an analysis of the two popular TV plays Friends and Struggle. And the development trend of American and Chinese value system is also discussed.
Key words：value system; Sino-American comparison; Friends; Struggle
Contents
1．Introduction 1
2. A review of current cultural values at home and abroad 2
2.1 Definition of value 3
2.2 The necessity and significance of the study 5
3. Comparison of American and Chinese value system through popular TV plays 7
3.1 Ameircan value system reflected from American sitcome Friends 7
3.1.1 Individual freedom and self-reliance 8
3.1.2 Equality of opportunity and competition 9
3.1.3 Goodness of humanity and improvement 10
3.1.4 Material wealth and hard work 11
3.1.5 Time and efficiency 11
3.1.6 Assertiveness 12
3.2 Chinese value system reflected from Chinese TV play Struggle 12
3.2.1 Individual freedom from the established rules 13
3.2.2 Liberation from the greed of money and goods 14
3.2.3 Change of marriage and family orientation 15
3.3 Difference and similarities in sino-American value system 15
3.3.1 Equality of opportunities 15
3.3.2 Competition in Chinese and American minds 16
3.3.3 Spirit of independence 16
3.3.4 Privacy 16
3.4 Development trend of Chinese and American value system 17
4．Conclusion 18
Acknowledgements 20
References 21
