中美公益广告中文化价值观的对比研究_英语论文

A Comparative Study on Cultural Values Embodied in Chinese and American Public Service Advertising

摘要

广告作为人类智慧的结晶,主要是一种传播形式。与其他常规广告相比，公益广告更具有特殊性，它的主要目的是为人民群众谋利益，提高社会道德素质，推广行为规范和思想意识。在某种程度上，公益广告同商业广告一样,都是作为文化价值观传播的载体而存在的。

根据公益广告的特点和目的，中美公益广告中存在相似的文化价值观，但由于历史、文化、宗教信仰等因素的影响，中美两国人民在思维、个性等方面都存在差异。本文将着重从集体主义与个人主义，重视做人与重视行动，过去时间取向与未来时间取向以及人类与自然的关系来比较中美公益广告,详细阐述文化价值观在两国公益广告中的表现，拓展从文化价值观角度对公益广告的研究探索，并且为中国的公益广告提出一些建设性的建议，希望对跨文化交际的发展有促进作用。

关键词：中国；美国；公益广告；文化价值观；对比研究 

Abstract

Advertising is an achievement from us human’s wisdom and it is mainly used for communicating. Compared with other normal advertisements, public service advertising is special because it aims to bring prosperity to the society, improve social morality and promote standards of behavior and ideology. To some content, public service advertising is as same as commercial advertising as it also performs as a supporter for cultural values.

Owing to PSA’s distinguishing features and objective intent, similar values are must be existential in Chinese and American Public Service Advertising. However, for the factors in history, society and religion, Chinese are different from American in characters and way of thinking. This paper will compare Chinese public service advertising with America’s from the following aspects: collectivism & individualism, being & doing, time orientation and relationship of humankind to nature. The cultural values are compared to detail cultural values fully in the two countries and then to spread the research from the perspective of cultural values. Moreover, the comparison may offer some valuable suggestions for Chinese PSA producers and bring benefits to intercultural communication.

Key words: China；America；public service advertising；cultural values；comparison 

Contents

Abstract i

摘 要 ii

1. Introduction 1

1.1 Background of the Study 1

1.2 Purpose and Significance of the Study 2

1.3 Layout of the Study 2

2. Theoretical Framework 4

2.1 Concept of Public Service Advertising 4

2.1.1 Definition of Public Service Advertising 4

2.1.2 Classification of Public Service Advertising 4

2.1.3 Features of Public Service Advertising 5

2.2 Concept of Cultural Values 6

2.2.1 Definition of Cultural Values 6

2.2.2 Dominant Chinese Cultural Values 7

2.2.3 Dominant American Cultural Values 7

3. Comparison of Cultural Values Embodied in Chinese and American Public Service Advertising 9

3.1 Similar Cultural Values in Chinese and American Public Service Advertising 9

3.1.1 Responsibility 9

3.1.2 Human-Centeredness 9

3.1.3 Virtues 10

3.2 Different Cultural Values in Chinese and American Public Service Advertising 11

3.2.1 Collectivism vs. Individualism 11

3.2.2 Being vs. Doing 12

3.2.3 Relationship of Humankind to Nature 12

3.2.4 Time Orientation 13

4. Causes of Difference between Chinese and American Cultural Values 14

4.1 Historical Factors 14

4.2 Social Factors 15

4.3 Religious Factors 16

5. Conclusion 17

Bibliography 18

Acknowledgements 19