中西文化之鉴 跨文化交际教程

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1、Chapter3:MakingGeneralizationsWhenpeoplehavelittleinformationaboutagroupofpeopletheyarelikelytothinkoftheminaverygeneralway.Iftheotherpeoplewithwhomtheyinteractalsolackinformationaboutthatgroup,theyarelikelytoshareanoverlygeneralizingbasedonlimitedorinaccurateinformationiscalledstereotyping.W

2、eallmakegeneralizationsEveryonegeneralizeseverydayjusttomakesenseofhisexperience.Noonecanrespondtoeverysituationasifitwereentirelynewandunique.Astudentanticipatingaclasstaughtbyateacherhehasnevermet,generalizesfromhisexperiencethatteachershavecertaintypicalbehaviors,opinions,andexpectations.T

3、hestudentinteractswiththenewteacherhemeetsbasedonthegeneralizationshehasmadefromhispreviousteachers.Thisisnormalandsensible.Thestudentmayhaveaproblem,however,ifthegeneralizationhemakesistoobroadorisbasedoninadequateoroutdatedinformation.Suchaninappropriategeneralizationcangethimintotrouble.So

4、megeneralizationsaretoobroad,out-of–date,orinaccurateWhenIwasaskedtogivealecturetoasecondyearintensivereadingclassabouttheAmericancharacterIwasfacedwithacomplexproblemofgeneralization.Firstofall,areallAmericansalike?Dotheyallhavethesamecharacter?Ofcoursenot,butitispossibletosaythatAmericanste

5、ndtohavethisorthatattitudeorspeakinthisorthatway.Peoplewithasharedexperienceandsharedhistorydohavethingsincommon.ThestudentshadbeenreadinganessaybytherespectedAmericanhistorianHenrySteeleCommager.InmylectureIwassupposedtoexpandonwhatCommagerhadsaidabouttheAmericancharacter.Theessaywaswritteni

6、nthe1960’sandIwaslecturinginthe1990’s.Surelymuchhadchangedinthattime.AnotherproblemwasthatCommagerwascomparingAmericanculturetoEuropeancultures.Whilehisgeneralizationsmayhavebeenappropriateatthetimetheessaywaswrittenandforhisintendedaudience,itwasnotasusefulageneralizationforChineseuniversity

7、studentsreadingitinthe1990’s.AfurtherproblemwasthatCommagerwasdescribingwhathavecometobecalleddominantcultureAmericans.Therewasnomentionofsubcultures,regionalorsocialclassdifferences.IrealizedthatChinesestudentswhoformedtheirgeneralizationsab