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中国语境下EFL学习者文化身份焦虑研究

On EFL Learners’ Cultural Identity Anxiety in the Chinese Context

【作者】 韩海燕

【导师】 顾力行; 张红玲;

【作者基本信息】 上海外国语大学 , 英语语言文学, 2014, 博士

【摘要】 随着全球化进程的不断加快,跨文化交际中的文化身份问题越来越突出。因此,跨文化交际的本土化研究特别是文化身份的本土化研究成为近年来学者们十分关注的问题。本研究运用心理学、社会学、教育学和跨文化交际学理论,以本土化研究为视角,以EFL学习者为研究对象,采取定量研究与定性研究相结合的方法,探讨全球化时代中国语境下EFL学习者中西方文化认同和文化身份焦虑问题。通过研究,旨在揭示EFL学习者文化身份焦虑及其成因,期望引起外语教学对文化的重视特别是对中国文化的重视,以增强EFL学习者中国文化意识和中国文化认同感,提高跨文化交际能力。在对相关文献进行系统梳理,特别是对Collier和Thomas的文化身份理论(Cultural Identity Theory)、Ting-Toomey的身份协商理论(Identity NegotiationTheory)解读的基础上,通过问卷调查、焦点小组访谈等方式,对EFL学习者文化认同和文化身份焦虑现状、文化认同和文化身份焦虑在四个不同文化维度及人口变量上的差异、文化认同和文化身份焦虑的相关性以及外语教学中中国文化教学的情况等进行实证分析,并得出以下结论:第一,从文化的总体认同上看,EFL学习者对中国文化的认同度大于对西方文化的认同度,但差别不大。从具体文化维度上看,文化认同的程度有所不同:在中国文化认同上,“语言”的认同度最高,其次是“价值观”。在西方文化认同上,“社会规范”的认同度最高,其次是“文化行为”。第二,文化认同程度在性别、来源地等人口变量上存在差异。如:对于中国文化认同,农村学生高于城市学生,男生高于女生。对于西方文化认同,城市学生高于农村学生,女生高与男生。第三,从文化身份焦虑来看,EFL学习者存在文化身份焦虑,主要体现在对西方文化的赞赏、认可、接受,对中国文化表现出怀疑、担忧、排斥、反感等焦虑心理。总体焦虑情况接近中等水平。在具体文化维度上,焦虑主要体现在“社会规范”和“文化行为”上。第四、文化身份焦虑程度在性别、来源地等人口变量上存在差异。如:城市学生的焦虑大于农村学生,女生的焦虑程度显著大于男生。第五、文化认同与文化身份焦虑之间具有相关性:中国文化认同度与文化身份焦虑呈负相关,即对中国文化认同度越高,文化身份焦虑越小。西方文化认同度与文化身份焦虑呈正相关,即对西方文化认同度越高,文化身份焦虑越大。但在具体文化维度上存在差异:在对中国文化认同上,“社会规范”与文化身份焦虑的相关性最高,在对西方文化认同上,“文化行为”与文化身份焦虑的相关性最高,相应地对文化身份焦虑的影响程度也最大。在实证研究的基础上,分析了中国语境下EFL学习者文化身份焦虑的成因:第一,从社会心理来看,社会转型期,急剧的社会变化使整个社会范围内出现了社会心理失衡、不安全感、不确定感、危机感,这对EFL学习者的社会心理产生重要影响。第二,从语境来看,受全球化特别是网络影响的当今中国语境下,通俗性娱乐性消遣性刺激性的西方文化冲击着中国文化, EFL学习者弱化了对中国文化的诉求和认同,产生了文化身份焦虑现象。第三,从语言学习来看,语言是文化身份的符号。由于目的语文化的单向输入、母语文化的缺失以及学习者缺乏对包含在语言之中的思想意识和价值观念的分辨能力和批判性的接受能力,EFL学习者出现对自身文化认同感不强及文化身份的焦虑。第四,从价值观来看,由于EFL学习者在思想认知、情感认识、心理稳定性等方面都不成熟,缺乏理性思考,容易受到西方文化中生活方式和个体主义价值观念的影响。随后,具体分析了目前我国外语教学中文化教学现状特别是中国文化教学的缺失现象。指出,在外语教学中存在着西方文化的单一文化主导模式的现象,主要体现在教学目标、课程设置、教师的教学、教材和评价体系等都是由英语主导。提出,为了达到跨文化交际的目的,实现双重文化介入(dual cultural involvement),增强EFL学习者中国文化意识,加强中国文化的输入是很有必要的,也是十分迫切的。最后,分别从宏观和微观层面提出外语教学中加强中国文化输入、应对EFL学习者文化身份焦虑的对策。宏观的对策主要是提出修订国家制定的英语教学大纲,以改变现行大纲对文化教育特别是中国文化教育的忽视,包括:修订大纲中关于培养目标的设定;修订大纲中关于教学目的的设定;在具体的教学操作上,明确设定关于文化教育教学的内容,特别是明确提出中国文化教育的目标、内容。微观的对策即具体的教学环境的改革,包括:一是途径:调整课程设置,增设中国文化类英语课程;二是载体:优化英语教学内容,增加“中国英语”的输入;三是工具:选编教材,融入中国文化的元素;四是方法:改革教学方法,体验中国文化的情境;五是保障:增加“中国英语”的测试内容。本研究从跨学科的视角进行跨文化交际的本土化研究,研究视角比较新颖。本研究拓展了EFL学习者研究空间和跨文化交际中文化身份研究的空间,为今后相关领域的研究提供参考数据,对外语教学研究具有参考价值,对跨文化交际中的文化身份研究有所贡献。因此,本研究有较强的学术意义和现实意义。

【Abstract】 With the development of globalization, cultural identity in interculturalcommunication has become a salient issue. Therefore, localized researches onintercultural communication, especially on cultural identity, have aroused muchacademic attention in the contemporary context of globalization. From indigenousresearch perspective, this study chooses Chinese EFL learners as its research object,and discusses their cultural identification and cultural identity anxiety in the processof learning English in contemporary China based on empirical study, and psychology,sociology, pedagogy, intercultural communication. This study aims at EFL learners’cultural identity anxiety and the factors and expects to attach importance to culture,especially Chinese culture in foreign language teaching so as to improve EFLlearners’ awareness and identification of Chinese culture as well as their interculturalcompetence.Based on a systematic literature review, especially interpretation of CulturalIdentity Theory by Collier and Thomas and Identity Negotiation Theory by Ting-Toomey, this study has made an empirical analysis of the status of culturalidentification and cultural identity anxiety among EFL learners, their variances of fourdifferent cultural dimensions and demographic variables, the correlation betweencultural identification and identity anxiety, as well as the teaching status quo ofChinese culture in foreign language teaching, through a questionnaire survey andfocus group interviews. The results show as the following:1. From the perspective of cultural identification, EFL learners have higherdegree of Chinese cultural identification than that of western cultural identification.There are no big differences between them. However, there are variations on culturedimensions: With regards to Chinese cultural identification, language is the highest.The next is values. For western cultural identification, social norms are the highest.The next is cultural behaviors.2. Variations on cultural identification can be found on such demographic variables as gender and regions. For Chinese cultural identification, rural studentshave stronger sense than urban students. Male students have stronger sense thanfemale students. For western cultural identification, urban students have strongersense than rural students. Female students have stronger sense than male students.3. From the perspective of cultural identity anxiety, EFL learners do experiencesome cultural identity anxieties, including the appreciation, approbation andacceptance of the western culture, and the doubts, worry, rejection and antipathytowards Chinese culture. These anxieties are nearly medium-sized, and are reflectedin the culture dimensions of social norms and cultural behaviors.4. Variations on cultural identity anxiety can be found on such demographicvariables as gender and regions. For instance, urban students are higher than ruralstudents. Female students are higher than male students.5. Correlation exists between cultural identification and cultural identity anxiety:Chinese cultural identification and cultural identity anxiety are negatively correlated,namely, the higher the Chinese cultural identification is, the lower cultural identityanxiety. Western cultural identification and cultural identity anxiety are positivelycorrelated, namely, the higher the western cultural identification is, the bigger culturalidentity anxiety. Correlation differs in accordance with the culture dimensions andcultural identity anxiety. In terms of Chinese cultural identification, social norms andcultural identity anxiety are the most correlated. In terms of western culturalidentification, cultural behaviors and cultural identity anxiety are the most correlated.Cultural behaviors have greater influences on cultural identity anxiety.Based on the empirical finding, this study analyzed the factors for the culturalidentity anxiety of EFL learners in the Chinese context: Firstly, from a socialpsychological point of view, dramatic changes in the process of social transformationhave given rise to a universal state of mind of social psychological imbalance, senseof insecurity, uncertainty and crisis, which have great influences on EFL learners’social psychology. Secondly, under the present Chinese context intertwined withglobalization and internet culture, EFL learners have been greatly influenced bywestern cultures, striving for popularity, entertainment, recreation and excitement; hence, a cultural identity anxiety is caused due to their weaker need in pursuit of andidentification of their Chinese culture identity. Thirdly, from the point of languagelearning, language is a symbol of cultural identity. Due to the influence of onefoldinput of target language culture, the lack of home culture education as well aslearners’ weak critical ability in absorbing the ideology and values conveyed in thetarget language, it is bound to bring about weak identification on their own cultureand cultural identity. Fourthly, due to EFL learners’ immaturity in ideologicalcognition, emotional and psychological stability, they are lack of rational thinking,vulnerable to the lifestyle and individualism of western cultural values.Furthermore, this study analyzed the current situation of culture teaching inforeign language classroom, especially the deficiency of Chinese culture. The studyshows that the foreign language teaching is characterized by onefold culture input--English culture input, and the teaching aim, course design, teaching method, teachingmaterials and evaluation system are all English dominated. So, it is suggested that weshould promote and strengthen Chinese culture input in foreign language teaching inorder to prepare students with more Chinese culture awareness and effectivecross-cultural communication competence.Finally, strategies are put forward to reinforce the input of Chinese culture inforeign language teaching as well as to deal with the EFL learners’ cultural identityanxiety from both macroscopic and microscopic aspects. On the one hand,macroscopic measures should be taken, which mainly aim at revising the presentnational English teaching curriculum, which ignores cultural education, especiallyChinese culture education. These measures include the following aspects: first,revising the teaching objective in the present syllabus; second, revising the originalteaching aims; third, clarifying the contents of cultural education, especially thecontents of Chinese culture. On the other hand, microscopic measures are suggested,which involve the innovation on practical teaching environment in the following fiveaspects: the first is to adjust course provisions and increase English courses onChinese culture learning; the second focuses on the optimization of English teachingcontent and the increase of “China English” input; the third is concerned with the proper choice of more teaching materials on Chinese culture; the fourth is aimed atinnovating the teaching methods and immersing students in Chinese culture; the fifthis to add the testing content of “China English”. These five aspects are expected toprovide the approach, content, implementation, methods and evaluation system toguarantee goal of Chinese culture input.This study is new in perspective because it makes indigenous research onintercultural communication in interdisciplinary way. It is expected that this study canexpand the horizon for the studies of EFL learners and cultural identity in interculturalcommunication and provide related data for future researches. It is of practical valuefor foreign language teaching research, and is able to make contributions to culturalidentity studies in intercultural communication. Therefore, this study has bothacademic and practical significance.

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