Abstract

The cross-cultural researches made so far have systematically recorded and analyzed different behaviors between cultures. Dutch scholar Hofstede’s value dimension theory is one of the earliest attempts to use extensive statistic data to differentiate cultural values. With the deepening of intercultural researches, the dimension of individualism-collectivism in the theory has become one of the most important directions in the study of variation in deep cultural structures.
Among movies with the theme on intercultural communication stands out the “Father Knows Best Trilogy” directed by Taiwanese director Ang Lee, presenting tendency toward idiocentrism in collectivist culture from a panoramic perspective. Based on the storylines of the “Father Knows Best Trilogy” and Hofstede’s value dimension theory, this paper explores conflicts in cross-cultural settings, trying to reveal the process of cultural adaptation of idiocentrism in collectivist culture.
This paper consists of four parts. In part one, the paper elaborates on the value dimension theory and its historical background. Part two mainly deals with the analysis of factors contributing to the formation of idiocentrism or allocentrism. And part three introduces the major plots and storylines of the “Father Knows Best Trilogy”. Based on the trilogy, part four analyzes conflicts between individual independence and domestic harmony, idiocentric choices in a collectivist culture and the impact of modernization on traditional collective values.

Key words: idiocentrism; individualism; collectivism; cultural differences; “Father Knows Best Trilogy”

摘  要

过去的跨文化研究已系统地记录和分析了不同文化下的行为差异。荷兰学者霍夫斯泰德的价值维度理论是早期利用广泛数据区分文化价值趋向的一次成功尝试。随着研究不断地深入，这套理论中的个体主义-集体主义价值维度也成为研究文化深层结构差异的一个重要方向。
在以跨文化交际为主题的电影作品中，台湾导演李安执导的“父亲三部曲”独树一帜，全方位展现了集体主义文化下的个体中心主义倾向。本文基于“父亲三部曲”的主要剧情，利用霍夫斯泰德的价值维度理论，剖析跨文化情境中的文化冲突，力图揭示集体主义文化中个体中心倾向的适应过程。
本篇论文由四个部分组成。第一部分介绍价值维度理论及其历史背景。第二部分主要着力于对个体中心主义或集体中心主义形成原因的分析。第三部分介绍“父亲三部曲”的主要剧情。结合三部曲，最后一部分解析个体独立与家庭和谐的冲突、集体主义文化中以自我利益为中心的抉择和现代化对传统集体主义价值观的冲击。

关键词: 个体中心主义倾向；个体主义；集体主义；文化差异；“父亲三部曲”