CAJ | 학술논문

中西方有文化差异。自尊的中西方文化差异主要表现在其根源性、包容性及表达性等方面,各具特点。我们应当以深厚的感情采用多种研究方法,从中国的社会、文化和历史的脉络中来探讨中国人自尊的内涵、结构和机制,为提升中国人的自尊,为中华民族文化的大发展、大繁荣服务,从而为人类的心理学知识作出自己应有的贡献。
중서방유문화차이。자존적중서방문화차이주요표현재기근원성、포용성급표체성등방면,각구특점。아문응당이심후적감정채용다충연구방법,종중국적사회、문화화역사적맥락중래탐토중국인자존적내함、결구화궤제,위제승중국인적자존,위중화민족문화적대발전、대번영복무,종이위인류적심이학지식작출자기응유적공헌。
Zi Zun（self-esteem） has been an important concept in Chinese culture. Self-esteem as a construct is often defined as a positive view of one＇ s self in Western psychology. The purpose of this article is to discuss the cultural differences in Zi Zun in relation with our understanding of self-esteem and how we shall study Zi Zun in the Chinese cultural context. It has been confirmed that self-esteem, as an advanced psychological need, exists in all cultures. It provides similar functions for individuals who live in different cultures, such as increasing one＇ s life satisfaction, reducing stress caused by one＇ s failure, and reduc- ing anxiety towards death. However, self-esteem does exhibit itself differently in various cultures because culture represents a set of shared attitudes, values, goals, and practices that distinctively characterize a group of individuals from other groups of individuals. Cul- ture has a deep impact on one＇ s behavior and one＇ s self-esteem. We believe that there are three areas of cultural differences in self-es- teem. The first area of cultural difference is the source of Zi Zun （self-esteem）. Though self-esteem is a product of nature and nurture, the source of self-esteem is largely from the values defined in a specific culture and one＇ s internalization of those values. A value system is at the core of any culture and provides guidance for one＇ s behavior, judgment, and attitude. Traditional Chinese culture values indi- vidual development in the context of family, society, and country. It emphasizes that the goal of an individual is to serve the whole soci- ety. Western culture tends to lay more emphasis on individual freedom, independence, and the realization of one＇ s goals. Studies found that participants in China and Japan had a higher need for praise to boost their self-esteem when compared with people in the United States. The participants in China and Japan also reacted more strongly towards social or group events that impacted their self-esteem when compared with American participants. We can hypothesize that people in an individualist culture may view their own accomplish- ment as most important and their group affiliation or success as secondary; whereas in a collectivist culture, one＇ s self-esteem has a much stronger link to group success and failure. The second area is the inclusiveness of Zi Zun . This area has a lot to do with how an individual views his/her relationship with others in the society （connection vs. separation）. Neuroscience studies on self-reference effects have shown that self and significant oth- ers are represented in the same area in the medial prefrontal cortex for Chinese participants. This is in contrast with participants from western cultures who represent self and their significant others in different areas. Research on cultural priming also found that after Western cultural prime, Chinese participants increased their view of separation between significant others and self; and after Chinese cultural primeing, Western participants increased their inclusion of others in relation to themselves. We can conclude that because Chi- nese culture emphasizes relationship, and uses relationship to solve problems, define one＇ s status, and build one＇ s career, relationship or ＂face＂ has defined many aspects of self-esteem in Chinese culture. Research has consistently shown that Chinese participants＇ emo- tional experiences and attitudes towards oneself are positively related to their close friends＇ and family members＇ success and failures. In contrast, studies found a negative relationship in Western culture. We can hypothesize that the idea of collective success and failure in traditional Chinese culture has played a significant role in how one includes/excludes others in his/her self-esteem. The third area is how one expresses his/her Zi Zun. Modesty has been viewed as an important value and oftentimes a principal in interaction with Oriental culture. However, modesty as one＇ s guiding principle often prevents him/her from expressing himself or herself positively. Research has shown that participants in Oriental cultures often explicitly evaluate themselves negatively while they implicitly evaluate themselves much more positively. In contrast, participants in Western cultures show positive self-evaluation explicitly and im- plicitly, or publicly and privately. We can conclude that the discrepancy has been largely influenced by the communication norms and values embedded in one＇ s culture. We believe that there are three research topics that our Chinese psychologists need to focus on. First, we need to challenge the use of self-esteem as a construct to define Zi Zun, especially when we conduct cross-cultural studies. In Chinese culture, Zi Zun has a u- nique meaning： to respect one＇ s self, not to yield to bullies, and not to be insulted. It has a sense of self-defense. In Western culture, self-esteem is used for oneself＇ s overall positive evaluation. Is self-esteem the right term for Zi Zun in Chinese？ If we have a different construct definition, are we studying the same psychological phenomenon？ We should not simply translate Western psychological con- structs without establishing their construct validity in our own culture. It seems that we should first clarify the concept of Zi Zun before we can continue future research in this field. The second issue is related to the scope of study. Currently, most of the studies are closely following the scope of Western studies. The behavioral evidence is also closely associated with research from western psychology, such as individual related self-esteem. Since it has known that self-esteem has more social orientation in China, and Chinese family values have a complex impact in personal relationship and in the unique value system of Chinese culture. We should put more emphasis on this uniqueness, how they influence our own coping behaviors, and how they may impact our own emotional well-being. In other words, we should conduct this line of research with the understanding of our own culture （past and present）, so that our results can describe and explain our own behaviors based on our own theories and concepts. Finally, we shall explore more research methods to study the concept of Zi Zun. Currently, the most used measurements are from studies based on Western cultures and participation, such as the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale. Those measurements are developed by psychologists based on their understanding of the concepts and could be very different from the ones we are about to study. We need to establish the construct of Zi Zun with multiple research methods, both qualita- tively and quantitatively. We shall not simply apply the concepts, theories, and methods developed by Western psychologists without understanding our own scope and subject. In conclusion, we shall treat the study of Zi Zun in the context of Chinese personality study and Chinese culture. Our hypothesis, theories, and research methodologies should rely on our understanding of our cultural impact on Zi Zun and other psychological constructs. This is our main reason to establish a personality theory for Chinese.