Abstract

Pubic Service Advertisements, also known as PSAs, are messages in the public interest disseminated by the media without charge, with the objective of raising awareness and changing public attitudes and behavior towards  social issues. Today, with the development of globalization and social economy, intercultural communications are becoming increasingly important. Many of the issues concerned in PSAs are universal, but due to cultural differences, there are differences in understanding PSAs in specific countries. This thesis analyzes the differences of two Chinese and American public service advertisements about non-smoking mainly from three aspects -- language, presentation and value orientation. Then, this thesis focuses on the reasons accounting for those differences from the perspective of high and low context theory, aiming to reveal characteristics of different contextual cultures, enhance better understandings of the impact of cultural differences on PSAs, avoid cultural conflicts and promote cross-cultural communications.

Keywords: Public Service Advertisements; cultural differences; high and low context theory; cross-cultural communication

Contents

Abstract

摘要

1. Introduction-1

2. Literature Review-2

2.1 Previous studies on PSAs-2

2.2 High and low context theory-3

3. Differences in Chinese and American PSAs Burning Lung and No Smoking-5

3.1 Introductions to Burning Lung and No Smoking-5

3.2 Differences in PSA language-6

3.3 Differences in PSA presentation-7

3.4 Differences in PSA value orientations-8

4. Reasons for Differences in Chinese and American PSAs-8

4.1 Indirect versus direct communication-8

4.2 Listener-oriented versus speaker-oriented-9

4.3 Collectivism versus individualism-10

5. Conclusion-10

Works Cited-12