comparative value priorities of chinese and new zealand

Guangzhou. Further research is required to determine if this outcome is an anomaly for
that culture area, or is a general characteristic of Face-oriented societies.
Hedonism in China
A coherent Hedonism SSA space did not appear using the Guangzhou data. Statistical
evidence on Hedonism in China cast doubt on the existence of that value dimension in
China as defined by the items from the SVS57. Evidence from the SVS56 in China also
indicates that the original two-item scale has poor reliability, and hence highly
questionable validity.
Further problems arise from the fact that the original 56- and 57-item Chinese versions
of the SVS are no longer in existence. A new translation was developed in 2002-2003
by a group of 12 academics and students from Mainland China, Taiwan, Hong Kong,
and Singapore, to provide a similar meaning across regional language use. In translating
Item 57 from the English version: SELF-INDULGENT (doing pleasant things), the
agreed-upon translation of the phrase was: 我行我素 (做自己喜歡歡的事情). This item
translates into English as, “I do what I like/Sticking to one’s own way of doing things
(doing things that oneself likes, doing things to make oneself happy)”. According to Ms.
ZHANG Ning 13 (personal communication, 2006), this phrase has a negative connotation
with older Chinese, but is a more acceptable attitude for younger generations; however,
when used in a teamwork connotation the phrase implies that the individual with the
attitude cannot or will not work with the team. In 2009 I discussed the item with
Auckland University of Technology business first year post-graduate student from
Mainland China, Ms. ZHOU Hui, and asked why the group decided upon this
translation rather than the one I would have selected: 放纵自己, translated as
“Indulging oneself”. Zhou’s interpretation of the reason most ethnic Chinese would
choose the first translation rather the one I proposed is that most Chinese prefer to use
positive words to describe their behavior or thought. They do not want to use negative
words because those negative words will destroy their reputation (cause loss of Face).
The first translation describes a person that has self confidence. But the second
translation implies that the person is over-confident, and most Chinese do not like that
13
Mrs. Zhang was born in the Peoples’ Republic of China, has a Bachelor’s degree in English Education
from a university in China, and in 2006 had lived outside China for 7 years, 5 of these in New Zealand.
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