Abstract

Learning about foreign language cultures is becoming an important objective in the foreign language curricula and national standard of different countries throughout the world. Cultural stereotype is considered to be a significant factor in the foreign language learning and intercultural communication. A lot of considerable investigations have been made to study cultural stereotype. But, what exactly is cultural stereotype? What are the different contents of cultural stereotype and what factors that contribute to this division? In this research paper, a brief introduction of the definition and different contents of cultural stereotype will be given. 

The purposes of the research are to present various aspects of the phenomenon of stereotyping in the context of foreign language learning and intercultural communication; to identify and evaluate the sources of these cultural stereotypes; and to survey the relationship between stereotype and foreign language learning. This paper is an attempt to present stereotypes’ influence in foreign language learning and put some advises for foreign language teachers to aware the stereotypes and deal with it accurately.

The author designs a qualitative and quantitative study which adopts a questionnaire and interview as the major instrument. In the study, 50 Chinese English majors from grade2 and 3 of Hangzhou Normal University were selected as the questionnaire’s subjects, and 10 students among of them were chosen as the participants of the face-to-face interview. Results indicated that subjects’ stereotypic impressions of the Americans are positive in general and the Internet is the most popular source for respondents to obtain information concerning Americans, which in turn influence and shape their perceptions of them. What’s more, it provided that the foreign language learning plays an important role in acquisition of learners’ stereotypes and the process of language learning can change some stubborn stereotypes without knowing it.

Keywords: Cultural Stereotype; Foreign Language Learning; Intercultural Communication

Contents

Abstract

摘  要

1. Introduction-4

2. Theoretical Basis-5

2.1 The Definition of Stereotype-5

2.2 Classification of stereotype-6

2.2.1 Social and Cultural Stereotype-6

2.2.2 Positive and Negative Stereotype-6

2.2.3 Auto-stereotype and Hetero-stereotype-6

2.3 Characteristics of Stereotype-7

2.4 The Formation of Stereotype-7

3. Methodology-8

3.1 Research questions-8

3.2 Participants-8

3.3 Research Methods and Data Collection Procedure-8

3.3.1 Questionnaire Survey-8

3.3.2 Interview-9

4. Results and Findings-10

4.1 Stereotype Content-10

4.2 Stereotype Sources-11

4.3 Implication of Stereotype for Foreign Language Learning and Teaching-13

5. Suggestion of English Language Teaching in Terms of Cultural Education-15

6. Conclusion-16

References-17