Exploring American and Chinese Urban Youth's Value Orientations toward Human-Nature Relationship

Abstract

Most anthropologists agree that the relationship of a society to its environment is the first and most important challenge to a culture (Chemers & Altman, 1977). What are American and Chinese urban youths’ value orientations toward the human-nature relationship? What are potential differences and similarities among their value orientations that might be useful in future research regarding culture and value orientation toward the human-nature relationship? These two questions guided the research. A self-developed human-nature relationship instrument was administered to American (n=59) and Chinese urban youths (n=51) who live in Minneapolis, the U.S. and Guangzhou, China. The dominant value orientation was examined and the qualitative data analysis provides five typologies of how urban youths’ make sense of the human-nature relationship: 1) Submission; 2) Interdependence; 3) Stewardship; 4) Use; 5) Dominion. While a comparison of the qualitative result suggests Chinese and American youths have different value orientations toward human-nature relationship (interdependence in Chinese youth and stewardship in American youth), the quantitative findings suggest similar value orientation, harmony with nature. This, however, is consisting of qualitative findings as both stewardship and interdependence seem to fit with the “harmony with nature” value orientation. Recommendations for future research are discussed and the implications to environmental education are explored.