The Impact of Cross-Cultural Differences on College Students' Lifestyles: A Case Study of China and the United States

DOI: https://doi.org/10.62517/jhet.202515646

Author(s)

Shuyu Zhu

Affiliation(s)

Milton International School, Qingdao, Shandong, China

Abstract

This thesis examines the impact of cross-cultural differences upon everyday lives of university students in China and in America. On the basis of Hofstede's cultural parameters [15], Hall's high- and low-context model of communication [14], and Bourdieu's concept of cultural capital and habitus [4], this thesis critiques cultural beliefs, arrangements of institutions, and agency's impact upon everyday practices. In accordance with an interpretivist ideology and deductive, mixed-methods design, this study makes use of a survey database, semi-structured interviews, and secondary sources, employing thematic analysis [5] and methodology triangulation [10] in order to heighten validity. They uncover five fundamental lifestyle aspects: academic practices, leisure consumption, social interaction, intimacy, and time management. Chinese students show more structured and collectivist-oriented daily habits, as heavily influenced by educational institutions and family obligations, compared with American students who focus on independence, flexibility, and more extensive social circles. Yet, both groups exhibit agency in terms of negating cultural expectations, yielding hybrid identities that overcome cultural determinism. Conceptually, the research makes a contribution to cross-cultural sociology by breaking down lifestyle into tangible aspects and applying Bourdieu's work in a digital age. In practice, it provides recommendations to international education policy-makers and university leaders in planning culturally-sensitive programs and building cross-cultural awareness. In general, the work gives insight into the interaction of culture, structure, and agency in the formation of students' lifestyles and sees intercultural competence as critical in a globalized world.

Keywords

Cross-Cultural Differences; Student Lifestyles; Cultural Capital; Hybrid Identities; Individualism-Collectivism; Higher Education

References

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