Culture and interpretation: A study of Taiwanese children's responses to visual images (China).

摘要

This study explores the interpretations of some children in Taiwan of a variety of visual images. It is particularly interested in the influence of culture on their interpretations. The study uses hermeneutic theory and reader-response criticism to structure an approach to interpretation as a process in which the image and the viewer collaborate together. It is also influenced by the concept of intertextuality, images always exist in a connected net of other images and texts.; 56 children from Taiwan, ranging in age from 8 to 14 years, were asked in a semi-structured interview to interpret six different images from fine art and advertising backgrounds. The images also came from both Taiwanese and Western sources. Six questions emerged to reflect the central interest and to guide the data analysis of this research. They are: (1) Do the children respond differently to images from commercial art and from the fine art world? (2) Do they respond differently to images from Chinese and Western cultures? (3) What is the role of popular culture in their interpretations? (4) How far are they influenced by non-visual elements of their culture? (5) How far does schooling seem to influence their interpretation? (6) Are there differences in these respects between younger and older children?; An analysis of interview transcripts shows that the children draw on four kinds of cultural resources in their interpretations: their family life, the mass media, schooling, and general beliefs and values and that only the older children are aware of the commercial purposes of the advertisements. They do not distinguish well between Chinese and Western images and they are considerably influenced by popular culture. The study provides rich detailed data about the processes of children's interpretations of visual images and how they are influenced by their cultural background.