Media Reports of Olympic Success by Chinese and American Gold Medalists: Cultural Differences in Causal Attribution

Abstract

Our study examines media reports of attribution of success by American and Chinese gold medalists at the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics. Broadcast interviews were selected from official websites of NBC from the United States and CCTV from China. In addition, news reports from Chinese and American print media were selected through the Access World News database between August 8, 2008 (start of the Olympics) and August 31, 2008 (1 week after the closing ceremony). Results show that Chinese athletes, as reported by both Chinese broadcast and print media, attributed success to situational factors such as support and encouragement from socially important others, societal motivation, and national pride. American athletes were reported by American media to attribute success to dispositional factors such as personal characteristics and self-motivation. These results suggest that individual accounts of success as reported in the media are consistent with cultural norms and values.

Notes

Note. Cell entries for themes are means on a 4–point scale, where 4 is the most emphasis. Standard deviations are in parentheses. Composite scores are sums of individual themes.

Note. Cell entries for themes are means on a 4-point scale, where 4 is the highest emphasis. Standard deviations are in parentheses. Composite scores are sums of individual themes.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Mei Hua

Mei Hua (M.A., Washington State University) resides in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Her research interest focuses on intercultural communication.

Alexis Tan

Alexis Tan (Ph.D., University of Wisconsin, 1970) is University Faculty Fellow in the Office of the Provost and Professor in The Edward R. Murrow College of Communication at Washington State University. His research interests include communication and prejudice.