研究提示语言和文化框架如何影响大模型回应,发现其仍偏向少数国家价值观。
LLMs and Cultural Values: the Impact of Prompt Language and Explicit Cultural Framing
- 通过多语言提示与文化框架测试10个大模型
- 模型对文化背景敏感但普遍偏向荷兰、德国、美日等国价值观
- 明确文化视角比语言适配更有效,英文+文化框架最优
大型语言模型(LLMs)在全球用户中快速普及,但其训练数据与优化目标存在显著不平衡,引发对其能否代表多元文化用户群体的担忧。本研究考察了提示语言与显式文化框架对模型输出及与各国人类价值观对齐的影响。我们使用来自霍夫斯泰德价值观调查模块(Hofstede Values Survey Module)和世界价值观调查(World Values Survey)的63项内容,翻译成11种语言,并以带或不带显式文化视角的提示形式,测试了10个主流大模型。结果表明,提示语言与文化框架均会影响模型输出,但所有模型均表现出对荷兰、德国、美国和日本等少数国家价值观的系统性偏倚。尽管通过提示可部分引导模型向特定国家主流价值观靠拢,但无法克服这种深层文化默认。相较而言,显式文化框架比目标语言提示更能提升文化对齐度;令人意外的是,两者结合并未带来额外增益,仅使用英语提示配合文化框架效果最佳。这揭示出大模型处于尴尬的中间状态:虽能响应提示变化,却仍被固定的文化默认所锚定,难以真正体现文化多样性。
原文摘要 · Abstract (English)
Large Language Models (LLMs) are rapidly being adopted by users across the globe, who interact with them in a diverse range of languages. At the same time, there are well-documented imbalances in the training data and optimisation objectives of this technology, raising doubts as to whether LLMs can represent the cultural diversity of their broad user base. In this study, we look at LLMs and cultural values and examine how prompt language and cultural framing influence model responses and their alignment with human values in different countries. We probe 10 LLMs with 63 items from the Hofstede Values Survey Module and World Values Survey, translated into 11 languages, and formulated as prompts with and without different explicit cultural perspectives. Our study confirms that both prompt language and cultural perspective produce variation in LLM outputs, but with an important caveat: While targeted prompting can, to a certain extent, steer LLM responses in the direction of the predominant values of the corresponding countries, it does not overcome the models' systematic bias toward the values associated with a restricted set of countries in our dataset: the Netherlands, Germany, the US, and Japan. All tested models, regardless of their origin, exhibit remarkably similar patterns: They produce fairly neutral responses on most topics, with selective progressive stances on issues such as social tolerance. Alignment with cultural values of human respondents is improved more with an explicit cultural perspective than with a targeted prompt language. Unexpectedly, combining both approaches is no more effective than cultural framing with an English prompt. These findings reveal that LLMs occupy an uncomfortable middle ground: They are responsive enough to changes in prompts to produce variation, but too firmly anchored to specific cultural defaults to adequately represent cultural diversity.
Thank you to arXiv for use of its open access interoperability. PaperDance 不是 arXiv 官方产品;中文卡片由大模型生成,请以原文为准。