Do Easterners and Westerners Treat Contradiction Differently?

Peng and Nisbett (1999) put forward an influential theory of the influence of culture on the resolution of contradiction. They suggested that Easterners deal with contradiction in a dialectical manner, trying to reconcile opposite points of view and seeking a middle-way. Westerners, by contrast, would follow the law of excluded middle, judging one side of the contradiction to be right and the other to be wrong. However, their work has already been questioned, both in terms of replicability and external validity. Here we test alternative interpretations of two of Peng and Nisbett’s experiments and conduct a new test of their theory in a third experiment. Overall, the Eastern (Chinese) and Western (French) participants behaved similarly, failing to exhibit the cross-cultural differences observed by Peng and Nisbett. Several interpretations of these failed replications and this failed new test are suggested. Together with previous failed replications, the present results raise questions about the breadth of Peng and Nisbett’s interpretation of cross-cultural differences in dealing with contradiction.

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Gender and National Differences in Attitudes toward Same-Gender Touch

Perceptual and Motor Skills ◽

10.1177/003151259407800364 ◽

1994 ◽

Vol 78 (3) ◽

pp. 1027-1034 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Frank N. Willis ◽

Vicki A. Rawdon

Keyword(s):

Cultural Differences ◽

Female Students ◽

Cross Cultural ◽

The Other ◽

Male And Female ◽

New Methods ◽

Cross Cultural Differences ◽

National Differences ◽

The Us ◽

Same Gender

Women have been reported to be more positive about same-gender touch, but cross-cultural information about this touch is limited. Male and female students from Chile (n = 26), Spain (n = 61), Malaysia (n = 32), and the US (n = 77) completed a same-gender touch scale. As in past studies, US women had more positive scores than US men. Malaysians had more negative scores than the other three groups. Spanish and US students had more positive scores than Chilean students. National differences in attitudes toward particular types of touch were also noted. The need for new methods for examining cross-cultural differences in touch was discussed.

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A cross-species perspective on the selfishness axiom

Behavioral and Brain Sciences ◽

10.1017/s0140525x05240141 ◽

2005 ◽

Vol 28 (6) ◽

pp. 818-818

Author(s):

Sarah F. Brosnan ◽

Frans B. M. de Waal

Keyword(s):

Cultural Differences ◽

Cross Cultural ◽

The Other ◽

Capuchin Monkeys ◽

Economic Games ◽

Cross Cultural Differences ◽

Self Interest ◽

Relative Gains ◽

Other Regarding ◽

Other Regarding Preferences

Henrich et al. describe an innovative research program investigating cross-cultural differences in the selfishness axiom (in economic games) in humans, yet humans are not the only species to show such variation. Chimpanzees and capuchin monkeys show signs of deviating from the standard self-interest paradigm in experimental settings by refusing to take foods that are less valuable than those earned by conspecifics, indicating that they, too, may pay attention to relative gains. However, it is less clear whether these species also show the other-regarding preferences seen in humans.

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Peer Acceptance and Friendship Patterns among Italian Schoolchildren within a Cross-cultural Perspective

International Journal of Behavioral Development ◽

10.1080/016502597384866 ◽

1997 ◽

Vol 21 (2) ◽

pp. 277-288 ◽

Cited By ~ 16

Author(s):

Grazia Attili ◽

Patrizia Vermigli ◽

Barry H. Schneider

Keyword(s):

Cultural Differences ◽

Peer Relations ◽

American Studies ◽

Peer Acceptance ◽

Cross Cultural ◽

The Other ◽

Cultural Perspective ◽

Cross Cultural Differences ◽

Sociometric Choice ◽

Peer Nominations

Sociometric choice nominations, as well as peer nominations for friendship, aggression, isolation, and prosocial behaviour, were administered to middle class Italian primary school youngsters. Socially rejected children were found to be more aggressive, more withdrawn, and less prosocial than members of the other social status categories, and to have fewer friends. The proportions of subjects in the neglected and controversial categories were very low, although the proportions of rejected and popular children were similar to those found in North American studies. These findings are discussed within the framework of cross-cultural differences in children’s peer relations.

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Directness vs. indirectness

Languages in Contrast ◽

10.1075/lic.00006.mar ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 18 (1) ◽

pp. 122-144 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Aurélie Marsily

Keyword(s):

Cultural Differences ◽

Cross Cultural ◽

The Other ◽

Pragmatic Approach ◽

Cross Cultural Differences ◽

Pragmatic Interpretation ◽

The Cross ◽

The One ◽

Do So

Abstract The aim of this paper is to examine the cross-cultural differences between (in)direct Spanish and French request formulations, adopting a pragmatic approach. More specifically, this study focusses on pragmatic equivalences in request formulations in informal and educational contexts, in French and Spanish corpora. In order to do so, a taxonomy was developed, based on the literature and on the analysis of the Spanish and French corpora. The analysis of the data shows that, on the one hand, direct strategies are among the most frequent request formulations in both corpora and, on the other, some formulations are similar in Spanish and in French but that their pragmatic interpretation or their frequency differs.

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Cognitive gadgets: A provocative but flawed manifesto

Behavioral and Brain Sciences ◽

10.1017/s0140525x19001134 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 42 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Marco Del Giudice

Keyword(s):

Theory Of Mind ◽

Cultural Differences ◽

Twin Studies ◽

Cross Cultural ◽

Evolutionary Approach ◽

Genetic Inheritance ◽

Double Standards ◽

Cross Cultural Differences ◽

Cherry Picking ◽

Dichotomous Thinking

Abstract The argument against innatism at the heart of Cognitive Gadgets is provocative but premature, and is vitiated by dichotomous thinking, interpretive double standards, and evidence cherry-picking. I illustrate my criticism by addressing the heritability of imitation and mindreading, the relevance of twin studies, and the meaning of cross-cultural differences in theory of mind development. Reaching an integrative understanding of genetic inheritance, plasticity, and learning is a formidable task that demands a more nuanced evolutionary approach.

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