Why We Remember and What We Remember

2010 ◽  
Vol 5 (4) ◽  
pp. 401-409 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael Ross ◽  
Qi Wang
Keyword(s):  
Autobiographical Memory ◽  
Cultural Differences ◽  
Emotional Regulation ◽  
Cultural Influences ◽  
Individual Level ◽  
Cognitive Schemata ◽  
Memory Strategies ◽  
Physical Environments ◽  
East And West ◽  
The Individual

We examine cultural (mainly East and West) differences in the functions and contents of autobiographical memory. We discuss how cultural differences in physical environments, self-views, the motivation to self-enhance, concerns for behavioral and emotional regulation, socialization, and language affect the contents and use of memory. Cultural influences take place at the individual level of cognitive schemata and memory strategies, as well as the interpersonal sphere of daily mnemonic practices and exchanges. Autobiographical memory is categorically cultural.

Culture’s Constraints

2018 ◽  
pp. 61-78 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michele J. Gelfand ◽  
Nava Caluori ◽  
Sarah Gordon ◽  
Jana Raver ◽  
Lisa Nishii ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cultural Differences ◽  
Psychological Processes ◽  
Social Situations ◽  
Individual Level ◽  
Societal Factors ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Cultural Processes ◽  
The Individual

Research on culture has generally ignored social situations, and research on social situations has generally ignored culture. In bringing together these two traditions, we show that nations vary considerably in the strength of social situations, and this is a key conceptual and empirical bridge between macro and distal cultural processes and micro and proximal psychological processes. The model thus illustrates some of the intervening mechanisms through which distal societal factors affect individual processes. It also helps to illuminate why cultural differences persist at the individual level, as they are adaptive to chronic differences in the strength of social situations. The strength of situations across cultures can provide new insights into cultural differences in a wide range of psychological processes.

scholarly journals Cross-Cultural Variations in Extreme Rejecting and Extreme Affirming Response Styles

2019 ◽  
Vol 50 (8) ◽  
pp. 955-971 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tieyuan Guo ◽  
Roy Spina
Keyword(s):  
Cultural Differences ◽  
Cross Cultural ◽  
Response Style ◽  
Response Styles ◽  
Cultural Variation ◽  
Cultural Variations ◽  
Individual Level ◽  
Country Level ◽  
The Difference ◽  
The Individual

Previous research has discussed cultural differences in moderacy vs extremity response styles. The present research found that cultural differences in response styles were more complex than previously speculated. We investigated cross-cultural variations in extreme rejecting versus affirming response biases. Although research has indicated that overall Chinese have less extreme responses than Westerners, the difference may be mainly driven by extreme rejecting responses because respondents consider answering survey questions as a way of interacting with researchers, and extreme rejecting responses may disrupt harmony in relationships, which is valued more in Chinese collectivistic culture than in Western individualistic cultures. Studies 1 and 2 revealed that Chinese had less extreme rejecting response style than did British, whereas they did not differ in extreme affirming response style. Study 2 further revealed that the cross-cultural asymmetry in extreme rejecting versus affirming response styles was partially accounted for by individualism orientation at the individual level. Consistently, Study 3 revealed that at the country level, individualism was positively associated with extreme rejecting response style, but was not associated with extreme affirming response style, suggesting that individualism accounted for the asymmetric cultural variation in extreme rejecting versus affirming response styles.

scholarly journals Comparing subjective intoxication with risky single-occasion drinking in a European sample

PLoS ONE ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 15 (11) ◽  
pp. e0241433
Author(s):  
Carolin Kilian ◽  
Jakob Manthey ◽  
Jacek Moskalewicz ◽  
Emanuele Scafato ◽  
Lidia Segura García ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Rank Correlation ◽  
Cultural Influences ◽  
Sociodemographic Characteristics ◽  
Alternative Measure ◽  
Drinking Patterns ◽  
Harmful Drinking ◽  
Individual Level ◽  
Additional Information ◽  
The Individual ◽  
Risky Single Occasion Drinking

In most epidemiological literature, harmful drinking—a drinking pattern recognized as closely linked to alcohol-attributable diseases—is recorded using the measure risky single-occasion drinking (RSOD), which is based on drinking above a certain quantity. In contrast, subjective intoxication (SI) as an alternative measure can provide additional information, including the drinker’s subjective perceptions and cultural influences on alcohol consumption. However, there is a lack of research comparing both. The current article investigates this comparison, using data from the Standardized European Alcohol Survey from 2015. We analysed the data of 12,512 women and 12,516 men from 17 European countries and one region. We calculated survey-weighted prevalence of SI and RSOD and compared them using Spearman rank correlation and regression models. We examined the role of the required quantity of alcohol needed for the drinker to perceive impairments and analysed additional demographic and sociodemographic characteristics as well as drinking patterns. In the most locations, the prevalence of SI was lower or equal to the prevalence of RSOD. Both prevalence estimates were highly correlated. Almost 8% of the variance in the difference between the individual-level frequencies of the SI and RSOD measures was explained by the individual quantity of alcohol needed to perceive impairments. Sociodemographic characteristics and drinking patterns explained less than 20% in the adjusted perceived quantity of alcohol needed. In conclusion, our results indicated that subjective measures of intoxication are not a preferable indicator of harmful drinking to the more conventional measures of RSOD.

Origins of values differences: A multi-level test of economic, climatic and parasite stress explanations in the value domain

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ronald Fischer
Keyword(s):  
Cultural Differences ◽  
National Level ◽  
Cross Cultural ◽  
Individual Level ◽  
Cross Cultural Differences ◽  
National Wealth ◽  
Multi Level ◽  
Nationally Representative ◽  
Self Transcendence ◽  
The Individual

What variables explain cross-cultural differences in values? In this study, plausible origins of cultural differences in self-rated values are investigated in two independent samples with multi-level modeling to test the robustness and replicability of effects. Differences in wealth and the interaction between wealth by climate showed strongest correlations with value ratings in nationally representative data (Ns = 71,916 & 74,042). The effects of wealth on openness values were convergent across levels (higher wealth is associated with more openness values), but operated in opposing directions for self-transcendence values (national wealth is associated with self-transcendent values, individual wealth is associated with self-enhancing values). Extending climate-economic theory of culture to the individual level, higher education as a cognitive resource of individuals buffered climatic demands in relation to openness to change values. Therefore, education may act as an important individual level that can explain and unpackage previously reported nation-level results. Parasite stress at the national level did not significantly predict values, after controlling for other variables.

scholarly journals Cultural Influences on Environmental Consciousness and Green Environmental Behavior

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 20
Author(s):  
Bashar S. Gammoh ◽  
Sam C. Okoroafo ◽  
Anthony C. Koh
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Environmental Behavior ◽  
Cultural Influences ◽  
Measurement Model ◽  
The United States ◽  
Cultural Norms ◽  
Environmental Consciousness ◽  
Individual Level ◽  
Study Results ◽  
The Individual

This paper focuses on investigating the relationship between culture and green attitudes and environmental behavior across two countries representing societies with different cultural norms. The paper presents a theoretical model suggesting that individual level cultural differences influence consumer’s environmental consciousness which then influence their green consumerism and active ecological Behaviors’. Data was collected using survey research from two countries representing societies with different cultural norms—the United States and India. SmartPLS was used to assess the quality of the measurement model and test the proposed research hypotheses. Although the United States is a society that is generally driven by individualism and mastery orientation, study results indicate that at the individual level people attitudes and behaviors might be influenced by different orientations depending on the consumption situation. Overall, study findings highlight the value in understanding the influence of cultural factors at the individual level and not just at the country level.

scholarly journals FUNCTIONS OF VANDALISM IN YOUTH BEHAVIOUR: FROM PERSONALITY TO SOCIETY

2018 ◽  
Vol 20 (10) ◽  
pp. 95-120 ◽  
Author(s):  
O. V. Kruzhkova ◽  
I. V. Vorobyeva ◽  
R. Yu. Porozov ◽  
B. Zarbova
Keyword(s):  
Public Space ◽  
Emotional Regulation ◽  
Practical Significance ◽  
Social Changes ◽  
Moral Regulation ◽  
Individual Level ◽  
Modern Cities ◽  
Spatial Environment ◽  
Positive Meaning ◽  
The Individual

Introduction.Graphic vandalism has become a widespread phenomenon in the space of modern cities. Traditionally, vandalism has been assessed as a negative phenomenon, leading to the destruction of the material, visual and social environment of urban public space. Recently, however, the discourse on the positive meaning of certain forms of vandalism (graffiti, street art, etc.) has been activated. At the same time, there is no discussion of the role and influence of vandalism on public and individual life, although, like any socio-cultural and socio-psychological phenomenon, vandalism has the basis and carries certain messages.Theaimof this research was to identify and describe the functions of graphic vandalism, taking into account socio-cultural and socio-psychological aspects.Methodology and research methods.The study was conducted in the spatial environment of the megalopolis (Ekaterinburg, Russia) by photographing results of vandal acts (more than 6000 photographs) with subsequent trace-assessment and content analysis of images.Results and scientific novelty.The structural functions of vandalism at the socio-environmental and individual-subjective levels are identified and characterised. The signalling and designing functions, preparation of social changes and management of public mood are referred to the first level. At the second (individual-subjective) level, the demonstrative-and-protest function, functions of reactions, compensation and self-expression are allocated. The functions are illustrated with the examples of visual representations. A two-dimensional model of vandalism functions is formed, where the functions are distributed in the spaces of “construction / reconstruction”, “emotional regulation / moral regulation”. It is noted that any function of vandal activity at the individual level becomes a kind of marker “points of tension” at the socio-environmental level. The functional variety of vandalism becomes the reason of its ambiguous perception with diverse and occasionally contradictory estimates. The authors came to the conclusion that vandalism is socially considered as the evolutionary managerial instrument of social development, which is capable to weaken impermeability of the normatively and traditionally established limits, providing adjustability of the cultural and material environment in the conditions of innovative and mobilisation changes of society. From the perspective of the personality, vandalism is concerned as individual behaviour over the socially defined limits of activity among ordinary members of the society. Thus, vandalism as the phenomenon of public life acts as a norm and a deviation, to which an assessment is given in dependence on functional significance and subject self-identification of the specific vandal act.Practical significance.The research materials and the results obtained can be used to improve and optimise the technologies for management youth vandal activity in megapolises, for prevention and sublimation of destructive forms of youth behaviour in an urban environment.

scholarly journals Focus on the breath: Brain decoding reveals internal states of attention during meditation

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Helen Weng ◽  
Jarrod Lewis-Peacock ◽  
Frederick Hecht ◽  
Melina Uncapher ◽  
David Ziegler ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Emotional Regulation ◽  
Predictive Accuracy ◽  
Mental States ◽  
Single Subject ◽  
Meditation Practice ◽  
Individual Level ◽  
Referential Processing ◽  
Internal States ◽  
The Individual ◽  
Internal Attention

Meditation practices are often used to cultivate interoception or internally-oriented attention to bodily sensations, which may improve health via cognitive and emotional regulation of bodily signals. However, it remains unclear how meditation impacts internal attention (IA) states due to lack of measurement tools that can objectively assess mental states during meditation practice itself, and produce time estimates of internal focus at individual or group levels. To address these measurement gaps, we tested the feasibility of applying multi-voxel pattern analysis (MVPA) to single-subject fMRI data to: (1) learn and recognize internal attentional states relevant for meditation during a directed IA task; and (2) decode or estimate the presence of those IA states during an independent meditation session. Within a mixed sample of experienced meditators and novice controls (N = 16), we first used MVPA to develop single-subject brain classifiers for five modes of attention during an IA task in which subjects were specifically instructed to engage in one of five states [i.e., meditation-related states: breath attention, mind wandering (MW), and self-referential processing, and control states: attention to feet and sounds]. Using standard cross-validation procedures, MVPA classifiers were trained in five of six IA blocks for each subject, and predictive accuracy was tested on the independent sixth block (iterated until all volumes were tested, N = 2,160). Across participants, all five IA states were significantly recognized well above chance (>41% vs. 20% chance). At the individual level, IA states were recognized in most participants (87.5%), suggesting that recognition of IA neural patterns may be generalizable for most participants, particularly experienced meditators. Next, for those who showed accurate IA neural patterns, the originally trained classifiers were applied to a separate meditation run (10-min) to make an inference about the percentage time engaged in each IA state (breath attention, MW, or self-referential processing). Preliminary group-level analyses demonstrated that during meditation practice, participants spent more time attending to breath compared to MW or self-referential processing. This paradigm established the feasibility of using MVPA classifiers to objectively assess mental states during meditation at the participant level, which holds promise for improved measurement of internal attention states cultivated by meditation.

scholarly journals Creativity East and West: Perspectives and Parallels

2010 ◽  
Vol 6 (3) ◽  
pp. 313-327 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael W. Morris ◽  
Kwok Leung
Keyword(s):  
Social Norms ◽  
Cultural Differences ◽  
Cultural Influences ◽  
Organizational Studies ◽  
Cognitive Level ◽  
Research Perspectives ◽  
Societal Level ◽  
East And West

This Editors' Forum – ‘Creativity East and West’ – presents five papers on the question of cultural differences in creativity from the perspective of different research literatures, followed by two integrative commentaries. The literatures represented include historiometric, laboratory, and organizational studies. Investigation of cultural influences through country comparisons and priming manipulations, focusing on how people perform creatively and how they assess creativity. This introduction notes parallels in the findings across these research perspectives, suggesting some cultural universals in creativity and some systematic differences. Many differences can be explained in terms of the model that creativity means a solution that is both novel/original and useful/appropriate, yet that Western social norms prioritize novelty whereas Eastern norms prioritize usefulness – an account which predicts cultural differences would arise in contexts that activate social norms. The commentaries elaborate this argument in terms of processes – at the micro cognitive level and at the macro societal level – through which creativity occurs.

A cross-cultural perspective on consumer perceptions of service failures’ severity: a pilot study

2014 ◽  
Vol 6 (4) ◽  
pp. 238-257 ◽  
Author(s):  
Haithem Zourrig ◽  
Kamel Hedhli ◽  
Jean Charles Chebat
Keyword(s):  
Cultural Values ◽  
Cultural Differences ◽  
Service Failure ◽  
Cross Cultural ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Individual Level ◽  
Service Failures ◽  
Country Level ◽  
Cross Country ◽  
The Individual

Purpose – This paper aims to investigate the cultural variability in assessing the severity of a service failure. Design/methodology/approach – Two separate studies were conducted. The first investigates differences in the perception of service failures across two cultural pools of subjects (allocentrics versus idiocentrics) and within a same country. The second contrasts two levels of comparisons: a cross-cultural values’ level and a cross-country level, to assess differences in the perception service failures’ severity. Findings – Results showed that cultural values differences, when investigated at the individual level (i.e. idiocentrism versus allocentrism) are more significant to understand the influence of culture on the perception of severity, that is, allocentrics perceive more severity in the service failure than idiocentrics. However, a cross-country comparison (i.e. USA versus Puerto Rico) does not show significant differences. Research limitations/implications – Customers may assess, with different sensitivities, the severity of a service failure. These differences are mainly explained by differences in cultural values’ orientations but not differences across countries. Even originating from a same country, customers could perceive with different degrees the seriousness of a same service failure as they may cling to different cultural values. Hence, it is increasingly important to examine the cultural differences at the individual-level rather than a country level. Practical implications – Firms serving international markets as well as multiethnic ones would have advantage to understand cultural differences in the perception of the severity at the individual level rather than at the societal or country level. This is more helpful to direct appropriate service recovery strategies to customers who may have higher sensitivity to the service failure. Originality/value – Little is known about the effect of culture on the severity evaluation, although investigating cross-cultural differences in the assessment of severity is relevant to understand whether offenses are perceived more seriously in one culture than another and then if these offenses will potentially arise confrontational behaviors or not.

Differential Effects of Competence and Morality on Self-Esteem at the Individual and the Collective Level

2020 ◽  
Vol 51 (3) ◽  
pp. 183-198
Author(s):  
Wiktor Soral ◽  
Mirosław Kofta
Keyword(s):  
Self Esteem ◽  
Differential Effects ◽  
Individual Level ◽  
The Subject ◽  
The Individual

Abstract. The importance of various trait dimensions explaining positive global self-esteem has been the subject of numerous studies. While some have provided support for the importance of agency, others have highlighted the importance of communion. This discrepancy can be explained, if one takes into account that people define and value their self both in individual and in collective terms. Two studies ( N = 367 and N = 263) examined the extent to which competence (an aspect of agency), morality, and sociability (the aspects of communion) promote high self-esteem at the individual and the collective level. In both studies, competence was the strongest predictor of self-esteem at the individual level, whereas morality was the strongest predictor of self-esteem at the collective level.

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