Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Study: Americans Don't Understand Others (MEGA HURL!)
LiveScience.com via Yahoo ^ | 7/17/2007 | Corey Binns

Posted on 07/18/2007 8:10:04 AM PDT by PreciousLiberty

Rugged American individualism could hinder our ability to understand other peoples' point of view, a new study suggests.

And in contrast, the researchers found that Chinese are more skilled at understanding other people's perspectives, possibly because they live in a more "collectivist" society.

"This cultural difference affects the way we communicate," said study co-author and cognitive psychologist Boaz Keysar of the University of Chicago.

The study, though oversimplified compared to real life, was instructive. Keysar and his colleagues arranged two blocks on a table so participants could see both. However, a piece of cardboard obstructed the view of one block so a "director," sitting across from the participant, could only see one block.

When the director asked 20 American participants (none of Asian descent) to move a block, most were confused as to which block to move and did not take into account the director's perspective. Even though they could have deduced that, from the director's seat, only one block was on the table.

Most of the 20 Chinese participants, however, were not confused by the hidden block and knew exactly which block the director was referring to. While following directions was relatively simple for the Chinese, it took Americans twice as long to move a block.

"That strong, egocentric communication of Westerners was nonexistent when we looked at Chinese," Keysar said. "The Chinese were very much able to put themselves in the shoes of another when they were communicating."

The results are detailed in the July issue of the journal Psychological Science.

Collectivist societies, such as the Chinese, place more value on the needs of the group and less on the autonomy of the individual. In these societies, understanding other peoples' experiences is a more critical social skill than it is among typically more individualist Americans.

(Excerpt) Read more at news.yahoo.com ...


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Culture/Society; News/Current Events; Philosophy
KEYWORDS: collectivists; communism; communismkills; foryourowngood; idiocy; junkscience; marxism; msm; propaganda; pseudoscience; starkravingsocialist; toomuchliberty
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-52 next last
I couldn't fit the "money" paragraph in an excerpt, so here it is:

'"Of course, these are very gross oversimplifications," said Keysar. "Even in America, you can find collectivist societies. For example, working class people tend to be much more collective."'

Collectivism - good. Capitalism - bad. China - good. America - bad.

At least it's glaringly obvious propaganda...

1 posted on 07/18/2007 8:10:05 AM PDT by PreciousLiberty
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: PreciousLiberty

Someone beat me to it...mods please pull this thread.


2 posted on 07/18/2007 8:13:33 AM PDT by PreciousLiberty
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: PreciousLiberty
Looks like we both posted around the same time...they pulled mine..

I can't believe this story was on the front page of yahoo news...

WE are not Borg

3 posted on 07/18/2007 8:15:21 AM PDT by janetjanet998
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: PreciousLiberty

Amish are collectivist but they don’t attempt to impose it on me.


4 posted on 07/18/2007 8:17:05 AM PDT by cripplecreek (Greed is NOT a conservative ideal.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: PreciousLiberty

Unmentioned in the report was the Americans who responded to the director “Don’t tell me what to do, you schmuck.” Both blocks were then taken, marketed and are due for IPO’s next week. The Asians did the director’s laundry.


5 posted on 07/18/2007 8:17:20 AM PDT by domenad (In all things, in all ways, at all times, let honor guide me.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: PreciousLiberty

“Move which block, are you blind or something!?”

This answer didn’t count?


6 posted on 07/18/2007 8:22:32 AM PDT by Old Professer (The critic writes with rapier pen, dips it twice, and writes again.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: PreciousLiberty

Conclusions made on inconclusive results from a meaningless study.


7 posted on 07/18/2007 8:26:15 AM PDT by Jagdgewehr
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: PreciousLiberty

because if america looks bad in a comparison it has to be propaganda ?

That’s somehow like a proof of the study lol.


8 posted on 07/18/2007 8:26:38 AM PDT by Rummenigge (there's people willing to blow out the light because it casts a shadow)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: PreciousLiberty

Corey Binns - Graduate Science Writing Student, New York University

“Cheap, skinny aluminum foil lamps may soon illuminate our lives instead of big, bulky light bulbs”


9 posted on 07/18/2007 8:30:57 AM PDT by kcvl
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: PreciousLiberty

What I take from this is that Communists are better trained at taking orders.


10 posted on 07/18/2007 8:32:49 AM PDT by CaptainK (...please make it stop. Shake a can of pennies at it.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: PreciousLiberty

Rugged American individualism could hinder our ability to understand other peoples’ point of view, a new study suggests.....Well Pilgrim, I guess THEY have a problem!


11 posted on 07/18/2007 8:34:04 AM PDT by AngelesCrestHighway
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: PreciousLiberty
"Psychological Science."

There's an oxymoron if I ever saw one.

12 posted on 07/18/2007 8:35:35 AM PDT by joebuck
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: PreciousLiberty
Someone beat me to it...mods please pull this thread.

The question is how many times this article was posted and pulled already. This is not the first repost.

13 posted on 07/18/2007 8:35:48 AM PDT by RightWhale (It's Brecht's donkey, not mine)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: PreciousLiberty

What blatant bullsh#t! If the Chinese are so damned ‘skilled at understanding other people’s perspectives’.... then why the hell is it that every time there’s an Asian in line behind me at the grocery checkout stand, they are standing right at my elbow...in my personal space, (within sniffing distance)....but somehow, they are always unable to “”perceive”” that I’m about to smack the hell out of them??? They are, from MY personal experience, the MOST clueless individuals on the planet!

___

Rugged American individualism could hinder our ability to understand other peoples’ point of view, a new study suggests.

And in contrast, the researchers found that Chinese are more skilled at understanding other people’s perspectives, possibly because they live in a more “collectivist” society.


14 posted on 07/18/2007 8:37:18 AM PDT by XenaLee
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: PreciousLiberty

“When the director asked 20 American participants (none of Asian descent) to move a block, most were confused as to which block to move and did not take into account the director’s perspective. Even though they could have deduced that, from the director’s seat, only one block was on the table.”

I want to know if the “director” KNEW ALL ABOUT the situation wherein 1 block was “blocked” from his view; i.e., he already knew there was a block he couldn’t see.

Or was the “director” an innocent who was simply instructed to instruct the “participant” to “move a block” (instructions: “Tell the ‘participant’ EXACTLY these words: ‘Move A block’”) as opposed to “move THE block”.

Latter I could excuse these results. But do we know that the “participant” should know that the “director” knew about 2 blocks?


15 posted on 07/18/2007 8:39:42 AM PDT by the OlLine Rebel (Common sense is an uncommon virtue.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: joebuck

Exactly


16 posted on 07/18/2007 8:41:47 AM PDT by Jagdgewehr
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 12 | View Replies]

To: PreciousLiberty

“But what research is now showing is how they’re different and what are the implications,”

The implications: greatness within 200 years; unprecedented growth & prosperity; unprecedented invention & innovation; unprecedented size of middle/upper class.

Game.

Set.

Match.


17 posted on 07/18/2007 8:42:29 AM PDT by the OlLine Rebel (Common sense is an uncommon virtue.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: PreciousLiberty
Rugged American individualism could hinder our ability to understand other peoples' point of view, a new study suggests.

Yeah, sure. That's why there's all that oppression of other religions going on here.

And in contrast, the researchers found that Chinese are more skilled at understanding other people's perspectives, possibly because they live in a more "collectivist" society.

Sure, that's why people of faith, or people who believe in freedom are not being persecuted there.

:::rolls eyes:::

18 posted on 07/18/2007 8:43:54 AM PDT by MEGoody (Ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Rummenigge

No, it’s just so typical to have America-bashing that we are like the people in Peter crying “Wolf”. We hear so much America-bashing spin that we don’t much listen even to real data, or don’t take to it well.


19 posted on 07/18/2007 8:44:50 AM PDT by the OlLine Rebel (Common sense is an uncommon virtue.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies]

To: the OlLine Rebel
Or was the “director” an innocent who was simply instructed to instruct the “participant” to “move a block” (instructions: “Tell the ‘participant’ EXACTLY these words: ‘Move A block’”) as opposed to “move THE block”.

That was my very first thought also. The directive "move a block" indicates that the director knew there was more than one block and has given the participant a choice, whereas "move the block" suggests that the the director was only aware of one block.

I would also like to know whether the participant could see the director and if so, the director's body language. If the director tells me to "move a block" as he is looking towards the space where the hidden block is located, I may assume that she wants me to move the hidden block even though she can't see it.

20 posted on 07/18/2007 8:53:56 AM PDT by Labyrinthos
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 15 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-52 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson