[pongeystrhjst]

Westerners vs. the World - Western social science relies on behavioural studies using Western participants. But in matters such as fairness, individualism, conformism, Westerners are outliers by world standards


http://www.nationalpost.com/Westerne...126/story.html

[Adiamant]

Westerners vs. the World - Western social science relies on behavioural studies using Western participants. But in matters such as fairness, individualism, conformism, Westerners are outliers by world standards


http://www.nationalpost.com/Westerne...126/story.html

So I'm a westerner according to this game('cause I would have offered about half)...NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO.

[ClaudeMarkus]

Werry werry innnteresting.

I wonder which "western" countries think otherwise, and which "eastern" countries would actually fit in.

[OccabsLam]

i'm sure "western" means OECD countries, w/ the possible exception of Japan and the Asian tigers

[LypeReexy]

So, no Japan or Argentina but yes Finland? That's pretty fucked up.

[BJEugene]

good

[Enalsebeerkawl]

I've heard about this experiment in my Social Philosophy class. I think I would have offered about 40$. That means I make a good profit (60$) while offering enough to my 'opponent' so as not to offend him and risk losing all the money.

Anyway, I don't get why this seems to come as a surprise to so many people. It has been 'Westerners vs the world' since the 17th century. Our unique mentality is ultimately the source of our relative success, and the division continues to this day.

[QxmFwtlam]

Westerners who having been dominating this world and giving people this lifestyle of their ways like how to use money or to be offered by them a deal on it, peoples ways of thinking to come as a part of it like knowing to use transport. Well most people who are non-Westerners are on averge very well different to Westerners in thinking or just lifestyle.

[viagra-kaufen]

I've heard about this experiment in my Social Philosophy class. I think I would have offered about 40$. That means I make a good profit (60$) while offering enough to my 'opponent' so as not to offend him and risk losing all the money.

Anyway, I don't get why this seems to come as a surprise to so many people. It has been 'Westerners vs the world' since the 17th century. Our unique mentality is ultimately the source of our relative success, and the division continues to this day.

Unfortunately, the "hippy-overly-libertarian and PC" dark-side of this mindset/worldview is also among our biggest candidates for an Achilles heel, IMO!

[WrigleyMike]

On a side note, this is why many immigration/assimilation policies and defence/trade/diplomatic policies in Western countries are either defeatist, self-destructive, condescending or just plain illogical. Many politicians, parties and groups have very little understanding of non-Western minds due to the psychological differences outlined here or due to projection ("the other is the same as me")

[T1ivuQGS]

On a side note, this is why many immigration/assimilation policies and defence/trade/diplomatic policies in Western countries are either defeatist, self-destructive, condescending or just plain illogical. Many politicians, parties and groups have very little understanding of non-Western minds due to the psychological differences outlined here or due to projection ("the other is the same as me")

True. I would add that the reverse is also true; non-Westerners and even many Westerners usually fail to truly understand the nature of the Western mentality or the society it produces. When they take a look at the USA, for example, they see a complacent, decadent nation that has robbed its way to the top, and even worse, a nation that 'has no culture'. What they don't see is its philosophical background of rationalism, empiricism, the Scientific Revolution, the Enlightenment, the Industrial Revolution and postmodernity, all of which have contributed to the creation of a new, unique mindset that is ultimately the cause of the West's past and present success.

[neotheMit]

I think there's a problem with this, and that is the study describes a symptom. It is also a study that lies within the idea of psychology, and so the study itself is "western" in concept, who ever did it.

Now, I'm sure there's some validity to this, and the results are probably true. It is interesting that they have noted the thing about lines, but that has nothing to do with being "western" or not, it is something that can be directly influenced by the immediate environment, which has been shown by many, many experiments in the past (especially concerning the way lines are perceived) and it is something that's true for some animals as well, including some we're not even closely related to.

I think the $100 experiment is a bit vaguely described in the article - of course, the article isn't the same as the study, but did they only ask "westerners" and Machiguenga people? Maybe the Machiguenga just didn't think about it the same way we should do - the premise is that the person who is asked should have a reasonable reason to accept the offer, and this if it's close to fifty-fifty, there's a greater chance that the person would accept it - because there's a good chance that the person would not really need the money (which I think makes a big difference). So, the presumption is that unless the offer is good, there will be a risk that he person will reject the offer, and so the money will be lost. Better to get $50 than nothing.
Thus, it's basically a calculation of the risk involved - and I think the Machiguenga have a whole different idea about the risks, they don't think there's any risk involved, that the person who they offer the money to will accept it no matter what the mount is. Perhaps they have a different attitude towards money, and the value of money, in general. It’s certainly a cultural thing, no doubt about that.

Imagine that you were offered $10,000, a substantial sum, in the same way as above? How much would you share?

Ps. I'm a bit surprised at the people who rejected up to $40, I must say! Unless they just happened to be rich, by chance. I mean, it's free money!

[Assunkkensatt]

Imagine that you were offered $10,000, a substantial sum, in the same way as above? How much would you share?

Half.

[Nfxutkpa]

Imagine that you were offered $10,000, a substantial sum, in the same way as above? How much would you share?

*eastern mode on*

3000 at most,it's a good sum so I doubt I will be refused(by a romanian,or east euro, at least).