Mind map

Author: (American) Richard Nisbett / Li Xiuxia
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-03-14
Features: A classic work exploring the differences between Eastern and Western thinking, with a preface by renowned economist Wang Dingding. Bridging the East-West cultural divide, showing how to seek common ground and share a platform in a global context! The significant differences in Asian and Western thinking revealed by the social psychology experiments led by Richard Nisbett support the consensus that everyone possesses roughly the same cognitive abilities. — Wang Dingding, Renowned Economist
Most people believe that the way of thinking about the world is fundamentally the same. Nisbett challenges this view based on his research, which has been widely recognized among cognitive scientists. — Howard Gardner, Author of The Structure of Mind
For a long time, I have been following Richard Nisbett's pioneering research on culture and cognition. After so many fascinating experiments, challenging assumptions, and intense debates, it is now time for Nisbett to share his thoughts and findings with the world. The Geography of Thought is an excellent contribution! — Dan Sperber, Author of Interpretation of Cultures
Why are Chinese people good at arithmetic but weak in geometry, while ancient Greeks in the Euclidean era were the opposite? Why do Western babies learn nouns faster than verbs, while East Asians are quite different? How will these perceptual differences affect future international politics? Is Francis Fukuyama's "end of history" or Samuel Huntington's "clash of civilizations" more reasonable?
Through some ingenious experiments, Professor Nisbett draws some astonishing conclusions: Easterners emphasize context and the relationships between things, while Westerners focus on concrete objects and ignore the connection to the context. In short: "Westerners see the trees, Easterners see the forest."
The ways of thinking in the East and West are so different. How can we think as others think in communication? The experimental results in this book are very valuable for reference.
From feng shui to cosmology, from comparative linguistics to economic history, a cultural divide separates the descendants of Aristotle and the descendants of Confucius. However, in today's globalized era, cross-cultural understanding and cooperation between the East and West are particularly important. Through broad knowledge and an open perspective, this book builds a significant bridge for cultural communication between Eastern and Western people.