Emotion perception and recognition: An exploration of cultural differences and similarities

The electroencephalogram (EEG) is a powerful method for investigation of different cognitive processes. Recently, EEG analysis became very popular and important, with classification of these signals standing out as one of the mostly used methodologies. Emotion recognition is one of the most challenging tasks in EEG analysis since not much is known about the representation of different emotions in EEG signals. In addition, inducing of desired emotion is by itself difficult, since various individuals react differently to external stimuli (audio, video, etc.). In this article, we explore the task of emotion recognition from EEG signals using distance-based time-series classification techniques, involving different individuals exposed to audio stimuli. Furthermore, since some of the participants in the experiment do not understand the language of the stimuli, we also investigate the impact of language understanding on emotion perception. Using time-series distances as features for the construction of new data representations, applied here for the first time to emotion recognition and related tasks, lead to excellent classification performance, indicating that differences between EEG signals can be used to build successful models for recognition of emotions, individuals, and other related tasks. In the process, we observed that cultural differences between the subjects did not have a significant impact on the recognition tasks and models.     

Dynamic self‐representation of interdependent Chinese: The effect of bicultural experience

The process of globalisation has increased the opportunity for Chinese individuals to utilise influences from other cultures that differ from their own collectivistic culture. The explorations of the impact of acculturation on Chinese individuals' self‐construals have become intriguing. Thus, we recruited German‐Chinese (N = 192) people who live in Germany and had direct bicultural experiences, as well as Mainland‐Chinese (N = 192) people who live in Mainland China and had internalised a second culture through more indirect means of exposure. We investigated their accessibility to both interdependent and independent cultural frameworks using temporal self‐construal priming. The results showed that priming effects were observed in both cultural groups. However, the self‐construals of the German‐Chinese participants were more flexible than those of Mainland‐Chinese under self‐construal priming. Also, the results suggested that women were easier to be influenced by direct bicultural experiences, due to their private and collective self were different between the two cultures. These findings provide evidence regarding the opinion that individuals could use influences from more than one culture. More importantly, these results suggest that the acculturation induced by direct bicultural experiences facilitates cultural frame switching.     

传统儒学现代化的一次努力——以梁漱溟的理论和实践为个案的研究

梁漱溟从文化比较的角度 ,以不同于启蒙理性的新思路 ,分析了现代性中的传统、现代化的多元倾向和从民族传统中挖掘现代性资源的重要性。他以传统儒学为基础 ,用佛学和西方哲学对儒学经典进行了现代诠释 ,讨论了儒家传统资源在现代国家和社会建设中可能有的意义。他的乡村建设实验试图重建农村的礼俗机制并导入科学技术 ,以造成儒学复兴的社会基础 ,把寻求传统文化价值的空间 ,从书斋引向社会 ,把传统儒学的道德实践转化为包括经济活动在内的社会整体实践 ,从而扩大了儒学的实践性。     

论心理学与文化关系

心理学与文化之间的关系历来是心理学研究中所关注的核心问题,也是根本问题。考察与探究心理学与文化之间关系,可关联和涉及到心理学的新视野、新领域、新理论、新方法。心理学与文化心之间关系走过了一条复杂而又深刻的道路。深入考察与解读心理学与文化之间不同历史阶段的不同关系,其中折射的不仅仅是心理学研究思维和方法论的根本转变,更重要的也是心理学科学观的深刻变革。     

When is peer rejection justifiable? Children's understanding across two cultures

This study investigated how Korean (N = 397) and U.S. (N = 333) children and adolescents (10 and 13 years of age) evaluated personality (aggression, shyness) and group (gender, nationality) characteristics as a basis for peer rejection in three contexts (friendship rejection, group exclusion, victimization). Overall, peer rejection based on group membership was viewed as more unfair than peer rejection based on personality traits. Children viewed friendship rejection as more legitimate than group exclusion or victimization and used more personal choice reasoning for friendship rejection than for rejection in any other context. Although there were a few cultural differences, overall, the findings provided support for the cultural generalizability of social reasoning about peer rejection.     

Getting off on the right foot: The role of openness to experience in fostering initial trust between culturally dissimilar partners

Cross-cultural partnerships can provide a competitive edge for organizations, but also hinder trust between individuals, and thus the flow of diverse knowledge that facilitates positive organizational outcomes. We investigate whether openness to experience (openness, in short) protects against lower trust in cross-cultural partnerships by weakening the effect of cultural diversity on trust formation processes (defined by perceived similarity and trustworthiness, serially). We randomly assigned White, American participants to partners from either the same or different (i.e., Chinese) cultural background. After introductions, participants rated their partner’s similarity and trustworthiness, and played a game assessing behavioral trust. Openness was measured 3–7 days prior. People high (versus low) on openness were more trusting towards culturally dissimilar partners because they perceived them as more similar, and thus more trustworthy.