Cognitive style and priming cognition.

However, it is not possible to dismiss the salience of cognitive style to the understanding of dominant thought processes in a culture. A great deal of research effort describes societies as relatively individualistic or collectivistic. The work by Cole and his colleagues suggest that cognitive style does not explain everything about cross-cultural differences in thinking processes, but the situational context matters. The traditional assumption about cognitive style is to argue for a direct connection between culture and cognitive processes derived from organized systems of thought that are produced by cultural values. In recent years priming studies has allowed a closer examination of these issues. Priming occurs in an experiment when the researcher prepares the respondent for the experimental task. Priming can either be conceptual by showing stimulus objects that have meaning or perceptual by showing the respondents some pictorial stimuli.

In regard to individualism as a cognitive style the respondent can be asked in what ways he is different from others in his cultural group. Collectivism can likewise be primed by asking the ways he/she is similar to members of his family and cultural group. It would also be possible to submit some test including pronouns and ask the respondent to circle appropriate singular (I) or collective (we or us) pronouns and note the frequency that these are selected as indicators of the influence of individualism and collectivism. When subjects are primed or prepared they are more likely to be sensitive and respond to the relevant stimuli. By priming experimentally it is possible to study cognitive variables believed important to cross-cultural differences in thinking processes. In the past cross-cultural research on cognition produced differences between cultural groups, but without being able to identify which factors were responsible. However, in priming research it is possible to operationalize and manipulate variables by presenting stimuli that appears to be unrelated. Unknown to the participant the first task in the experiment is used to prepare the mind for the remaining tasks required in the study. As noted above it is possible to prime the cultural styles known as individualism and collectivism in a variety of ways and then see if the subjects respond consistent to the prime (Oyserman & Lee, 2007).

In a salient series of studies Oyserman, Sorensen, Reber, and Chen (2009) demonstrated priming effects in several cognitive domains including memory, visual search behavior and academic preparedness test. The Asian and Western participants were primed in their native languages by asking them to circle relevant pronouns. The results showed that the effects of priming were similar regardless of cultural group (Asian or Western) and independent of the language used. The priming was powerful so once a cognitive style (e.g. individualism) has been primed it will be used even for tasks that are not relevant. In a meta-analysis Oyserman and Lee (2007) demonstrated significant and moderate effects of priming on several measures of cognition.

The results lend support to the contention of Cole and his colleagues that thought processes are primarily determined by the situational and pragmatic context. How people think is determined according to Oyserman by the practical requirements of the situational context. He concludes that culture rather than producing fixed immutable ways of thinking offer pragmatic requirements that in turn prime relevant cognition. Differences in cross-cultural thinking are therefore the result of the frequency by which they prime or prepare their members for particular cognitive tasks. From the Oyserman et al perspective differences between cultures in cognition is a result of mind-sets that are chronically assessable, however that are also changeable given a different context with different pragmatic imperatives. From this perspective cognitive differences between cultures are not inherent or fixed, but rather the result of how the environment elicits certain mindsets, and when the environment changes (as we observe from the influence of globalization) cognition will follow.

Date: 2015-01-11; view: 879