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On Human Universals – Season 2 Episode 3
Feb 10, 2025
Asifa Majid, a cognitive science professor at the University of Oxford, joins forces with neurocognitive psychologist Rasha Abdel Rahman for a captivating discussion. They tackle the complexities of human intelligence and the impact of culture on cognition. The duo critiques the Western bias in psychological research, advocating for a broader view of intelligence that incorporates language and cultural nuances. They reveal how native languages shape sensory perceptions and cognitive strategies, urging a celebration of diversity in understanding human experience.
17:20
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Quick takeaways
- Cognitive science must consider diverse cultural influences, as psychological studies often over-rely on a narrow Western demographic, leading to flawed universal conclusions.
- Language shapes cognition uniquely, with bilingual experiences demonstrating that distinct linguistic categories influence perception and cognitive capabilities across different cultures.
Deep dives
The Influence of Culture on Cognitive Processes
Cognitive science encompasses various disciplines that examine how culture and language shape human perception and intelligence. Researchers emphasize that existing psychological studies often rely on a narrow demographic of participants, typically from Western, educated, industrialized, rich, and democratic backgrounds. This limited sampling can lead to misleading conclusions about universal human experiences by ignoring cultural influences on cognition. For instance, assuming individuals from diverse geographical regions share identical perceptions of concepts such as warmth or coldness ignores the significant role that contextual factors play in shaping understanding.
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