"Geography of Thought" Discussion Questions from Group7 ( Chapter 7)

1. (Page166-167) Nisbett claims that Easterners have a "lack of interest in logic" and rely more on "sense impressions and common sense." On the other hand, he says that Westerners are more concerned with logic. Do you agree with this difference between Easterners and Westerners? Please support your opinion by giving examples.

2. (Page176) Nisbett argues that Westerners are often unaware of their strong commitment to their logical principles, such as "law of identity" and "law of noncontradiction." Regarding the Eastern "dialecticism," how do you think the Westerner's "unawareness" can affect intercultural communication?

3.(Page189) Do you tend to believe in the American way that skills are what you have or don't, and it is a quality that is fixed? Or do you think in the Asian way that anyone can learn to do math if one is under the "right circumstances" and put in enough effort? What experience makes you think so?


Group leaders:
Miki Kawate
Miyuki Shinohara

"Geography of Thought" Discussion Questions from Group6 (Chapter6)

(1) What did you think goes with the cow (P.141)? The chicken or the grass? What do you think causes the difference in the way Western people and Asians think? (History, influence from other cultures, etc.) Please write reasons.

(2) How do you think people from different cultural and linguistic backgrounds, such as the Western culture, which focuses on objects and categories, and the Eastern culture, which focuses on relationships and context, would reach a mutual understanding of each other?

(3) In chapter 6, Nisbett defines two different types of grouping objects between the Westerners and the Easterners. However, why do you think it is important to even define such a thing? In other words, do you think there will be any intercultural misunderstanding or preconception due to these different ways of grouping object?

Group Leaders:

Yuto Esaki

Ema Yamamoto

Shuntaro Seki

"Geography of Thought" Discussion Questions from Group5 (Chapter5)

1) In a case of murder like p.111, which way would you consider, the Asian way (situational factors) or the Western way (attitudes and traits)? Give reasons for why you think that way.

2) When dealing with historical events which do you prefer, the Japanese way (emphasizing the historical person's feelings) or the American way (emphasizing the outcomes)? Give reasons to support your answer.

3) On p.120 Nisbett states that "Americans regard personalities as relatively fixed and Asians regard them as more malleable." Do you agree or disagree? Use specific reasons to support your answer.

Group Leaders:
Chisato Nakao
Uka O'hara
Hanna Otani

"Geography of Thought" Discussion Questions from Group4 (Chapter4)

1.Westners believe that their future will move continuously in a single　direction;from bad to good.East Asians expect their lives to change;from bad to good to bad or　from good to bad to good.Which idea do you believe in? Why? Give your own experience.

Pg.82 "Westerners have an analytic view focusing on...".Have you ever feel that we easterners have a holistic view focusing on continuities in substances and relationships in the environment?
If you have, what made you feel that way?

3.There is a indication that the idea of "Westerners" that one can control one's surroundings is "illusion".(pg100-101)
Do you agree or disagree with this indication? And why do you think that way?

Group Leaders:
Emi Fujiwara
Misa Takehira
Kohtaro Nagawa

"Geography of Thought" Discussion Questions from Group 3 (ch3)

1. "In contrast to the Asian practice..." (p55-56). Here, Nisbett talks about the different ways of teaching in US/Canada and China/Japan. When you were younger, in which way were you taught? How has it affected the way you are today?

2. pg.63 "Hampden-Turner and Trompenaars asked the managers...but in which everyone works together". Which one would you choose? Why do you think that way? What kind of experience have you had that influenced your answer?

3. On pg. 73, Nisbett explains the word awase. Give an example of an awase and give its merits and demerits.



Group Leaders:
Yu Kominami
Naoko Inadome
Madoka Kubota

"Geography of thought" discussion Questions from Group2 (Chapter2)

1. If you were "confronted with apparent contradiction,"(pg 45) would you try to seek the Middle Way or would you insist on debating for the "correctness of one belief vs another"? Which approach do you think is better when making a decision for the society?

2. "We might expect to find differences in: Beliefs about controllability of the environment, with Westerners believing in controllability more than Easterners."(pg 44, 45)
Do you agree with this statement? Explain why or why not using examples.

3. On page 41, it says that "・・・the history of Europe had created a new sort of person-one who conceived of individuals as separate from the larger community and who thought in terms of imbued with freedom."
Give an example of a historical event in Japan which affected the characteristics of the personality of a Japanese individual.


Group Leaders:
Saori Matsuoka
Yoko Hanaki
Ayaka Yahagi

"Geography of Thought" Discussion Questions from Group1 (Chapter1)

1, On page 3, Nisbett talks about how the Greeks respect the individual and on page 5, how the Chinese respect authority and family. But in modern times, this may not be the case. Have you ever felt a time when Asians are not as Nisbett described in this chapter? If so, how? And why did you feel that way?

2, Which way of life would you rather choose between the Greeks (individuality) or the Chinese (harmony) and why?

3, On page 23, Nisbett says that "feng shui" (Chinese practice which considers relationships among any given things and balances the energies for better life.) still continued in the East.
Do you believe in "feng shui" and why or why not?

Group Leaders:
Emi Arakawa
Ryoko Hiroi
Haru Yabumoto