The burgeoning field of cultural
neuroscience is finding that culture influences brain development, and perhaps
vice versa.
(November, 2010) When an American thinks about whether he is
honest, his brain activity looks very different than when he thinks about
whether another person is honest, even a close relative. That’s not true for
Chinese people. When a Chinese man evaluates whether he is honest, his brain
activity looks almost identical to when he is thinking about whether his mother
is honest.
That finding — that American and
Chinese brains function differently when considering traits of themselves
versus traits of others (Neuroimage, Vol. 34, No. 3) — supports behavioral
studies that have found that people from collectivist cultures, such as China,
think of themselves as deeply connected to other people in their lives, while
Americans adhere to a strong sense of individuality.
The study also shows the power of
cultural neuroscience, the growing field that uses brain-imaging technology to
deepen the understanding of how environment and beliefs can shape mental
function. Barely heard of just five years ago, the field has become a vibrant
area of research, and the University of Michigan, the University of California,
Los Angeles, and Emory University have created cultural neuroscience centers.
In addition, in April a cultural neuroscience meeting at the University of
Michigan attracted such psychology luminaries as Hazel Markus, PhD, Michael
Posner, PhD, Steve Suomi, PhD, and Claude Steele, PhD, to discuss their work in
the context of cultural neuroscience.