Essentializing the binary self: individualism and collectivism in cultural neuroscience
M Martínez Mateo1, M Cabanis, J Stenmanns
1Department of Philosophy, Goethe University Frankfurt Frankfurt am Main, Germany.
Frontiers in Human Neuroscience
|June 27, 2013
Summary
Cultural neuroscience research often uses simplistic "individualistic vs. collectivistic" models, potentially perpetuating Eurocentric biases. This perspective critiques these essentialist assumptions in neuroimaging studies of self-views.
Area of Science:
- Cultural Neuroscience
- Cognitive Neuroscience
- Cross-Cultural Psychology
Background:
- Emerging research in cultural neuroscience (CN) investigates neural correlates of self-views.
- Many studies adopt essentialist assumptions from classic cross-cultural psychology, notably Markus and Kitayama (1991).
- These assumptions are uncritically applied within functional neuroimaging research.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze recent publications and conference proceedings in cultural neuroscience.
- To problematize the essentialist and simplistic understanding of "culture" in neuroimaging studies.
- To critique the binary structure of cultural comparisons and their Eurocentric underpinnings.
Main Methods:
- Perspective article analyzing existing literature.
- Review of publications and conference proceedings (18th Annual Meeting of the Organization for Human Brain Mapping, 2012).
- Critical discourse analysis of cultural comparisons in neuroimaging.
Main Results:
- Identified uncritical adoption of essentialist assumptions in cultural neuroscience.
- Highlighted the simplistic and binary nature of "Western" vs. "Eastern" self-view comparisons.
- Raised concerns about Eurocentrism and potential orientalist argumentation patterns.
Conclusions:
- The essentialist and binary approach to culture in neuroscience is problematic.
- Critiques are needed to move beyond simplistic cultural dichotomies in neuroimaging.
- Future research should address potential postcolonial and orientalist implications.
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