WEIRD Minds: Understanding How Culture Shapes Our Thinking, Feeling and Reasoning
FYSEMR 54C
Subject & Catalog Number
Course Information
Description
https://www.popularmechanics.com/science/a33224851/how-many-circles-viral-coffer-illusion/
Do you see squares or circles in the image above? People from societies that are Western, Educated, Industrialized, Rich and Democratic (WEIRD) often see only squares, while those from other societies see only circles. If you squint, you might glimpse the circles between the squares. People from different places literally see the world differently. This, the Coffer illusion, represents the tip of an iceberg of cultural variation in how people across societies think, reason, feel and perceive.
Globally, people from WEIRD societies tend to be more individualistic, self-focused, guilt-ridden, time-concerned, overconfident and trusting of strangers than those from other populations. They also prefer abstract categories in reasoning, ignore backgrounds and contexts, impute dispositional causes to people’s behavior, and emphasize the importance of intentions in making moral judgments.
Through accessible readings, small-group conversations, guest lectures, classroom experiments, and illustrative videos, we’ll explore the latest research on human psychological variation and its origins in history, institutions, family organizations, technologies, and languages. In our assignments and discussions, we’ll challenge this research and consider its implications for economics, business, politics, law, society and the future.
NOTE: This seminar will meet Wednesdays, 9:30am-11:45am in MCZ 535A
Class Notes
First-Year Seminars are available only to first-year students. You may apply to both Fall 2026 and Spring 2027 First-Year Seminars via the FYS lottery between July 6 and August 6, 2026 at 11:59PM-midnight.
You may apply to as many seminars each term as you would like, but we recommend you apply to at least six in fall and three in spring.
As part of your application, you must provide a brief statement on why you are interested in each seminar. You will be notified of lottery results for both fall and spring seminars at 5 pm on August 11. If you are unsuccessful in the lottery, you may still join any seminar with open seats. A list of open seminars and instructions on next steps will be available on the First-Year Seminar Program website August 11 at 12 Noon.
Not Available for Cross Registration
