Cultural Psychology lab

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Emma Buchtel

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Homepage: http://www.psych.ubc.ca/~emmab

Research Interests:In general, I am interested in "cultural clashes" at the individual level: what happens when you think someone should act/feel one way, but due to cultural influences, they act/feel differently? My research focuses primarily on discovering differences between North America and East Asia, and on how we "deal" with the differences we encounter. How does your culture affect your judgments of the best decision-making method (logic or educated intuition); what you should be motivated by (personal enjoyment or doing your duty); or how you should behave across different situations (consistently or appropriately)? And how do we react to learning about these differences?

In the Heine lab, one major project is on cultural differences in beliefs about the causes of behavior. In individualistic cultures like North America, individual personality seems really important. But how important are personality traits in explaining behavior in non-North American cultures? We’ve done research in Japan and Vancouver on the topic, and are now working with Dr. Jeremy Biesanz on a longitudinal study.

I am also working with Dr. Ara Norenzayan. Please take a stroll over to the Norenzayan website for more.

Publications

• Heine, S. J., Buchtel, E. E., & Norenzayan, A. (2008). What do cross-national comparisons of personality traits tell us? The case of conscientiousness. Psychological Science, 19:4, 309-313.

• Buchtel, E.E. & Norenzayan, A. (in press). Which should you use, intuition or logic? Cultural differences in injunctive norms about reasoning. Asian Journal of Social Psychology.

• Buchtel, E. E. & Norenzayan, A. (in press). Thinking across cultures: Implications for dual processes. In J. Evans & K. Frankish, (Eds.), In two minds: Dual processes and beyond. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

• Heine, S. J. & Buchtel, E. E. (in press). Personality: The Universal and the Culturally Specific. Annual Review of Psychology, 60.

• Buchtel, E.E. & Heine, S.J. (2007). Cultural Psychology. In D. S. Clark (Ed.), Encyclopedia of Law and Society: American and Global Perspectives (Section IX). Thousand Oaks: Sage Publications.

• Buchtel, E.E. (in press). Methodology and Current Research Directions in Cross-Cultural Conflict Resolution. In L. Biukovic & P. B. Potter (Eds.), International Trade and Selective Adaptation.

Presentations

• Buchtel, E. E. (February, 2009). Principled Moral Relativism. Poster to be presented at the SPSP Annual Meeting, Tampa, FL, USA.

• Buchtel, E. E. (February, 2008). A sense of obligation: Cultural differences in the feelings associated with social obligations. Poster presented at the SPSP Annual Meeting, Albuquerque, NM, USA.

• Buchtel, E. E. & Norenzayan, A. (May, 2007). Multiculturalism and stereotyping: The effect of learning about cultural psychology on attitudes toward cultural groups. Poster presented at the Western Psychological Association Annual Meeting, Vancouver, B.C., Canada.

• Buchtel, E.E. (January, 2007). Cultural sensitivity without stereotyping? The effect of learning about cultural psychology on attitudes toward cultural groups. Poster accepted for presentation at the SPSP Annual Meeting, Memphis, TN, USA.

• Buchtel, E.E. (January, 2006). Cultural differences in Need for Cognition: Is Holistic thinking effortful? Poster presented at the Cultural Psychology Preconference, SPSP Annual Meeting, Palm Springs, CA., USA.

• Buchtel, E.E. & Norenzayan, A. (January, 2005). Rule-based vs. Intuitive Reasoning: Which is more reasonable? Culture, Reasoning style, & Values. Poster presented at the SPSP Annual Meeting, New Orleans, LA., USA.

• Buchtel, E.E. (August, 2004). Religiosity and self-construal: Interdependence in an individualistic culture. Poster presented at the 28th International Congress of Psychology, Beijing, China.

• Buchtel, E.E. & Norenzayan, A. (July, 2004). Analytic and holistic reasoning: Who’s reasonable? Culture and  attitudes towards different reasoning styles. Poster presented at the Mind, Culture and Evolution Conference (1st UBC Summer Symposium), Vancouver, B.C., Canada.