1. Nisbett argues that each ecology peculliar to the location has
affected the sociality in Greece and China(34). Have you ever thought
that your childhood (your surroundings, parents, friends) has formed
your present sociality?
2. In this chapter, Nisbett compares how China and Greek differently
take approaches toward education (30-31). What is an education for
you, regarding those two perspectives? Explain specifically based on
your expereience!
3. The field dependence refers to the extent to which "perception of an object
is influenced by the background or environment in which it appears," (42) and the
affected the sociality in Greece and China(34). Have you ever thought
that your childhood (your surroundings, parents, friends) has formed
your present sociality?
2. In this chapter, Nisbett compares how China and Greek differently
take approaches toward education (30-31). What is an education for
you, regarding those two perspectives? Explain specifically based on
your expereience!
3. The field dependence refers to the extent to which "perception of an object
is influenced by the background or environment in which it appears," (42) and the
aptness of each kinds of people in their social actions (43-44).
Do you consider yourself as field dependent or independent? Explain.
Bye CD!
Group 2 Leaders:
Yurika Hitachi
Nozomi Shiraishi
Hiroki Ando
I would like to comment on Q.3
ReplyDeleteI think I am very² field dependent minded person because I consider appropriateness as an important value.What I mean by this is that, I consider a person or an object is at its excellence when it fits perfectly with the environment. And the opposite would turn it into its most senseless and ugliest state.
For example, a yukata would look the most appropriate and beautiful when we go to the Bon odori festival (Japanese traditional dance festival often taken place in summer time).
The word ‘appropriate’ might sound a little educational and not very comfortable, but in my opinion, if something is appropriate, that is not because somebody has made a rule that makes it so, but because it is shared among many people that it is the best match with the environment or the occasion.
So my perception of an object is largely influence by the background and I think most of people share this kind of sense too.
For Q1,
ReplyDeleteI think my ballet school has had a significant impact on my current sociality.
My ballet school put great importance on cooperation. In creating a performance, there are many scenes where every dancer in the back align perfectly and dance together. My ballet teacher claimed that we are not to cooperate only when we were dancing but also when we were not dancing, for example, when we make our costumes for a performance and when we clean our studio. Also, we were told to help each other and care for each other. We would help when someone cannot figure out steps, when someone spilled juice on the floor, and when someone seemed feeling down. By following the belief, I came to look around myself more and became aware of people around me. I sometimes be too considerate of others aside from my feeling. Though I often feel that I need to change it .
For question3,
ReplyDeleteFor me, education was a route to power and wealth. When I was a junior high school student, I studied hard in order to enter the Nagano Nishi high school. When I was a high school student, I studied hard to enter university. I wanted to enter the “good” high school, and wanted to enter the “good” university. But my thought has been changing day by day now. Now I just want to study or research what I want to know. My perspective on education is similar to Greek education now.
@Nanako
ReplyDeleteIt is just amazing how you are able to care about others because of your experience as a youth!
I think it is exactly right about your ballet teacher's point that you do not find every cooperation only on the stage, but also in the back stage where there are all other kinds of works that support each and every performance. I play in a band, and I see a lot of people, other than my band members, contributing to the performance like those who work on lighting, sound adjustment, audiences and lots of others.
I am not in any position to say this but, I personally think you will find that ability that your able to have respect towards others while communicating, very useful in the future!!
Thanks for your comment!
@Nozomi Obinata
ReplyDeleteYes, I just feel the way you feel.
Another example in which Japanese people tend to consider the appropriateness is how they usually are "supposed to" read between the lines in conversations, group discussions, or at any other places where they have to consider what others may be thinking towards them because of what they have said or done. When someone distorts the flow, that person is considered a person who is not able to adjust to the space (people and conversation). Therefore, in that way, I think it is natural or even inevitable to feel that way.
Thank you for your comment!
I will like to answer to question #2.
ReplyDeleteI am more of the Westerners way of thinking than the Asians in the thought of education. I do agree that people can get power and wealth from education, but I think that is not the main point for us to go to school. I think school is a great place where students can learn many things other than things like history facts, math skills, and so on. At school, there are a lot of people who has different ways of thinking. Everyone has their own background, customs, and beliefs. I think it is important to take in what others think, and have a broader view of the world. In the book, it explains the Greeks thoughts by saying, “The drive toward education was apparently the result of curiosity and a belief in the value of knowledge for its own sake.” I totally agree to this.
When I went to a school in America, there were many students with different background. This gave me the education by teaching me things thant can not be learned from a text book. For example, how it is natural for everyone to have a different ways of thinking, and how to live as a good human being.
Therefore, education is not all about memorizing things and getting good grades. We should always be curious about things. School is a special place for us to have a broader view of the world.
2. In this chapter, Nisbett compares how China and Greek differently
ReplyDeletetake approaches toward education (30-31). What is an education for
you, regarding those two perspectives? Explain specifically based on
your expereience!
I would like to answer question #2.
Western education views education as a tool for understanding, evaluating, and assessing people who have contradicting ideas and cultures from one's own, and determining what is right from what is not.
On the other hand, Eastern views regard education as a tool for compromise and building agreements.
I agree with the assumption that the Western viewpoint developed due to its geographic location, where many people with different backgrounds all assembled and expressed their own ideas in order to put forward choices that would be most advantageous for themselves.
In a way, the world today is an enlargement of ancient Greece; the modern globalized society is a melting pot of diverse cultures, ideas, and people where every participant is eager to maximize their own economic and/or political power.
Thus, an education that encourages such activity that include things like increasing skills of critical analysis, presentation, logic, debate and discussion continues to be necessary. In fact, perhaps there is increased need for such education. And I think the content of such education is closely related with what we have just studied in Meiland and the function of college.
However, I also believe that the skill to compromise and choosing the "Middle Way" is equally important.
Today, the economically advanced states practically seize most of the power in the world. Even in the UN, where each and every country essentially have equal rights in expressing opinions at conferences and making decisions, in reality the five most "powerful" states---U.S., U.K., France, Russia, and China---or in other words, the Security Council, have the ultimate authority to decide. When very important issues are considered and there is a demand for an agreement to be reached, all five states MUST agree in order to put forth that agreement. But each of the five member states have "veto power", the right to oppose to that presented argument. This makes it veeeeeery difficult for agreements to be reached. For example, Taiwan has very active and independent economic systems with differing perspectives than that of China, but it cannot gain independence as a state and join the UN, even if the U.S., England, Russia and France agree. Because China---only one state!---would veto the idea.
Anyway, my point is that, there is a great need for a more agreement-based awareness in the world today. Instead of a realism-based concept of the world where individuals pursue their own interests and power, individuals must be more cooperative in trying to reach fair agreements and decisions in the future. And this begins in education. In short terms, I think a form of "Eastern Education" should be integrated into the Western form of education today. Critical analysis based on agreement, is what I think we must work towards achieving in order to make a better world.
Naoko
I would like to answer Question 3.
ReplyDeleteI have thought that how my childhood has formed my present sociality, but I do not think my surroundings, parents, and friends give me enormous impact to form my present sociality. I have this idea because of three reasons: my sisters and a brother are very different even we are raised in a similar environment, my mother told me that my sociality ware same since I was little, and I had not many chance to get impact from same people except my family because I had moved a lot.
First, I have two younger sisters and one younger brother, and we grow in similar circumstances, but we are different in many ways. For example, my first younger sister and my younger brother are introversive, but my second sister and I are sociable. Moreover, my second younger sister and my younger brother are sensitive to others’ feelings, but my first younger sister and I do not care much about others. Second, my mother had told me that I am sociable but do not like to stay in one group since I was in kindergarten. Lastly, I had moved about ten times, so it was hard to keep in touch with same people for a long time. I know that sometimes times do matter to change people but still I think I had not met anyone who changes my sociality.
Therefore I do not think my childhood affect for forming my present sociality.
Thanks for your comment Moeka!
ReplyDeleteI agree to the Western way of thinking than the Asian way of thinking too! There are many things that we could learn in schools other than memorizing facts. When I went to high school in the United States, there were many students with different religions, backgrounds, beliefs and looks. As you said, this experience taught me many different ways of thinking, perspectives, and life styles. Moreover, definitely, these ideas could not be taught by text books.
Furthermore, I think ICU is one of those universities that are similar to my schools in America. Everyone has different backgrounds and we could learn many things from other students by communicating. For example, in our ELP class, some has experiences in foreign country and some don’t. Moreover, even people who have never went to abroad, they all came from different places in Japan. As you said, Schools including ICU are special places for us to have broader view of the world.
Question #2
ReplyDeleteI used to think education as a discipline. I always thought elementary, middle, high school and college were just mandatory educations. Even though, high school and college are not compulsory in Japan, but I never though about taking the other options. I always liked to play sports outside, or play games at home with my friends and education felt like it was forced upon me. I did not like to study, but I had to because I knew that without getting educations, I cannot get a job I wanted. However, in high school, I realized how fun education can be. The high school education got me interested in world history, ethics, and geography; things I never knew. Education opened my mind to new things and gave me more options. Now, education is not an obligatory thing, it is more of pursuing interests.
To Yumi
ReplyDeleteThanks for your comment:) It was really interesting to know how you think your childhood circumstance had not influenced your sociality today.
I have a brother, too, and like you and your brothers and sisters, we are totally different from each other. For example, I like talking to people while my brother likes to spend his time alone. However, we have similarities that we don't realize for ourselves. When I first met my brother's friends, they said that we are so different that they didn't think my brother and I are siblings. However, as my brother's friends and I became clos friends, they said that we have small similarities, such as the way we nod.
Maybe you and your brother and sisters might have simliarities that you don't recognize.
I will answer Question 1
ReplyDeleteI don’t think my childhood has formed my present sociality. We have discussed about the constant change in chapter one and I believe in the existence of change. People’s insides change too. For example, a kid who speaks a lot grows up and he or she could be a very quiet person. From my experience, I used to prefer to belong in a certain group of friends when I was little, and always hanging out with same members. I felt uncomfortable when I was left out of the group. But eventually I changed and right now I do not prefer to belong in a certain group of friends. I enjoy meeting different kind of people and also sometimes being alone is quite important for me. So I think there are little connection between how I spend my childhood and my present society.
I would like to answer question #2.
ReplyDeleteI think western education is closer to my ideal than the Chinese education.
Before I entered university I did not like studying at all. That is because people around me always told me to study hard or get good grades and go to a good university. I thought their beliefs were not wrong because my friends were told the same thing. However, my thoughts to studying and education completely changed as I entered university. Almost all students in ICU have a goal they want to accomplish and they made a goal by their own wills. They are motivated by their curiosity and I was surprised to know that because I never had a chance to think about what I was interested in. At present I am interested in service learning. In service learning you will do volunteers with many people in local communities or abroad. By participating in service learning I want to see the world I do not know and be a responsible global citizen who can utilize the experience.
Because I studied hard until I entered university I was able to enter ICU. If I did not study hard, it was impossible for me to find a goal for myself. Therefore, I think education starts boring and easy but as you get older education becomes more interesting and hard.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteSorry for commenting this time.
ReplyDeleteI'd like to answer question #1.
I think my childhood had a influence on my current sociality.
I went to a kindergarten where used Montessori method,which emphasizes sponaiety of children. My parents was careful not to spoil me too much because I was their only child before I became 6 years old. Because of these, I became rather independent than cooperative,though I learned the importance of harmony after entering elementary school. So,I think my sociality is closer to Greek one. Sometimes I am scolded for going my own way and deciding everything before consultation with others,so I guess I should become more cooperative..
@Saki
ReplyDeleteHey, great point there about the "change" in the previous chapter, and I understand that we never stop changing as we see, listen to, experience and etc many different things everyday because we import those pieces of information in ourselves, which make us different than those of yesterday, so it is not always the case that you are social because you just had been in the past.
However, if you were to put your childhood experience into what I just mentioned in last sentence, it is possible that there may have been some factor that caused your change in personality, and that factor maybe the element I mean in the question. I am not forcing you at all, but it might be interesting to reconsider on this!:)
Thank you for your comment!
@Nozomi
ReplyDeleteHey! Parents should definitely be one big variable of many and it is quite interesting that the educational system at your kindergarten has affected your sociality in sort of an opposite way than I have expected, if I am not mistaken about what Montessori method refers to.
I just looked Montessori method up on the dictionary, and found that it declares the liberty of children's mind, so I thought that there should have been more choices rather than making decisions by yourself because you are given the choice to talk to your friends. Or is it the actual method that made you think by yourself and make decisions on your own??
Anyways, I am not even your advisor or anything, but it seems you have become independent without realizing so. It is just amazing that you are already an independent thinker because when a problem starts to circulate in my brain, no other great idea will pop up and it makes me rely on others :p. If you have problems with anything, talk to any of us!! :)
Thank you for your comment!
By the way, I am not sure which Nozomi you are ahahaha XD
Really, thank you though!
Thanks for your comment Naoko!
ReplyDeleteI agree to how you think that the world today is an enlargement of ancient Greek. The world became globalized and it became easier for people to move to other countries, share ideas, and communicate. Sharing own ideas and critically thinking will be more necessary.
And I understand your examples about the Security Council and how it is important to have skills to compromise and choosing the “Middle Way”. It was a really good example but do you have any examples from your personal experience like in abroad? When did you feel that the skill to compromise and choosing the "Middle Way" is equally important in your life?
Moreover, your idea of integrating Eastern Education in the Western form is great! I never have thought about that but I think that could be better education!
Thanks for your comment Yukie!
ReplyDeleteWhen I was a child, I hated to study too! I didn’t understand why teachers were forcing me to read thick books, and learn Kanji. I always could not wait until afterschool to play with my friends. But for me, after moving to the United States changed my ideas. I realized how it’s interesting to study world history, biology, and many subjects with my friends. Education is not a method for me to gain a power and wealth but a way to give me broad views and pursue interests. So, what is an education of ICU for you? Do you study in ICU to pursue your interests?
Thank you for your comment Ryohta!
ReplyDeleteWhen I was a child, I remember my mother used to ask me all the time whether I did my homework before I do something. As you said, my parents and relatives were like yours. They always asked me about my homework and grades. Especially my relatives only cared about how much my school is popular and high level. Therefore, I never thought about university as a place to pursue their interests. I thought it was place to gain high skills for professional career and gain status. However, now I don’t think that way. I am really interested to learning psychology and many activities. I am glad that I am in ICU and consequently, I agree to your idea!
To Yuriko
ReplyDeleteThanks for your comment:)
I used to think the same way about education as you did when you were in high school and now I think the same way as you do right now. In high school, I used to think entering good school would lead me to become rich, and that was my only reason to study. But now, I am willing to study, because I am actually enjoying it. I thought the reason for this by myself, and I found out that I couldn’t understand why we had to memorize facts when we were in high school. I tried so hard to memorize history texts and math formulas, but I thought memorizing facts wouldn’t mean anything and especially, it was really boring. But now in ICU, where we have to think in order to look for answers, thinking critically would be useful in our future. I thought that would be the reason why now I think differently about education than I used to do when I was in high school.
I would like to comment on Q.3.
ReplyDeleteI think that I'm a field dependent person.
How to act and to think are greatly influenced by environment.
This is like having double characteristics, but in fact, my way of thinking changes depending on if I'm in Japan or in the US (or if I speak Japanese or English).
For example, when I was in the US, I don't have any difficulties to say my opinions since it is important for American to speak up one's ideas. I'm comfortable to have a discussion over some controversial issues with others those who have different opinions from mine. I love debates, and greatly enjoy that kind of activities when I'm in the US (or speak English).
However, this is not the case when I'm in Japan and speak Japanese.
When I speak Japanese, I'm more careful to other people's feelings. Stating my own idea is not as much important as in the US, and I'd rather try to understand what others think or trying to say so that I can understand them without asking them to speak up their opinions clearly. Being polite and respectful is more important aspect for Japanese.
In this way, different thinking process occurs depending on environment or use of languages.
Every time I try to explain about this different thinking process to my friends (they can't speak the second languages), they can't understand what I mean. Some people are even very surprised to hear me speaking English and say, “Kanako! You are very different from when you speak Japanese!” and the like. In fact, I use a different way of thinking because if languages change, then there is different culture behind it, and my personal cultural experienced behind each language is also different from one another.
To Kanako
ReplyDeleteThanks for your comment:)
When I was reading your comment, I was thinking about today’s discussion in class. Maybe you act and think differently in different country because you are reading the “kuuki”. Because you try to fit in to that certain culture, you might be acting the same way as the people in that culture does.
It was really interesting to know how your friends don’t understand what you meant. For me, it is kind of easy to imagine because I also used to live in US. Even though my way of thinking won’t change between the cultures, I can understand why your thought changed when you are in America and when you are in Japan.
for Question #2
ReplyDeleteMy socialiity has changed over time because of the influences from my surroundings. I can think of many factors that effected my sociality. Some are living in the U.S, coming back to Japan, getting into junior and senior high school in Tokyo (I live in Saitama so it was a distance away from home.), getting into an orchestra club and lastly, coming to ICU and meeting many people who come from different places is the most recent one.
The major effect that constructed the foundation of my present sociality, I think, is spending most of my childhood here in Japan. I was born in Chiba prefecture and was raised in Saitama until I moved to U.S. at the age of nine. I had always lived with my family and went to an elementary school where all the children in my district went. I was having a typical, ‘ordinary’, Japanese life. Out of all the different surroundings I had in Japan, I think that school especially had a great impact on my personality. Japanese elementary schools focus on discipline and rules, and students get moral education so they will not stand out too much in society. The education I got in the Japanese elementary school may be close to the “Industrial Education” that we saw in the Ken Robinson video from the last week’s class. We are not taught to emphasize ourselves so Japanese elementary students may seem to think and act in the same way.
I did not realize these characteristics of my Japanese elementary school until I went to an American one. I was surprised to know that teachers in American schools look at each students as respective individuals and often offer opportunities for them to express and grow their creativity. Unlike Japan, teachers treat students so that each of them would feel like they are special and no one can be replaced with others.
Being taught in a Japanese elementary school made me think that behaving in the same way as others was natural. After that, I had many experiences that changed my sociality, as I raised in the first paragraph. I learned that it is okay to assert myself more and that being different from others was a good thing in many cases. I started to act more in a going-my-way behavior than before. It appears that my present personality is entirely different from when I was in the Japanese elementary school. However, occasionally I feel that it is more comfortable to blend in with the crowd and usually, I am just pretending to be a self confident person. I do not know the reason why, but when that happens, I think that the basic core of my personality has not changed since I was a Japanese-ish child.
I’m sooo sorry for putting up this comment so late!!!!
sorry for answering so late. I will answer NO.1
ReplyDeleteI think that there surely is a big conection between your childhood and sociality because what you have experienced in your yough will psychologicaly affect your humanity and it would be likely to remain for long. As an example, I was bitten by a big dog when I was young. Since then, I can not even get close to dogs. So I think that your childhood is a very important term to build your sociality and humanity.
I think that one’s childhood has a possibility to form a basis of his personality (including sociality). In my experience, I think my parents’ discipline had a great influence on my present sociality. When I was in a kindergarten, I was naughty and not behaving myself in public spaces. My parents disliked my behaviors and scolded at me with some violence at my home after returning from outside. Then I became quiet gradually in public space and now even afraid of speaking against people or hearing someone speaking loudly in public space. I think it is a good example supporting the idea that one’s childhood affect latter sociality.
ReplyDeleteI would like to answer Q1.
ReplyDeleteI guess what most affected to my present sociality are my parents and surroundings. They like out door activities. In fact, I live in corner of Yokohama where there are many rice fields, we often go camping and we were used to have some fields and cultivate some kind of vegetables. Though I do not like any kind of insect, I like nature and I want to get along with nature. I am even considering joining the farming club in ICU. Also, my parents have a huge interest in contacts between different cultures. Therefore, we have putted up many foreigners especially international students. Every time, I heard very interesting stories of abroad and how other countries are different from Japan in many ways. This experience affected me to have a big interest in international communications and I guess this is why I am in ICU now.
I am so sorry that I commented very late :’(
I'm sorry for the late commenting.
ReplyDeleteI'd like to answer #1
I assume that my childhood formed my present sociality. The thing different for me is that I can not state a example of how I was influenced by like the ones above. When I noticed, I was already a person like this. I don't know when I changed or what changed me but I am sure that all of us have been influenced by other people on the way we act or handle things since we do not have any thing else to refere. There must be differences between indivisuals whether childhood has an direct impact on a persons sociality or not, but I think it has infuluenced everyone someway.