Nisbett Book Review

An academic-style critical book review is meant to be a critical appraisal of a book or article. This does not mean to only criticize the text, but to critically exam the arguments and strengths and weakness of the book overall and then present either a positive or negative review.

In one or more paragraphs (300-400 words), give your critique of the book. Your overall critique should be supported by using examples from the book, your opinion, author bias or objectivity and other such factors and end with support for the view you hold (positive or negative).

Please respond by Monday, June 20th at 5pm.

Geography of Thought (Chapter7)

Question1
As described in the RAM and hard drive space example of having Americans give rule-based justifications(like saying RAM is the factor) and having Asians give compromise-based justification (like saying both RAM and hard drive space is important) (Pg184), Nisbett says that Americans prefer "one of the extreme objects whose choice could be justified with reference to simple rule", and Asians "greater preference for the compromise object."
Which type are you? Explain with your experience.

Question2
Nisbett talks about the Barnum effect, and introduces a test done by Incheol Choi to see if East Asians are "more susceptible to the Barnum effect". In this test, Choi gives "some participants one of the opposed pair of propositions and some participants the other."
Here is a example of one from Pg.186.
・The more one knows, the more one believes
The more one knows, the less one believes.
Which one do you agree with? And which type were you according to Pg.186?

Question3
On page 189, Nisbett says that Asians believe "everyone, under the right circumstances and with enough hard work" can acquire skills high-level, while Americans believe that skills are something "you do or don't have"
Which is the closest to your thought? Does your thought have any effect on the way you deal with academics?

Group 7 leaders

Yuriko Wada

Yuta Shibasaki