Investigating the geography of thought across 11 countries: Cross-cultural differences in analytic and holistic cognitive styles using simple perceptual tasks and reaction time modeling

Result code in IS VaVaI

<a href="https://www.isvavai.cz/riv?ss=detail&h=RIV%2F68081740%3A_____%2F25%3A00602740" target="_blank" >RIV/68081740:_____/25:00602740 - isvavai.cz</a>

Alternative codes found

RIV/62156489:43310/25:43926199

Result on the web

<a href="https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2025-54927-001" target="_blank" >https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2025-54927-001</a>

DOI - Digital Object Identifier

<a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/xge0001685" target="_blank" >10.1037/xge0001685</a>

Result language

angličtina

Original language name

Investigating the geography of thought across 11 countries: Cross-cultural differences in analytic and holistic cognitive styles using simple perceptual tasks and reaction time modeling

Original language description

This article investigates cross-cultural differences in analytic/holistic cognitive styles among participants from 11 countries: Armenia, Australia, Brazil, Bulgaria, Czechia, Germany, Ghana, Philippines, Slovakia, Taiwan, and Türkiye. Using a preregistered design, 993 university students were assessed with three perceptual tasks based on Navon’s hierarchical figures and Gottschaldt’s embedded figures. Analytic and holistic cognitive styles were estimated using reaction time modeling, specifically a Bayesian four-parameter shifted Wald distribution and a hierarchical linear ballistic accumulator model. The results revealed notable cross-cultural variations in cognitive styles, though these differences did not align with predictions from analytic/holistic cognitive style theory. Countries traditionally characterized as more holistic or analytic did not consistently show the expected cognitive style patterns. Multilevel modeling examined the influence of country-level variables, such as Hofstede’s and Schwartz’s cultural dimensions. While some dimensions, like individualism and long-term orientation, were associated with both analytic and holistic thinking, many cultural predictors had no significant impact on cognitive styles. Additionally, exploratory latent profile analysis assessed cognitive metastyles, such as flexibility and rigidity, but the findings do not support the presence of a rigidity metastyle. No profiles exhibited a strong preference for one cognitive dimension while showing a low preference for the other. These findings challenge the straightforward application of analytic/holistic theory across diverse cultural contexts and suggest a need for reevaluation of its generalizability.

Czech name

—

Czech description

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Type

J_imp - Article in a specialist periodical, which is included in the Web of Science database

CEP classification

—

OECD FORD branch

50101 - Psychology (including human - machine relations)

Project

<a href="/en/project/GA24-11974S" target="_blank" >GA24-11974S: Usage of Reaction Time for an Unbiased Estimate of Prejudice: A Novel Approach to Measurement and Modeling</a><br>

Continuities

I - Institucionalni podpora na dlouhodoby koncepcni rozvoj vyzkumne organizace

Publication year

2025

Confidentiality

S - Úplné a pravdivé údaje o projektu nepodléhají ochraně podle zvláštních právních předpisů

Name of the periodical

Journal of Experimental Psychology-General

ISSN

0096-3445

e-ISSN

1939-2222

Volume of the periodical

154

Issue of the periodical within the volume

2

Country of publishing house

US - UNITED STATES

Number of pages

22

Pages from-to

325-346

UT code for WoS article

001375675200001

EID of the result in the Scopus database

2-s2.0-85213511217