In Search of the Self:

Eastern versus
Western Perspectives

MODULE 5
PSY 1A (Understanding the Self)

TSU PSYCHOLOGY DEPARTMENT

INTEGRITY/EXCELLENCE/PASSION/SERVICE
 MODULE 5 EXERCISE

COMPLETE THIS SENTENCE FIVE TIMES:

“I am _______________________________________”
WESTERN and EASTERN
INDIVIDUALISTIC VS. COLLABORATIVE

I am special. I am part of my family.

I am unique. I am part of my community.
I am me. I am part of my country.
I am an individual. The goodness of the whole is
I am who I am. more important than the
I am a rational agent. individual.
My actions directly impact
I am responsible for my
own action. my family and my
community.
 WEST AND EAST
Independence Interdependence
  Learn to depend on others
Develop early independence
  Read nonverbal cues
Express yourself
 Listen to authority
 Responsible for self
 Be responsible for others
 Live on one’s own
 Personal goals secondary to goals
 One’s own goals take priority of the group
◦ Motivated by own  Motivated by the norms of, and
◦ preferences, needs , duties imposed by, the group
◦ rights  Relationships more important

than tasks
Tasks more important than
 Social and cognitive skills
relationships
integrated
 Cognitive skills independent of
social skills
Westby (2009)
WEST BRAIN, EASTERN BRAIN
The Asians showed
The Americans more activity in areas
showed more that process figure-
activity in regions ground relations—
that recognize holistic context
objects.
 WEST AND EAST

Low Power Distance High Power Distance

  Parents teach children to
Persons must earn
respect obey
 Children respect parents
 Collaborative classrooms
& those in authority
 Teachers facilitate  Teachers take initiative in
learning class
 Persons direct  Teachers are to transfer
themselves wisdom
 Students respect teachers
 Persons expect direction
 WEST AND EAST
INDIVIDUALISTIC VS COLLABORATIVE
(SELF)
 WEST AND EAST
INDIVIDUALISTIC VS COLLABORATIVE
(LIFESTYLE)
WEST AND EAST
RELATIONSHIP
 WEST AND EAST
HOW IS A CHILD TAKEN CARE OF?
INDIVIDUALISTIC VS COLLABORATIVE
 WEST AND EAST
HOW A SENIOR LIFE LOOKS LIKE?
INDIVIDUALISTIC VS COLLABORATIVE
 WEST AND EAST
PROBLEM SOLVING
 WEST AND EAST
FORMS OF DISCOURSE
• Linear • Circular
 WEST AND EAST
THOUGHT PROCESS
 WEST AND EAST

DEFINITIONS OF EDUCATION
WEST EAST
◦ (Latin) which comes ◦ Teaching ( 教 )
from a verb “educere” ◦ Nurturing ( 養 )
which means to lead,
draw, and bring out the
horizontal “drawing out”
of wisdom into vision.
 WEST AND EAST
EDUCATION
US pays great attention to train the
students’ practice ability to utilize the
knowledge, cultivating the students’
question to the knowledge and authority
and building the ability to extend the
knowledge system.
 The dynamic changes to knowledge.
 Unstructured
 Freedom
Taiwan’s education pays more
attention to the instilling and
accumulation of knowledge,
cultivating the students’ respect to
the knowledge and authority and
building the ability to inherit the
knowledge system.
 The acceptance to knowledge
 Structured
 Consistence
 WEST AND EAST
TEACHERS
American teachers were
more knowledgeable about
general educational theories
and classroom skills.
 Evokes creative thinking.
 Encourage students to
challenge the knowledge.
 Teaching atmosphere
lively and vivid.
 Chinese teachers had stronger
knowledge of the subject matter
and building the solid
foundation.
 Spend more time with their
students.
 Persistence.
 Authority figure.
 WEST AND EAST
STUDENTS
EAST
WEST
Discipline
Self-confidence
Obey
Independence
Good observers
Curiosity
Patient
Free thinking
Respectful
……..
Afraid of making
mistakes
…………
 WEST AND EAST

SOCIAL RELATIONSHIPS
WEST EAST
Informal, egalitarian. Formal, hierarchical.

People most comfortable with People most comfortable in the

their social equals; importance presence of a hierarchy in which they
of social rankings minimized. know their position and the
customs/rules for behavior in the
situation.
 One of the most effective ways to learn about oneself is by
taking seriously the cultures of others. It forces you to pay
attention to those details of life which differentiate them from
you.

-Edward T. Hall
QUESTIONS?

THANK YOU! 

TSU PSYCHOLOGY DEPARTMENT