Asian and Americans see the world differently

Asians and North Americans really do see the world differently. Shown a photograph, North American students of European background paid more attention to the object in the foreground of a scene, while students from China spent more time studying the background and taking in the whole scene, according to University of Michigan researchers.

Nisbett illustrated this with a test asking Japanese and Americans to look at pictures of underwater scenes and report what they saw.

The Americans would go straight for the brightest or most rapidly moving object, he said, such as three trout swimming. The Japanese were more likely to say they saw a stream, the water was green, there were rocks on the bottom and then mention the fish.

The Japanese gave 60 percent more information on the background and twice as much about the relationship between background and foreground objects as Americans, Nisbett said.

Note that last comment – Japanese (and I suspect that this is broadly true for Asians) observe and place import on the relationship between things. 

Asian’s do indeed tend to see of the context as more important than Westerners – and this needs to be born in mind when developing products and campaigns.

Think of one of the most well known Asian brand personalities – The Singapore Girl, she is largely characterized by how she interacts with her context – rather than for standalone attributes.

Could this be one reason  why word of mouth marketing (where brands are discussed in context) works so well here in Asia?

Comments

[Solo Bear]

The American President also sees things differently from other leaders of the world.

Check this out.

http://wherebearsroamfree.blogspot.com/2008/06/gw-bushs-view-of-world.html