Exploring Cognitive and Perceptual Styles over Cultural Diversity

- Focus on the African and East Asian Cultures -

Abstract

This study aims to reveal the attributes of cognitive styles of the African and the East Asian cultures toward understanding cultural basis for perceptual process of product design aesthetics. The study took a cognitivist approach following the categorization task used by Park (2011) based on Chiu's method (1972). In this study, a web-based research was conducted with participants from Africa (n=35) and Japan (n=35) using natural and artificial objects represented in word triads as stimuli. Based on Nisbett's (analytic versus holistic thoughts) and Park's (attribute-oriented and relation-oriented thoughts) cognitive models, the study suggests that difference in cultural cognitive style can shape the perceptual process of aesthetics in product designs. The analysis of the test showed that the African participants showed more tendencies for analytic- and attribute-oriented thought than the Japanese respondents. Following this result, the study further seeks to delineate the characteristics of the perceptual process of product design aesthetics among African and Asian cultures. It is expected that this knowledge can foster innovative Kansei approach to design over cultural diversity.