Over 90 percent of behavioural and social science studies come from WEIRD societies (Western, Educated, Industrialised, Rich, and Democratic). This imbalance in evidence has shaped global theories of human behaviour that often overlook socio-cultural and contextual differences. When "universal" insights are drawn from skewed evidence, interventions risk being both ineffective and inequitable.
For example, the fundamental attribution error, the tendency to overestimate people's personalities instead of situational factors, is often considered a universal bias. Yet research shows it is far stronger in Western contexts than East Asian regions. In Western cultures, where individual responsibility is valued, people are more likely to say "he's careless" if a caregiver misses a vaccine appointment for his children. In East Asian cultures, where relationships and context matter more, people tend to see behaviour as shaped by circumstances: "she must have been busy juggling multiple tasks." If a public-health policy designer assumes only dispositional causes, they may focus on campaigns telling people to "take responsibility" rather than considering situational and social barriers like stigma.
This interactive workshop will equip participants with practical tools and frameworks to apply behavioural science in ways that are socially, culturally, and ethically informed. Through case studies, discussions, and live interactive experiments, we will explore how context shapes decision-making, how cognitive biases vary across cultures, and why rethinking what counts as evidence is essential for more equitable and effective change.
Over 90 percent of behavioural and social science studies come from WEIRD societies (Western, Educated, Industrialised, Rich, and Democratic). This imbalance in evidence has shaped global theories of human behaviour that often overlook socio-cultural and contextual differences. When "universal" insights are drawn from skewed evidence, interventions risk being both ineffective and inequitable.
For example, the fundamental attribution error, the tendency to overestimate people's personalities instead of situational factors, is often considered a universal bias. Yet research shows it is far stronger in Western contexts than East Asian regions. In Western cultures, where individual responsibility is valued, people are more likely to say "he's careless" if a caregiver misses a vaccine appointment for his children. In East Asian cultures, where relationships and context matter more, people tend to see behaviour as shaped by circumstances: "she must have been busy juggling multiple tasks." If a public-health policy designer assumes only dispositional causes, they may focus on campaigns telling people to "take responsibility" rather than considering situational and social barriers like stigma.
This interactive workshop will equip participants with practical tools and frameworks to apply behavioural science in ways that are socially, culturally, and ethically informed. Through case studies, discussions, and live interactive experiments, we will explore how context shapes decision-making, how cognitive biases vary across cultures, and why rethinking what counts as evidence is essential for more equitable and effective change.
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