As we go about our day to day lives, it’s often easy to notice that people from different backgrounds think differently (an example would be the stereotypical Asian kid who has seemingly no difficulty in tackling math problems). However, it’s a bit harder to figure out exactly why these differences exist – and whether they are biologically or culturally based. Is there a “math gene” present in some people and not in others? Or is one’s intrinsic ability at a discipline the result of family values and upbringing?
Recent research suggests that the linkage between culture and biology determines the way that we view problems in the world. Eastern and Western subjects were asked the same questions while being examined through Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) techniques – different regions of their brains were activated even when the subjects ultimately came up with the same response. For example, the Chinese subjects used one area of their brain to compute a basic math problem such as 3+4, while American subjects used a completely different region. Both groups ultimately arrived at the correct answer, of course, but these differences illuminate interesting biological phenomena about the influence that culture has on biology.
Of course, it is possible that these differences are due to a difference in biology all along – perhaps people from Eastern cultures simply have a different “math gene” than the rest of us. But consider the alternative – perhaps our cultural values and upbringing shape our neural development and perception. Further research may bring us closer to the truth.
