Wisdom and Culture

The concept of wisdom has captivated scholars throughout history, yet disagreements remain over its cultural variability. Here, we investigated wisdom perception in self and others across 16 samples from eight cultural regions on five continents. Participants assessed wisdom exemplars, non-exemplar targets, and themselves on 19 socio-cognitive characteristics, rating each person's wisdom. Multilevel factor analyses unveiled two latent dimensions: Reflective Orientation and Socio-Emotional Awareness. These factors were invariant across cultures and correlated positively with each other and with explicit wisdom ratings, though ratings of some exemplars varied by culture within the socio-emotional dimension. We also found additive and interactive effects of these factors on wisdom ratings. Intriguingly, individuals perceived themselves as less reflective but more socio-emotionally aware than most wisdom exemplars. These results illuminate social perception across cultures and under...

The concept of wisdom is ancient and deeply embedded in the cultural history of humanity. However, only in the last few decades have psychologists begun to study it scientifically. We review emerging insights into the science of wisdom from a cultural psychological perspective, focusing on (a) cultural similarities and differences in epistemological traditions; (b) lay theories of wisdom (e.g., wisdom-related cognitions, affective processes, and prosociality), and (c) the role of socio-cultural affordances for the expression of wisdom-related characteristics in daily life. Overall, evidence suggests that wisdom is a culturally-situated and malleable construct, with culture playing a central role in shaping wisdom-related behaviors, supporting a constructionist account of wisdom and its development. Understanding of ecological and cultural-historical factors for the meaning and expression of wisdom is essential for the further advancement of psychological wisdom research.

Nature Communications | (2024)15:6375, 2024

Wisdom is the hallmark of social judgment, but how people across cultures recognize wisdom remains unclear—distinct philosophical traditions suggest different views of wisdom’s cardinal features. We explore perception of wise minds across 16 socio-economically and culturally diverse convenience samples from 12 countries. Participants assessed wisdom exemplars, non-exemplars, and themselves on 19 socio-cognitive characteristics, subsequently rating targets’ wisdom, knowledge, and understanding. Analyses reveal two positively related dimensions—Reflective Orientation and Socio-Emotional Awareness. These dimensions are consistent across the studied cultural regions and interact when informing wisdom ratings: wisest targets—as perceived by participants—score high on both dimensions, whereas the least wise are not reflective but moderately socio-emotional. Additionally, individuals view themselves as less reflective but more socio-emotionally aware than most wisdom exemplars. Our findings expand folk psychology and social judgment research beyond the Global North, showing how individuals perceive desirable cognitive and socio-emotional qualities, and contribute to an understanding of mind perception.

Gifted Education International, 2013

The history of wisdom starts with human civilization. However, scientific exploration to understand its nature is hardly 50 years old. Theoretical understanding grasped through ancient literature and historical account suggest cultural diversity in the conception of wisdom. This study tried to overview the wisdom concept from different cultural perspectives. Two databases (APA PsycArticles® and PubMed) were explored for English journal articles with an implicit (or mix of implicit and explicit) method to understand the concept of wisdom. A total of 3828 articles were screened, and nine were selected for the final review. Empirical studies exploring wisdom conception mainly represented North American, European and Asian perspectives. Overall, it was found that very few studies have explored cultural conception and cross-cultural understanding of wisdom empirically. Empirical explorations are in their initial stage. Findings suggest there is an overlap in wisdom conception from one cu...

Current Psychology, 2022

Hayek sobre Hayek: Un Dialogo Autobiográfico

A través de una serie de esbozos biográficos no publicados con anterioridad y de una amplia selección de entrevistas realizadas por Stephen Kresge y Leif Wenan, Hayek sobre Hayek proporciona la primera cronología detallada de su vida y educación, su desarrollo intelectual y la recepción académica y pública de sus ideas. Sus discusiones se extienden desde la metodología económica y la cuestión de la fe religiosa hasta la atmósfera de Viena tras la I Guerra Mundial y al carácter británico. Se recoge también el texto íntegro de un debate radiofónico celebrado en 1945 entre Hayek y algunos defensores norteamericanos de la planificación central, notable porque anticipa el debate actual sobre el control de la economía por el Estado. Viena, Londres, Chicago y Friburgo son otros tantos hitos en esta intensa y apasionante biografía, narrada en las propias palabras de un pensador revolucionario en una época revolucionaria.