Perceptions of Culture in Multicultural Space

The present research tests the hypothesis that the copresence of images from two seemingly distinctive cultures (Chinese and American) in the same space increases individuals' sensitivity to the psychological characteristics of the in-group culture and the tendency to use culture as a schema to organize perceptions. The authors contend that viewing images from Chinese and U.S. cultures simultaneously evokes a culture mind-set. As a consequence, individuals (from both China and the United States) tend to enlarge the perceived incompatibility between Chinese and U.S. cultures and expect members of the in-group culture to possess culture-typical psychological attributes. In two experiments, one conducted in Beijing, China, and one in the United States, supportive evidence is found for this contention.