The Weirdest People in the World

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The Weirdest People in the World: How the West Became Psychologically Peculiar and Particularly Prosperous by Joseph Henrich

This book explores the psychological development of Western Educated Industrialized Rich Democratic (WEIRD) people/societies—in other words, us. Studies based only on samples from our culture are not representing all of humanity. Book addresses how the WEIRD became especially prosperous, using evidence-based, preconception-challenging analysis. It starts from showing how the “West” (us) is psychologically different from the rest of the world and everybody’s predecessors, Henrich asks how that happened and so what?

From Amazon:

Do you identify yourself by your profession or achievements, rather than your family network? Do you cultivate your unique attributes and goals? If so, perhaps you are WEIRD: raised in a society that is Western, Educated, Industrialized, Rich and Democratic.

Unlike most who have ever lived, WEIRD people are highly individualistic, nonconformist, analytical and control-oriented. How did WEIRD populations become so psychologically peculiar? What part did these differences play in our history, and what do they mean for our collective identity?

Joseph Henrich, who developed the game-changing concept of WEIRD, uses leading-edge research in anthropology, psychology, economics and evolutionary biology to explore how changing family structures, marriage practices and religious beliefs in the Middle Ages shaped the Western mind, laying the foundations for the world we know today. Brilliant, provocative, engaging and surprising, this landmark study will revolutionize your understanding of who - and how - we are now.