Hokkaido Summer Institute 2022: Cognitive Science: Frontiers in Cultural Psychology 2022 held

For five days from July 4 to 8, Cognitive Science: Frontiers in Cultural Psychology 2022 was held as a course offered by Hokkaido Summer Institute (HSI) 2022.

Professor Takahiko MASUDA from the University of Alberta in Canada and Associate Professor Sawa SENZAKI from the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay in USA were invited to be part of this program. They gave intensive lectures with Professor Masaki YUKI at the Laboratory of Behavioral Science, Faculty of Humanities and Human Sciences, Hokkaido University. Through these lectures, which were offered for the seventh time this year, participants had the opportunity to learn about frontiers in cultural psychology.

Professor Takahiko Masuda taught energetic and humorous lessons that quickly got students’ attention.

Associate Professor Sawa Senzaki, who hails from the laboratory led by Professor Masuda, responded smilingly to questions and comments from students during the classes.

Professor Masaki Yuki, who hosted this program, focused on organizing lessons that would run smoothly together with Professor Masuda and Associate Professor Senzaki.

The lectures covered three themes: (1) how the behavioral patterns of people in the North American cultural sphere differ from those of Japanese people or Asian people; (2) the psychological mechanisms behind such differences; and (3) the capabilities required to surmount such differences and hone cross-cultural communication skills. Lecturers taught intensive lessons based on a number of specific cases and facilitated discussions through which participants learned about the latest findings.

Following these discussions, each group gave presentations that summarized what they had discussed. Their presentations began to be filled with more positive confidence as they deepened their understanding toward the subject.

Students from the University of Alberta and teaching assistants (TAs) from Hokkaido University facilitated the discussions respectively.

At the front: Mr. Zhu, TA / PhD candidate at Hokkaido University. In the back: Mr. Yasuda, PhD candidate at the University of Alberta who is originally from the Graduate School of Letters, Hokkaido University.

Mr. Freeman, TA / PhD candidate at Hokkaido University.

Mr. Hotaro Masuda, the second son of Professor Masuda, who will be attending the University of Alberta in September.

These five days of intensive lectures and lively discussions allowed participants to advance their mutual understanding of one another. They enjoyed taking pictures with each other and exchanged their contacts at the end of the course.