Emerging Evidence of Cultural Differences Linked to Rice versus Wheat Agriculture

Talhelm, T. (2019). Emerging Evidence of Cultural Differences Linked to Rice Versus Wheat Agriculture. Current Opinion in Psychology

18 Pages Posted: 11 Jul 2019

See all articles by Thomas Talhelm

Thomas Talhelm

University of Chicago Booth School of Business

Date Written: July 10, 2019

Abstract

Roughly 4 billion people live in cultures with a legacy of rice farm. Recent studies find that rice cultures are more interdependent than herding cultures and wheat-farming cultures. In China, people from rice-farming areas think more holistically and show less implicit individualism than people from wheat-farming areas. These differences are mirrored in micro-level comparisons of neighboring counties differ in rice versus wheat. Research has also found evidence of cultural differences based on rice farming within Japan and around the world. However, we know little about the mechanism of how rice culture is transmitted in the modern world. More research is needed on the mechanisms, as well as other subsistence styles, such as corn farming and cash crops like sugar.

Keywords: rice theory, subsistence style, paddy rice, culture, China

Suggested Citation

Talhelm, Thomas, Emerging Evidence of Cultural Differences Linked to Rice versus Wheat Agriculture (July 10, 2019). Talhelm, T. (2019). Emerging Evidence of Cultural Differences Linked to Rice Versus Wheat Agriculture. Current Opinion in Psychology, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3417571

Thomas Talhelm (Contact Author)

University of Chicago Booth School of Business ( email )

5807 South Woodlawn Avenue
Chicago, IL 60637
United States

HOME PAGE: http://www.chicagobooth.edu/faculty/directory/t/thomas-talhelm

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