Vivekk Sehgal

Thesis Name

Thesis Abstract

Culture shapes the way people think, see, and interact with others (Park & Huang, 2010). Studies in brain science and psychology show that cultural experiences can change how the brain works and, to some extent, how it is structured (Han & Ma, 2014). Research has found key differences in how people from East Asian and Western cultures process information. East Asians, influenced by group-focused cultures, tend to look at the bigger picture and see how objects relate to each other. Westerners, influenced by individual-focused cultures, are more likely to focus on individual objects and sort information based on set rules (Park & Huang, 2010). These differences show up in brain activity, especially in the ventral visual cortex (VVC), which is linked to how people process what they see (Han & Ma, 2014). However, we still do not fully understand how these differences affect teamwork, especially in multicultural and monocultural settings.

A review of brain scan studies has shown that cultural differences influence brain activity in different ways (Han & Ma, 2014). In social tasks, East Asians show more activity in areas of the brain linked to understanding others’ thoughts and relationships. Westerners, on the other hand, show more activity in areas linked to focusing on themselves and processing emotions (Han & Ma, 2014). In tasks related to emotions, East Asians have more activity in brain areas linked to controlling emotions, while Westerners show more activity in areas linked to experiencing emotions (Han & Ma, 2014). These findings suggest that cultural background affects how people process social and emotional information, which may impact teamwork.

Teamwork involves thinking, emotions, and brain activity working together. Previous research has found that culture affects how people solve problems, handle conflict, and communicate in teams (Park & Huang, 2010). Monocultural teams may rely on shared ways of thinking, while multicultural teams must balance different perspectives. So far, research has used brain imaging methods to show cultural differences, but it is not yet clear how these differences affect teamwork (Han & Ma, 2014). Studying brain wave patterns during teamwork could help us understand how culture influences teamwork at a deeper level.

This study will explore whether brain wave patterns are different when people work in multicultural teams compared to monocultural teams. Using brain scan methods such as EEG and fNIRS, the study will measure brain activity in real time while people work in teams. The goal is to understand how cultural diversity affects brain function during teamwork, which could help improve teamwork in global workplaces.