Sabine Distinguished Lecture: Shinobu Kitayama, Ph.D. “Varieties of Interdependence: Why Good Intentions Go Wrong Across Cultures.”

“Varieties of Interdependence: Why Good Intentions Go Wrong Across Cultures.”
People around the world care deeply about others—but they do so in different ways. This talk examines how culturally distinct forms of interdependence shape emotion, judgment, and social behavior, often leading good intentions to go awry across cultures. Understanding these differences helps explain everyday misunderstandings in families, institutions, and global interactions.

Shinobu Kitayama, the Robert B. Zajonc Collegiate Professor of Psychology and Research Professor at the Research Center for Group Dynamics at the University of Michigan, is a pioneering figure in socio-cultural psychology. His groundbreaking exploration of the cultural diversity of mental processes has placed him at the forefront of this dynamic field. Kitayama's research spans diverse areas, from cultural neuroscience to the study of interdependence in non-Western societies, offering important insights into the psychological underpinnings of culture. His transformative work has garnered numerous prestigious awards, including a Guggenheim Fellowship, the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation Research Award, the Distinguished Scientific Contributions Award from the American Psychological Association, and the William James Fellow Award from the Association for Psychological Science (APS). In addition to his scholarly contributions, Kitayama has held prominent leadership roles, serving as APS President from 2020 to 2021. He currently serves as President of the Federation of the Associations for Behavioral and Brain Sciences.