Cultural Perceptions of Time
Cultural Perceptions of Time
The psychological perception of time is influenced by various factors including region and pace of life (Cultural perceptions of time, 1997).These factors affect people’s everyday cognitions and behavior in a culture such as their time orientation, how they set and follow schedules, how they respond to divergence from punctuality, how they manage completing tasks and social time during a workday, how many tasks they aim to complete at a time and how they balance work and leisure (Brislin & Kim, 2003). In essence, time can be viewed the way Immanuel Kant viewed time as being “a way of organizing experience” (Macduff, 2006).
In Japan, physical time is not a psychological invention of the mind. In other words, the Japanese do not adhere to the belief that time is influenced by consciousness and culture (Block et al, 1996). Americans on the other hand did not hold strict views on time being influenced by consciousness and culture (Block et al, 1996). The Japanese do not have a strong belief that time progresses from past to future however, they do not strongly adhere to the belief that time is cyclical (Block et al, 1996). Americans on the other hand strongly believed that time progresses in a linear fashion from the past to the future in a continuous and constant rate (Block et al, 1996). However, some Americans hold the view that time is cyclical. Both the Japanese and Americans were divided on whether time was absolute or relative (Block et al, 1996). Both Japanese and Americans view the use of clocks as an accurate method for measuring time. In regards to personal time orientation, both the Japanese and Americans viewed the present and the future as being more important than the past. In regards to completing activities, the Japanese pay more attention to time than Americans (Block et al, 1996). Both Japanese and Americans reported that “they prefer to have a set time for daily events and that they are more comfortable when they
The psychological perception of time is influenced by various factors including region and pace of life (Cultural perceptions of time, 1997).These factors affect people’s everyday cognitions and behavior in a culture such as their time orientation, how they set and follow schedules, how they respond to divergence from punctuality, how they manage completing tasks and social time during a workday, how many tasks they aim to complete at a time and how they balance work and leisure (Brislin & Kim, 2003). In essence, time can be viewed the way Immanuel Kant viewed time as being “a way of organizing experience” (Macduff, 2006).
In Japan, physical time is not a psychological invention of the mind. In other words, the Japanese do not adhere to the belief that time is influenced by consciousness and culture (Block et al, 1996). Americans on the other hand did not hold strict views on time being influenced by consciousness and culture (Block et al, 1996). The Japanese do not have a strong belief that time progresses from past to future however, they do not strongly adhere to the belief that time is cyclical (Block et al, 1996). Americans on the other hand strongly believed that time progresses in a linear fashion from the past to the future in a continuous and constant rate (Block et al, 1996). However, some Americans hold the view that time is cyclical. Both the Japanese and Americans were divided on whether time was absolute or relative (Block et al, 1996). Both Japanese and Americans view the use of clocks as an accurate method for measuring time. In regards to personal time orientation, both the Japanese and Americans viewed the present and the future as being more important than the past. In regards to completing activities, the Japanese pay more attention to time than Americans (Block et al, 1996). Both Japanese and Americans reported that “they prefer to have a set time for daily events and that they are more comfortable when they
References: Block, R. A., Buggie, S. E., & Matsui, F. (1996). Beliefs about time: Cross-cultural comparisons. Retrieved September 26, 2014, from The Journal of Psychology, 130(1), 5: http://search.proquest.com.ezp.waldenulibrary.org/pqcentral/docview/213817343/9BF41C09D6D04871PQ/8?accountid=14872 Brislin, R. W., & Kim, E. S. (2003). Cultural diversity in people 's understanding and uses of time. Retrieved September 26, 2014, from Applied Psychology: An International Review, 52(3), 363-382: http://web.a.ebscohost.com.ezp.waldenulibrary.org/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=dee1326a-ff67-4fa2-8c8d-3a4e84100818%40sessionmgr4001&vid=5&hid=4104 Cultural perceptions of time. (1997, May 20). Retrieved September 26, 2014, from NPR.org: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=1010656 Macduff, I. (2006). Your pace or mine? culture, time, and negotiation. Retrieved September 26, 2014, from Negotiation Journal, 22(1), 31-45: http://search.proquest.com.ezp.waldenulibrary.org/pqcentral/docview/205193113/98A4BB6F7EF84BEFPQ/1?accountid=14872