Are you WEIRD?



A bold, epic account of how the co-evolution of psychology and culture created the peculiar Western mind that has profoundly shaped the modern world.

Perhaps you are WEIRD: raised in a society that is Western, Educated, Industrialized, Rich, and Democratic. If so, you’re rather psychologically peculiar.

Unlike much of the world today, and most people who have ever lived, WEIRD people are highly individualistic, self-obsessed, control-oriented, nonconformist, and analytical. They focus on themselves—their attributes, accomplishments, and aspirations—over their relationships and social roles. How did WEIRD populations become so psychologically distinct? What role did these psychological differences play in the industrial revolution and the global expansion of Europe during the last few centuries?

In The WEIRDest People in the World, Joseph Henrich draws on cutting-edge research in anthropology, psychology, economics, and evolutionary biology to explore these questions and more.

Course Overview


This is a relaxed "book club" style course that will provide a group to read and discuss this book. Discussions will be held asynchronously on Discord and on Teachable during the course.

There will be a live meeting towards the end of the class (details below)

Due to the subject matter and writing style, this course is recommended for adults, especially parents interested in expanding their horizons to better support their children in a global world.

This book will also benefit college-bound teens because it will start challenging assumptions and habits of thought that can present difficulties for many learners at the university level.


This book will be followed by a similar course reading The Righteous Mind: Why Good People Are Divided By Politics and Religion by Jonathan Haidt.

Course Details




Dates

August 28 - October 8, 2023


Live Meeting will be on Thursday, October 5, 2023 at 8:00 PM Eastern / 7:00 PM Central / 6:00 PM Mountain / 5:00 PM Pacific Time.

This meeting will be recorded and the recording will be made available to registered participants for 1 week after the class ends.




Age Range

Adults

Mature Teens interested in this book




Class Size

Up to 20 learners




Supplies

  • A readable copy of The WEIRDest People in the World: How the West Became Psychologically Peculiar and Particularly Prosperous (see edition information here, audiobook available).
  • A free Discord account
  • A free Zoom account (mic and camera optional but recommended)
  • A PDF reader


There will be no assignments or evaluation for this class. Participants are encouraged to contribute to an interactive and thoughtful experience for everyone.

A reading guide will be provided to support reading and to focus discussions.


Choose a Pricing Option

Note: This class will be delivered on the Dayla Learning platform, but it is being purchased on SEA Online Classes. The content and the platform (Teachable) will be exactly the same, but you may notice some branding/logo changes as this transition takes place. Feel free to reach out with questions at any time.