The Weirdest People in the World

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. He illuminates the origins and evolution of family structures marriage and religion and the profound impact these cultural transformations had on human psychology. Mapping these shifts through ancient history and late antiquity Henrich reveals that the most fundamental institutions of kinship and marriage changed dramatically under pressure from the Roman Catholic Church. It was these changes that gave rise to the WEIRD psychology that would coevolve with impersonal markets occupational specialization and free competition—laying the foundation for the modern world.Provocative and engaging in both its broad scope and its surprising details The WEIRDest People in the World explores how culture institutions and psychology shape one another and explains what this means for both our most personal sense of who we are as individuals and also the large-scale social political and economic forces that drive human history.PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.