title: What is really wrong with a priori claims of universality? Sampling, validity, process level, and the irresistible drive to reduce.
abstract: Catchy acronyms such as "WEIRD population" are good mnemonics. However, they carry the danger of distracting us from deeper issues: how to sample populations, the validity of measuring instruments, the levels of processing involved. These need to be considered when assessing claims of universality regarding how the mind works "in general" - a dominant and highly rewarded drive in the behavioral and brain sciences.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA. psypr@emory.edu
authors.forename: Philippe
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Rochat
mesh_terms: D001525:Behavioral Sciences / Q000379:methods*; D040821:Human Characteristics; D006801:Humans; D015203:Reproducibility of Results