Bass Connections Project – Duke Culture Lab

BACKGROUND

Latin America suffers from some of the highest levels of interpersonal violence in the world. Despite the prevalence of violence and conflict in the region, most research on the psychology of conflict and its resolution has been based on samples from Western cultures. When cultural difference has been taken into consideration, the focus has been on comparisons between East Asian and Western populations.

To begin to fill this knowledge gap, researchers must examine what situations escalate to conflicts in Latin America compared to other parts of the world and how people from Latin American cultural contexts approach the resolution of conflict relative to people from other cultures. This research will provide crucial insights into new training for culturally informed conflict resolution.

PROJECT DESCRIPTION

his project team will take a cross-cultural approach to understanding cultural differences in responses to conflict, comparing Latin American, European and Chinese populations. The team’s findings will provide crucial insights into what events can escalate into conflict as well as how to best approach the resolution of conflict in Latin America.

Team members will survey participants in two countries in Latin America that have high rates of violent conflict (Mexico and Colombia) and one country that has lower rates of violent conflict (Chile) to examine both regional and country variation across levels of conflict severity.

The team will then compare these participants to individuals from European majority cultures high in conflict (Ukraine) and lower in conflict (European American/White participants United States), as well as a sample from East Asia (China).

As part of the study, participants will describe the most severe conflict they experienced, how the conflict ended and what emotions they felt. Team members will then code the data and categorize the situations in which conflict was experienced into distinct themes. After the data has been coded, team members will test for cultural differences in the themes.

This project, no matter the results, will yield important insights into cultural similarities and differences in what escalates to a conflict as well as how conflict resolution is approached across cultures. These findings will form a foundation to later develop culturally informed training on conflict resolution in collaboration with the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO). Moreover, the method may be expanded to understand survivors of direct violence in Colombia and examine conflict in other groups.

ANTICIPATED OUPUTS

Comparison data on conflict in Latin America; culturally informed conflict training in partnership with PAHO; grant applications related to culture and conflict

BASS TEAM MEMBERS

MARIA ARCINIEGAS

Maria Arciniegas is a third-year undergraduate student double majoring in History and Public Policy with a minor in Economics. She is interested in various topics like Latin American studies, international affairs, and immigration history and policy. After completing her undergraduate degree, she plans to pursue a career in finance and eventually go to law school. In her free time, she enjoys reading, adult coloring, and building puzzles.

LEXI MAGNANO

Lexi Magnano is a second-year Robertson Scholar studying Political Science and International Comparative Studies with a concentration in Latin America and the Caribbean. She is interested international relations and comparative politics. Outside of academics she is involved in JaxTHRIVE, the nonprofit she helped to establish tutoring and mentoring refugee students.

JULIA MA

Julia is a junior at Duke majoring in Economics and Mathematics with a minor in Cultural Anthropology. Her research spans a range of economic fields and social issues across various countries, deepening her appreciation for studying culture in this diverse community. In her spare time, you’ll likely catch her working through a classical music piece or badminton technique, getting lost in a novel, or playing musicals and K-pop on repeat.

Jennifer Hu

Jennifer is a junior at Duke University majoring in psychology. She is interested in exploring how people form connections and share emotional experiences, and how these experiences vary across cultures. After graduation, she plans to attend graduate school to pursue a Ph.D. in psychology. In her free time, she enjoys traveling, listening to Taylor Swift, and scrolling through puppy videos.

CARA SHIELD

Cara is a sophomore undergraduate studying Environmental Science and International Comparative Studies with a concentration in Latin America. She is interested in the application of cultural psychology to comparisons and collaborations between Southern US and Latin American communities, particularly in reference to ecology and climate change response.