Dr. Thomas Talhelm

Biography

Thomas Talhelm studies culture and how agricultural practices, such as rice and wheat farming, shape social behaviors in Northern and Southern China. His research argues that collectivism is often misunderstood; people tend to equate it with a lack of personal responsibility and interconnectedness, which can lead to a misunderstanding of communal dynamics. He has found that financial incentives outperform social motivations in Western cultures, revealing that a liberal culture, characterized by individualism, can enhance analytical thinking and support for liberal social policies, while holistic thinking supports conservative policies. Talhelm has also contributed to the field of psychology with a focus on Chinese context. Having lived in China for five years, he taught high school in Guangzhou and worked as a freelance journalist in Beijing, where he was a Fulbright scholar and an NSF Graduate Research Fellow. He founded Smart Air, a social enterprise providing affordable air purifiers to improve public health. Talhelm holds a Ph.D. in social psychology from the University of Virginia and a B.A. with Highest Honors in psychology and Spanish from the University of Michigan. He reviews PhD student applications annually for those interested in culture, politics, and social ecology.

Research Interests

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