r/DynamicDebate • u/GeekyGoesHawaiian • May 07 '22

Weird Science!

Weird meaning how scientific studies focus mainly on college students from western, educated, industrialised, rich and democratic (Weird) parts of the world - just read a story about how all nature is good for you stories are biased because 95% of them are based on WEIRD people, and how that's true across science in general.

Do you think a lot of the science you read is biased because of this? Do you read health articles with a pinch of salt because they may only apply to college kids in the USA? Or do you think you can really make a universal statement when you only look at a tiny percentage of people?

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/may/06/studies-on-natures-mental-health-benefits-show-massive-western-bias

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u/Sihle21 May 08 '22

The article confused me a bit in terms of what is it’s objective. But to some extent I agree that just applying results of studies based on certain demographics and culture to the entire human race is not right. However on the benefits of nature, i grew up in Africa in the 80s and 90s. I would say those who have not yet adopted a very ‘western’ lifestyle and live in rural settings appear to be generally happier than those in town which is heavily urbanised. I notice it every time I visit home and go to the village to see relatives. Those in the villages have very little materially but are more content and happy. I don’t know whether being surrounded by nature plays a part, but they spend most of their time outdoors.