I remember reading a study some years that other cultures are sometimesflipped on this.
I think the study mentioned beer specifically — if the first American at a table ordered an India Pale Ale, it’d be more likely the next person orders something entirely differently (as you mentioned about variety).
Whereas in Japan, it’d be more likely that the second person would also order an India Pale Ale.
I can’t find the study now on a quick Google search, but it also squares with intuition. Different cultures might have different pressures for signaling individualism in taste/choices vs more unity and conformity.
Actually, thinking more about this, it seems like this applies to bigger things too — I remember some reading that Japanese companies are far less likely to succumb to “not invented here” syndrome, and more likely to work with potential competitors in partnerships.
I remember reading a study some years that other cultures are sometimesflipped on this.
I think the study mentioned beer specifically — if the first American at a table ordered an India Pale Ale, it’d be more likely the next person orders something entirely differently (as you mentioned about variety).
Whereas in Japan, it’d be more likely that the second person would also order an India Pale Ale.
I can’t find the study now on a quick Google search, but it also squares with intuition. Different cultures might have different pressures for signaling individualism in taste/choices vs more unity and conformity.
Actually, thinking more about this, it seems like this applies to bigger things too — I remember some reading that Japanese companies are far less likely to succumb to “not invented here” syndrome, and more likely to work with potential competitors in partnerships.