# The Cultural Psychology of Large Language Models: Is ChatGPT a Holistic or Analytic Thinker?

arXiv: https://arxiv.org/abs/2308.14242 · HTML: https://mlsanity.com/paper/2308.14242/

## Key facts

- Cited by 8 papers in the map (data through 14 Oct 2026).
- Placed in Reasoning benchmarks and evaluation, one of 17 directions in LLM reasoning.
- Builds on 2 of its 18 references that are in the map.
- First posted on arXiv 28 Aug 2023.

## Placed in

- LLM reasoning / [Reasoning benchmarks and evaluation](https://mlsanity.com/lr/reasoning-benchmarks-and-evaluation/)

## Builds on (most cited first, 2 of 2)

- [Can ChatGPT Assess Human Personalities? A General Evaluation Framework](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2303.01248/) (2023)
- [Does ChatGPT have Theory of Mind?](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2305.14020/) (2023)

## Built on by (most cited first, 8 of 8)

- [PsySafe: A Comprehensive Framework for Psychological-based Attack, Defense, and Evaluation of Multi-agent System Safety](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2401.11880/) (2024)
- [How Far Are We From AGI: Are LLMs All We Need?](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2405.10313/) (2024)
- [Exploring the Frontiers of LLMs in Psychological Applications: A Comprehensive Review](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2401.01519/) (2024)
- [Building Knowledge-Guided Lexica to Model Cultural Variation](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2406.11622/) (2024)
- [Beyond the Binary: Capturing Diverse Preferences With Reward Regularization](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2412.03822/) (2024)
- [Probing Large Language Models in Reasoning and Translating Complex Linguistic Puzzles](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2502.00817/) (2025)
- [Psychologically Enhanced AI Agents](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2509.04343/) (2025)
- [Effectiveness of Large Language Models in Simulating Regional Psychological Structures: An Empirical Examination of Personality and Subjective Well-being](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2509.25283/) (2025)

## Abstract (arXiv)

The prevalent use of Large Language Models (LLMs) has necessitated studying their mental models, yielding noteworthy theoretical and practical implications. Current research has demonstrated that state-of-the-art LLMs, such as ChatGPT, exhibit certain theory of mind capabilities and possess relatively stable Big Five and/or MBTI personality traits. In addition, cognitive process features form an essential component of these mental models. Research in cultural psychology indicated significant differences in the cognitive processes of Eastern and Western people when processing information and making judgments. While Westerners predominantly exhibit analytical thinking that isolates things from their environment to analyze their nature independently, Easterners often showcase holistic thinking, emphasizing relationships and adopting a global viewpoint. In our research, we probed the cultural cognitive traits of ChatGPT. We employed two scales that directly measure the cognitive process: the Analysis-Holism Scale (AHS) and the Triadic Categorization Task (TCT). Additionally, we used two scales that investigate the value differences shaped by cultural thinking: the Dialectical Self Scale (DSS) and the Self-construal Scale (SCS). In cognitive process tests (AHS/TCT), ChatGPT consistently tends towards Eastern holistic thinking, but regarding value judgments (DSS/SCS), ChatGPT does not significantly lean towards the East or the West. We suggest that the result could be attributed to both the training paradigm and the training data in LLM development. We discuss the potential value of this finding for AI research and directions for future research.