The neural basis of dialectical thinking: recent advances and future prospects.

Xiaomeng Hu, Han-Qing Ma, Ying-Qi Tian, Yong-Heng Hu, Sylvia Xiaohua Chen, Francisco Xavier Castellanos, Kai-Ping Peng, Chao-Gan Yan
Author Information
  1. Xiaomeng Hu: Department of Psychology, Renmin University of China, Beijing 100872, China.
  2. Han-Qing Ma: Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, China.
  3. Ying-Qi Tian: School of Health in Social Science, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, EH8 9AG, UK.
  4. Yong-Heng Hu: Department of Psychological and Cognitive Sciences, 12442 Tsinghua University , Beijing, 100084, China.
  5. Sylvia Xiaohua Chen: Department of Applied Social Sciences, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, China.
  6. Francisco Xavier Castellanos: Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, New York University School of Medicine, New York 10016, NY, USA.
  7. Kai-Ping Peng: Department of Psychological and Cognitive Sciences, 12442 Tsinghua University , Beijing, 100084, China.
  8. Chao-Gan Yan: Department of Psychological and Cognitive Sciences, 12442 Tsinghua University , Beijing, 100084, China.

Abstract

Dialectical thinking represents a cognitive style emphasizing change, contradiction, and holism. Cross-cultural studies reveal a stark contrast of dialectical thinking between East Asian and Western cultures, highlighting East Asians' superior ability to embrace contradictions and foresee transformation, fostering psychological resilience through emotional complexity and tolerance for contradictions. Despite its importance, the neural basis of dialectical thinking remains underexplored. This review synthesizes current neuroscientific findings and introduces the dialectical-integration network (DIN) hypothesis, which identifies key brain regions such as the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (dACC), medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), dorsal lateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC), nucleus accumbens, basal ganglia, and amygdala. These regions, along with networks like the default mode network (DMN) and frontoparietal network (FPN), facilitate holistic reasoning, conflict resolution, and sensory-emotional integration. The psychological benefits of dialectical thinking include enhanced cognitive flexibility, reduced emotional extremes, and improved conflict resolution. This review emphasizes the need for cross-cultural and neuroscientific research to explore the principle of change, a core aspect of dialectical cognition. By bridging cultural psychology and cognitive neuroscience, this work offers theoretical and methodological insights into culturally shaped cognitive styles, with practical applications in education, mental health, and intercultural communication. The DIN model provides a framework for future research on dynamic neural interactions supporting dialectical thinking.

Keywords

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