Key Terms of Cultural Bias

Question 1

Cultural Bias

Answer 1

Tendency to ignore cultural differences and interpret all behaviour through the viewpoint of one’s own culture. Problem = if norm for behaviour judged from one culture then may see another culture’s normal behaviour as abnormal.

Question 2

Ethnocentrism

Answer 2

Belief own culture is superior and those that don’t fit into it are strange or deviate from the norm.

Question 3

Etic Approach

Answer 3

Looks at behaviour outside own culture and attempts to describe those behaviours as universal. Assumed strange situation could be applied to all cultures.

Question 4

Imposed Etic

Answer 4

Where cultural specific norms are imposed on another culture e.g. the strange situation should only be applied to Anglo-American cultures where developed. When an emic construct is assumed to be an etic construct.

Question 5

Emic Approach

Answer 5

Looks at behaviour within own culture and identifies behaviour specific to that culture not generalising it to others.

Question 6

Cultural Relativism

Answer 6

View that behaviour cannot be judged properly unless viewed in the context of particular culture and norms.