Cultural Bias Flashcards
When does a cultural bias occur?
Occur when people of one culture make assumptions about the behaviour of people from another culture based on their own cultural norms.
What cultures do most psychological research reflect? Why is this wrong?
Europe and USA, it is then portrayed as a universal description of human behaviour.
This is wrong, as there are different norms in different cultures. It ignores the differences that can be found within other countries.
State 3 examples of psychological studies with a cultural bias.
Milgram, only American.
Asch, only American.
Schaffer and Emerson, only Glaswegian.
Bowlby, only British.
Zimbardo, only American.
Spencer and Perrin, only British.
Ainsworth, only American.
Hazan and Schaffer, only American.
State 3 outlining points for an individualistic viewpoint.
Promotes independence
Western cultures tend to be more individualist
Promotes the making of own decisions
Not wanting to be co-dependent
Individual development
Uniqueness is praised
Smaller nuclear families
Non-conformity encouraged
State 3 outlining points for an collectivist viewpoint.
Eastern cultures tend to be more collectivist
Promotes the importance of reliance on others.
Signifies the importance of family and extended family
Uniqueness is seen as deviant behaviour
Conformity is encouraged.
What is ethnocentrism?
A particular form of cultural bias. Judging other cultures by the standards and values of one’s own culture
What is ethnocentrism in its extreme form?
The superiority of one’s own culture, leading to prejudice and discrimination towards other cultures.
We view our own behaviour, beliefs, and customs as ‘normal’ and others as ‘deviant’.
How is Ainsworth’s Strange situation and example of ethnocentrism?
It suggests that you must imply other cultures norms in order to understand their own. E.g. was carried out in America, but was generalised to all.
It assumes that there is a correct attachment type, when it is culture specific.
Test assumes that behaviour has the same meaning in all cultures, which is unlikely.
Applies cultural norms to other cultures, being an imposed etic.
What did John Berry do in 1969?
Drew the distinction between the etic and emic approaches.
Berry stated that psychology has often been guilty of imposing an etic approach, arguing that models, theories, and concepts are universal.
He suggested that psychologists should be mindful of cultural relativism of their research.
The things that they see may only make sense from the perspective of the culture within they were discovered.
What is an etic approach?
Looks at behaviour from the outside of a given culture and attempts to explain those behaviours that are universal.
What is an emic approach?
Functions from within or inside a given culture and identifies behaviours that are specific to the culture.
What is cultural relativism?
The idea that norms and values, as well as ethics and moral standards, can only be meaningful and understood within the specific and cultural contexts.
Who is Joseph L. White? What did he do in 1961?
In 1961, White was one of five African Americans to hold a PhD in psychology in the US.
He is often referred to as the ‘Godfather of Black psychology’.
Argued that applying white psychology to Black people contributed to deficit based stereotyping.
White was a professor in psychology and psychiatry who worked to improve educational access and opportunity for low-income students and a founder of the Association of Black Psychologists (ABPsi).
Outline the acronym CRRISSE (cross)
Cross-cultural research/ Cultural psychology
Representative samples
Reflexive approach
Immersion
Standards
Sensitive research
Emic approach
Outline ‘Cross-cultural research/ Cultural psychology’ with reference to CRRISSE
Cross-cultural research:
Carry out cross-cultural research rather than research with a sole culture.
Cultural psychology:
“Cultural psychology is an interdisciplinary study of how culture reflect and shape the mind and behaviour of its members” (Heine, 2011).
