cultural bias Flashcards
(12 cards)
What is cultural bias?
Bias when researchers distort their view due to their own cultural understanding affecting theories and research
Cultural differences are often ignored, leading to flawed interpretations of behavior.
What does universality in psychological theories imply?
Theories tend not to view culture as an important influence on behavior.
Universality is unlikely as many behaviors are culture-specific.
How does ethnocentrism affect cultural judgments?
Using one’s own culture as a standard for judging other cultural groups, viewing one’s customs as normal and superior.
This can lead to misinterpretations of behaviors in different cultures.
What was Mary Ainsworth’s contribution to understanding cultural bias?
Her Strange Situation study was based in an American cultural context and may not accurately measure child-rearing practices in other cultures.
For example, Japanese children showed high levels of distress when not with their mothers, not necessarily indicating insecure attachment.
Define cultural relativism.
The belief that all cultures are worthy of respect and should be understood from their own perspectives.
This approach emphasizes using an emic perspective to identify culture-specific behaviors.
What is the difference between emic and etic approaches?
Emic: behavior measured within a culture; Etic: behavior assumed to be universal, studied from outside.
Emic approaches focus on culture-specific insights, while etic approaches look for universal behaviors.
What did Margaret Mead’s cross-cultural study reveal?
She concluded there were significant gender differences in cultures such as Arapesh, Tchambuli, and Mundugumor.
This highlighted how cultural context can influence gender roles.
How can researchers improve cultural bias in studies?
By not applying findings to cultures not represented in samples, using native researchers, and being sensitive to cultural norms.
A reflexive approach can also help researchers reflect on their own biases.
What impact does a Western view have on psychological diagnoses?
It can dominate definitions and lead to misdiagnoses based on culturally specific experiences, such as auditory hallucinations.
This may result in unnecessary treatment with harmful side effects.
What is ethnography in the context of cultural research?
A method where the researcher becomes part of the community to develop a deeper understanding of behaviors.
This method can provide more valid interpretations but may not always be applicable to universal behaviors.
Why is making distinctions between collectivist and individualistic cultures often unhelpful?
Clear distinctions are unlikely to be useful due to significant differences within cultures and the interconnectedness of the modern world.
For example, differences in attachment types can be larger within cultures than between them.
What is the conclusion about cultural bias in research?
Cultural bias may not be as problematic as originally assumed; individual cultures should be studied without making broad distinctions.
This approach recognizes the complexity of cultural influences on behavior.
