Cultural bias

Question 1

Cultural bias

Answer 1

A tendency to interpret all phenomena through the ‘lens’ of one’s own culture, ignoring the effects that cultural differences might have on behaviour

Question 2

Cultural bias 2010 research

Answer 2

• Reviewed psych journals
• Found 68% research participants came from US
• 96% Industrialised nations
• 80% research participants where psych undergrads

Question 3

Universality and bias

Answer 3

• Ignore culture
• Results can only be applied to the groups of people where they were studied
• WEIRD

Question 4

What does WEIRD stand for

Answer 4

Westernised
Educated people
Industrialised
Rich
Democracies

Question 5

Alpha bias in culture

Answer 5

Exaggerating cultural differences

Question 6

Beta bias in culture

Answer 6

Focuses on similarities between cultures and ignores differences

Question 7

Ethnocentricism

Answer 7

Judging other cultures by the standards and values one’s own culture. In its extreme form it is the belief in the superiority of one’s own culture which may lead to prejudice and discrimination towards the culture

Question 8

Ethnocentrism- strange situation

Answer 8

Anything else is ‘abnormal’ according to the American cultural values
Ideal attachment = secure attachment

Question 9

Cultural relativism

Answer 9

The idea that norms and values as well as ethics and more standards can only be meaningful and understood within specific social and cultural contexts

Question 10

Berry research into cultural relativism

Answer 10

Argues psychology has often been guilty of imposed etic approach stating that theories, models and concepts are universal, when they came through emic research inside a single culture

Question 11

Imposed etic

Answer 11

Study behaviour from outside a culture

Question 12

Imposed emic

Answer 12

Study behaviour from inside ones own culture

Question 13

Cultural bias evaluation points- Classical studies

Answer 13

LIMITATION

Social influence research e.g. Asch findings individualist US, not replicated in collectivist culture
Smith and Bond

Question 14

Cultural bias evaluation points- Classical studies counterpoint

Answer 14

STRENGTH

Individualism-collectivism distinction may no longer apply due to increasing global media, no differences in more recent research

Question 15

Cultural bias evaluation points- Cultural psychology

Answer 15

STRENGTH

Studies how people shape/are shaped by their culture (Cohen), emic approach to avoid ethnocentrism e.g. local researchers and culturally-biased techniques

Question 16

Cultural bias evaluation points- Ethnic stereotyping

Answer 16

LIMITATION

Early Army IQ tests were ethnocentric, but then used as evidence that certain ethnic/cultural groups were genetically inferior (Gould)