Cultural Bias

Question 1

What is cultural bias

Answer 1

To give an advantage to one culture over another. To ignore the difference between cultures and to impose understanding based on the study of one culture to other cultures. To think one culture has precedent over another

Question 2

What type of individuals do we see standard behaviour from?

Answer 2

WEIRD

Question 3

What does WEIRD stand for

Answer 3

Westernised, Educated, Industrialised, Rich and Democracies

Question 4

How is universality linked with cultural bias

Answer 4

Researchers have wrongly assumed that findings in Western Cultures can be applied all over the world

Question 5

Hat is an example of cultural assumption in relation to universality

Answer 5

Studies of conformity

Question 6

What is ethnocentrism

Answer 6

Belief that the ethnic group with which the individual (researcher ) identifies with, is superior to other group

Question 7

Why is ethnocentrism bad for psychological research

Answer 7

The individual uses their own ethnic group to evaluate and make judgments about other individuals from other ethnic groups which could lead to false information and underrepresentation

Question 8

How are behaviours which don’t really conform to western models seen as?

Answer 8

Unsophisticated or underdeveloped

Question 9

What is an example of ethnocentrism in psychology

Answer 9

Ainsworth strange situation

Question 10

How does Ainsworth strange situation show ethnocentrism

Answer 10

.Reflects only the norms and values of American (Western) Culture in attachment research.
.Led to misinterpretation of child-rearing practices in other countries.

Question 11

What can help avoid cultural bias

Answer 11

Cultural relativism

Question 12

What is cultural relativism

Answer 12

The idea that a behaviour can only be properly understood/only has meaning/only makes sense in the context of the norms and values of the society or culture in which it occurs

Question 13

What are the characteristics of cultural relativism

Answer 13

Inclusive , one minded and culturally sensitive

Question 14

What are the 2 types of approaches to research that leads to cultural bias

Answer 14

Etic and emic

Question 15

What is etic construct

Answer 15

research from a specific culture which is applied to other cultures to find universal laws

Question 16

What is the issue with etic construct

Answer 16

Dissimulation to generalised and there could be researcher bias

Question 17

What is emic construct

Answer 17

research based on a specific culture. It studies variations between groups.

Question 18

Which construct avoids imposed etic

Answer 18

Emic

Question 19

What is the issue with emic construct

Answer 19

can lead to exaggerating differences between cultural groups. Assumes that the meaning of behaviour can only be defined from within the culture studied (cultural specific)

Question 20

What is imposed etic

Answer 20

cultural bias can occur if a researcher assumes that an emic construct is actually etic. This results in an
imposed etic, where a culture-specific idea is wrongly imposed on another culture

Question 21

What is a limitation on cultural bias in relation to classical studies

Answer 21

Most influential studies in psych are culturally biased such as Aschs and Milgrams studies. This shows a lack of representation and generalisability which shows that it cannot be applied universally. When replicated in different cultures, different results were shown therefore showing that social influence studies should only be applied to individulistic cultures

Question 22

What is the counter point of the limitation of the fact that most classic studies are culturally biased

Answer 22

Due to increase in media globalisation, it is argued that individualistic-collectivist distinction doesn’t exist anymore. Psychologists found that 14/15 studies comparing the US and Japan found no evidence of distinction describing the distinction as lazy and simple

Question 23

What is a strength of cultural bias in relation to cultural psychology

Answer 23

Cultural psychology is good to understand ho people scrape and are shaped by their cultural experience. They try to avoid ethnocentric assumptions by taking an emic approach and conducting research within a culture. This shows that moderne researchers are becoming more aware and wanting to avoid cultural bias

Question 24

What is a limitation of cultural bias in relation to communication and language

Answer 24

When foreign researchers go to different cultures and countries to do their research, there many be a language barrier and also prejudice. If the researcher doesn’t understand the language, it will be extremely difficult to do their research. If there is a translator, they could easily lie and make stuff up to fit the investigation for what they many want to see. There will be a lack of accuracy and reliability. The investigator may also have stereotypes and prejudiced ideologies which can be impactful