Cultural origins of behaviour and cognition Flashcards
Culture definition
Culture could be defined as a set of common rules that regulate intereactions and behaviour in a group as well as a number of shared values and attitudes in the group. Describe culture as a “mental software” that is, cultural schemas that have been internalized so that they can influence thinking, emotions and behaviour. Cultures are dynamic and changes over time but they do remain largely stable as generations come and go.
Surface culture vs deep culture
SC generally refers to language, customs and traditions that can be observed/measured through outward indicators. These are easily distinguished between cultural groups.
DC refers to those elements of culture that might be easily understood by member of the culture, but not easily observed, like values, beliefs, thought processes and assumptions.
Both surface culture and deep culture have an influence on behaviour and cognition – but SC is easier to measure. To deeply understand how culture influences psychology, an understanding of deep culture is needed.
Cultural norms
Cultural norms are the standards, expectations, and rules guiding behaviour within cultural groups. Different cultural groups have different cultural norms. An individual ought to behave to ve accepted within that group. When individuals deviate from social or cultural norms, they mat be punished, marginalized etc.
Universalist vs relativist perspective
Universalist: Proposes that psychological concepts and theories apply the same way across cultural groups, but that the way these concepts manifest themselves in behaviours can change
Relativist: theories cannot be applied across culturall groups because these groups differ so substantially
Emic approach vs Etic approach
Emic approach provides an insider’s perspective. Focuses on one culture at a time, to gain understanding of that specific culture. Important for understanding how a given culture interprets and understands its own behaviour
Etic approach provides and outsiders perspective. Tends to make comparisons across cultures. To determine if a psychological phenomenon is culturally universal or culture specific.
Neither is preferable, as a deeper understanding of human psychology is reached through a combination of insider and outsider perspectives on human thoughts, feelings and social interactions
Emic approach to reaserch
Reaserchers immerse themselves in the culture they want to study.
Reaserch questions often developed by interacting with local people and the study’s sample are the local people with the local knowledge. (tests might be adapted or created for the specific context)
Goal : Understand and apply the findings to the culture in which the reaserch was carried
Strengths vs Limitations of Emic Approach
Strengths
- Problem focused and comes up with solutions directly for the community studied
- Reaserchers develop relationship with a community so trust and openness are included (contrasting etic reaserch)
Limitations
- Lengthy
- Limited application (low/no generalizability to other cultures)
Etic approach to reaserch
Assumes that behaviour are universal.
An Etic approach decides what to study and how to analyze it before arriving in the culture.
Hypothesis decided before the study beggins. Theories and tests from the reaserchers’ culture will be used to study the other culture
Strengths vs Limitations of Etic approach
Strength
- Standarized procedures and materials means reaserch can be easily replicated, increasing reliability and validity of the study.
- If we find that behaviour is universal, it means that there could be a global application that provides a solution to imporve the lives of many people
Limitations
- Reaserch may seem “foregien” to the culture and strangers coming to do the reaserch may be viewed with suspicion and do not disclose much to reaserchers
- Reaserchers may assume that their own culture’s behaviour is “correct/normal” and participants behaviour may be biased.
- May be blind to the complexities within the culture
Enculturation definition and example
The process of learning the behaviours, characteristics and norms of the culture they belong to
EX-observing how friends or people in the TV talk to learn the acceptable language or what is “cool”
One of the main ways of enculturation is fostered through parenting styles and beliefs about child development.
Cultural transmission definition
Theory of learning whereby individuals acquire a significant amount of information simply by interacting within their culture
Acculturation definition
Is the changing of a person’s behaviour and chacateristics as a result of contact between different cultures. It is the process by which someone comes into contact with another culture and begins to adopt the norms and behavious of that culture
While enculturation happens to everyone, acculturation only happens when two cultures come into contact with each other
Cultural dimensions - definition/reasercher/list them
Hofstede’s cultural dimensions allow for culture to be quantified, to a certain extent, so that different national cultures can be compared, and so that people can better understand the values of a given culture, based on its cultural dimensions. The idea is that understanding another culture’s behaviour may help reduce conflict and increase the benefits of cultural interactions.
Hofstede started out with 4 dimensions and then increased to 6 with the aim of reaserching cross-cultural understanding
- Individualism vs collectivism
- Masculinity vs Femininity
- Power distance
- Uncertainty avoidance
- Long term vs short term
- Indulgence vs restraint
Indivisualism vs collectivism
The degree to which people are integrated into groups and their percieved obligations and dependence on groups
Individualism indicates that there is a greater importance on personal goals while collectivism indicates that there is a greater importance placed on the goals and well being of the group
Individualistic: USA, Australia, UK, Germany
Colectivistic: Russia, Kenya, China
Power distance Index
The extent to which inequality and power are tolerated
Inequality and power are viewed from the viewpoint of the followers
High: culture accepts inequity and power differences, respects rank and authority
Low: culture encourages flat organizational structures, power distribution
