Culture Bias Flashcards
Outline culture bias (6 marks)
Culture bias is when psychological studies or theories ignore cultural differences assuming findings can be generalised. If there is culture bias then universality is not possible. Ethnocentrism assumes that one cultural group is superior to another group. This leads to a belief that behaviours from one’s own culture group is the norm and any culture that deviates from this is seen as abnormal. Researchers has shown that African-Carribeans on average score 15 points lower on IQ tests than Caucasian people. Cultural relativism suggests that it is important to consider individuals behaviour within their culture before making a judgement. Social norms are culturally relative so what is acceptable in one culture may not be in another. For example, The Strange Situation is criticised for imposed etic as Ainsworth assumed her research into attachment types could be applied universally.
Evaluate ethnocentrism(2 X AO3)
Research into IQ tests provides a clear example of ethnocentric bias. This is because IQ tests have been developed and tested in the western world, based on western views of intelligence, so are not suitable for other cultures. These IQ tests have been misused to reinforce superiority of the Western culture and has led to discrimination and prejudice in immigration policy and the sterilising of individuals who do not meet the expectation of western IQ. However, research has shown that when using culturally relative IQ tests cultural differences in scores do not exist therefore showing clear culture bias with the tool and the damaging consequences of such ethnocentrism.
However, critics are quick to point out that culture may also be an outdated concept. This is because viewing cultures as Western or non-western is a lazy generalisation as there are many similarities between cultures due to increased interconnectedness and the effect of shared media influences. For example, Van ijzerndoorn has shown that there is greater variation within cultures than between cultures in attachment types. Therefore suggesting that the concept of culture may lack validity and so researchers should place more focus on social and economic pressures on the individual within society rather than placing focus on culture.
Evaluate cultural relativism (2 X AO3)
However, critics are quick to point out that culture may also be an outdated concept. This is because viewing cultures as western or non-western is a lazy generalisation as there are many similarities between cultures due to increased interconnectedness and the effect of shared media influences. For example, Van ijzerndoorn has shown that there is greater variation within cultures than between cultures in attachment types. Therefore suggesting that the concept of culture may lack validity and so researchers should place more focus on social and economic pressures on the individual within society rather than placing focus on culture.
Much research within psychology can be criticized for lacking cultural relativism, for example when defining abnormality. Deviation from social norms is criticised for lacking cultural relativism as different cultures have different social norms and expectations of behaviour. For example, messages sent from spirits could be a symptom of Schizophrenia in a western culture but could be classed as a spiritual gift in non-western cultures. Therefore, due to culture bias, it may not be appropriate to use Western diagnostical manuals to diagnose mental health conditions in non-western cultures.
