Culture Bias Flashcards
What is meant by culture bias?
Interpreting and judging behaviour and psychological characteristics through the ‘lens’ of one’s own culture and so ignoring the effects of cultural differences on behaviour.
What is meant by ethnocentrism?
Seeing the world only from one’s own cultural perspective and believing this perspective is both normal and correct.
What is meant by cultural relativism?
The idea that behaviour can only be meaningful and understood within specific social and cultural contexts.
What is meant by imposed etic?
Where the west impose their own culture upon the rest of the world, assuming it is normal.
What is meant by the etic approach?
An approach which looks at behaviour from outside of a given culture and attempts to describe behaviours that are universal.
What is meant by the emic approach?
An approach which functions inside cultures and identifies behaviours that are specific to that culture.
Give an example of ethnocentrism in psychology?
Ainsworth’s strange situation.
-Concluded secure attachment was normal and healthy.
-Led to Japanese attachment being misinterpreted.
-Babies deemed as insecure resistant as they showed extreme distress when separated with mother.
-Distress was only due to never being separated from mother.
What did Henrich et al propose with psychology samples?
Samples mainly consist of WEIRD ppl.
Westernised Educated Industrialised Rich Democratic people.
How has cultural bias been demonstrated in social influence?
Asch, whose sample consisted of American students, applied his findings of conformity to everyone.
How has cultural bias been demonstrated in psychopathology?
Definitions of abnormality only reflect western culture.
E.g deviations from ideal mental health.
How is cultural bias reflected in assessment methods?
Western cultures test academic ability in timed conditions however, in Uganda, intelligence is characterised as slow and careful thought.
What are three limitations of culture bias in psychology?
- Asch + Milgram’s studies were culturally biased.
Both samples were white middle class pps - replications in different countries produced different findings.
Asch studies in collectivist cultures found higher conformity - shows understanding of social influence can only be applied to individualistic cultures.
Therefore, much research only reflects norms of individualistic cultures. - Bias can affect DSM diagnosis.
Black West Indians twice as likely to be admitted to mental health hospitals in London than white ppl.
Shows bias can lead to incorrect diagnosis.
Therefore, can damage quality of life for ethnic minorities. - Data from IQ tests may help reinforce + sustain stereotypes.
Gould: in WWI, IQ tests given to army recruits - many items were ethnocentric e.g asked about America’s history. African Americans scored lowest and deemed genetically inferior.
Shows intelligence test led to eugenic social policies and justified prejudice.
Therefore, conclusions drawn from these tests are not valid as, test items are not universally taught.
