Etic and Emic Approaches in Human Behaviour

Question 1

Berry (1969):

Answer 1

• Etic approach looks at behaviour from outside of a given culture and tries to describe those behaviours that are universal.
• Emic approach functions from within or inside certain cultures and identifies behaviours that are specific to that culture.
• There’s a problem of imposing an etic on people, as you don’t have sufficient perspective to know how all systems work.
• Berry argues that psychology has often been guilty of imposing etic approach when they are from emic research in a single culture.

Question 2

• Etic approach

Answer 2

• Etic approach looks at behaviour from outside of a given culture and tries to describe those behaviours that are universal.

Question 3

• Emic approach

Answer 3

• Emic approach functions from within or inside certain cultures and identifies behaviours that are specific to that culture.

Question 4

-problem etic

Answer 4

• There’s a problem of imposing an etic on people, as you don’t have sufficient perspective to know how all systems work.

Question 5

• Berry argues that psychology

Answer 5

• Berry argues that psychology has often been guilty of imposing etic approach when they are from emic research in a single culture.

Question 6

Evaluation

Individualism and Collectivism

Answer 6

• Individualist culture: associated with Western countries who value personal freedom and independence.
• Collectivist cultures: place more emphasis on interdependence and needs of groups.

Question 7

Cultural Relativism vs Universality
eval

Answer 7

• Berry’s concept of imposed etic is a reminder to psychologists of the culturally specific nature of their work, but not all psychology is culturally relative, some is universal.

Question 8

Unfamiliarity with research tradition
eval

Answer 8

• Conducting research in Western culture the participants familiarity with general aims and objectives of scientific enquiry is assumes not always the case in other cultures.

Question 9

Challenging ‘implicit’ assumptions
eval

Answer 9

• One great benefit of doing cross-cultural research is that it may challenge typically held Western ways of thinking and viewing the world.
• Recognising that some concepts are not shared by others around the world and promote greater sensitivity to individual difference and cultural relativism in the future.
• This counters ‘scientific racism’ and increase validity of research if it includes role of culture.