I&D- Cultural Bias

Question 1

What is cultural bias?

Answer 1

• refers to the tendency to ignore cultural differences and interpret all phenomenon through the lens of one’s own culture

Question 2

What is ethnocentrism?

Answer 2

• When the researcher takes own cultural behaviour to be “normal behaviour” and interprets deviations as abnormal.
• Belief in the superiority of own culture
• In extreme form leads to prejudice and discrimination

Question 3

Give an example of ethnocentrism.

Answer 3

• Mary Ainsworth’s Strange Situation is an example of this, it assumed that a securely attached child would
  show moderate distress when their caregiver left them and that if this didn’t happen the child was insecurely attached.
• This means that German mothers were seen as cold and rejecting because their babies did not show this mild distress, when it could be interpreted as German mothers encouraging independence.

Question 4

What is cultural relativism?

Answer 4

The idea that cultural norms and values are culture specific and no-one culture is superior to another culture

Question 5

Evaluate cultural bias (ADVANTAGES)

Answer 5

There are mental illnesses in some cultures that do not exist in others.
- For example, the term Brain Fag is used in West Africa to describe a person who is experiencing difficulty concentrating and thinking.

3) Buss used 37 cultures in his study on mate preferences, more cultures are being use din psychology. There is also an increase in indigenous psychology.

Question 6

Evaluate cultural bias (DISADVANTAGES)

Answer 6

1) There is evidence that some human behaviours are universal.
- For example, the basic facial expressions for emotions such as happiness or disgust are the same
in all cultures, and even in the animal kingdom.
- Also interactional synchrony between an infant and their caregiver has been observed in many
cultures.

2) Cross-cultural research is one way to prevent cultural bias in psychology.
- This shows that knowledge and concepts that we take for granted are not shared by other people around the world.
- This not only counters the charge of scientific
racism that has been made against some psychological theories in the past, it means the conclusions that psychologists draw are likely to have more validity.

Question 7

berry 1969

Answer 7

he suggested that “psychology takes an imposed epic approach because it argues that theories or concepts are universal despite research being conducted using an emic construct within a specific culture”

Question 8

imposed etic

Answer 8

imposed etic approach looks at behaviour from outside its culture and attempts to describe these universally.

• Mary Ainsworth’s strange situation uses an imposed epic approach as she uses western childbearing norms to explain other cultures.

Question 9

emic approach

Answer 9

looks at behaviour within/inside culture and identifies cultural specific behaviour.