Issues & Debates - Cultural bias

Question 1

Cultural bias

Answer 1

Judgement of others in terms of our own beliefs

Question 2

Alpha bias (culture)

Answer 2

Assumption that cultures are vastly difference

Question 3

Beta bias (culture)

Answer 3

Minimisation or ignoring real differences between cultures

Question 4

Ethnocentrism

Answer 4

• Seeing the world by our own culture
• Seeing own culture as superior
• Expecting other cultures to act like our own

Question 5

Cultural relativism

Answer 5

Behaviour is only understood with context of the culture considered

Question 6

Emic approach

Answer 6

Results only apply to that culture/culturally specific behaviour

Question 7

Etic approach

Answer 7

Results applied to culture regardless/behaviour not affected by culture

Question 8

How to prevent cultural bias

Answer 8

• Don’t apply theories & findings to cultures unrepresented in research
• Utilise native/familiar culture researchers
• Don’t assume universal norms/standards
• Be sensitive to norms/standards when designing research
• Study single cultures to understand that one specifically

Question 9

Examples of cultural bias

Answer 9

Memory
- MSM & WMM - universality as structure is the same
- Lack representation in samples
Psychopathology
- OCD - obsessions & compulsions seen as part of cultures
- Definitions of abnormality - criteria for Jahoda is ethnocentric
Schizophrenia
- African British men 9x more diagnosed
- Hallucinations deemed normal in Haiti

Question 10

Impacts of cultural bias (+)

Answer 10

+ Able to identify when it occurs (Smith and Bond - surveyed research and found it was unrepresentative which can be improved with sampling methods & improve the issues around bias)
+ Increased understanding (researchers are becoming more well-travelled and hold international conferences to exchange research across cultures - minimise the effects of ethnocentrism)
+ Indigenous psychology (explicitly draw on individual experiences in different contexts - cultural relativism)

Question 11

Consequences of cultural bias (-)

Answer 11

• Stereotypes (severe implications if research advantages those from that culture - inform attitudes on intelligence of cultures - negative stereotyping and inaccuracies)
• Tool of oppression (Nobles - justify social policies that harm people of colour - white normativity with a belief they are superior)