PY4 - Controversies - Cultural Bias Flashcards
How does cultural bias occur?
Cultural bias occurs when hypotheses, research instruments data and conclusions are distorted in a way that is consistent with a researchers personal cultural attitudes or practices.
What are the two types of culture?
Individualists - individuals acting to develop and improve themselves (e.g. the UK or USA).
Collectivists - acting to help the greater good of the group (e.g. small tribes)
What two ways did Maracek state that bias could occur in psychology?
Alpha bias - assuming differences between culture e.g. likelihood to conform.
Beta bias - assuming that theories, methods and results can be applied to all cultural groups e.g. IQ.
What is the first factor to state regarding ignoring cultural bias?
Social exchange theory is culturally bias as it assumes that everyone will try to maximise rewards and minimize costs in their relationship
What kind of bias does social exchange theory display?
Beta bias as it fails to acknowledge that different cultures may have different preferences.
Give a supporting factor for social exchange theory being culturally biased.
Moghaddam believes that this theory only applies to Western individuals as well as only short term relationships, showing that the theory is culturally biased.
What is the second factor that ignores cultural bias in psychology?
Buss’ study could be seen to be culturally biased.
33 countries, men: chastity, good looks, women: ambition and finances.
What kind of bias does Buss’ study show?
Beta bias because although he tested 33 countries he ignored cultural differences that didn’t fit in with his hypothesis.
Give a supporting factor for Buss’ study being culturally biased.
Women in the UK and US placed les importance on finances than women from China and indie but these specific differences were ultimately ignored (confirmatory bias)
What is the final factor to talk about for ignoring cultural bias in psychology?
The diagnosis of mental disorders itself is culturally bias as the DSM V and ICD 10 are based on what is abnormal from a Western view point and therefore individuals from non Western cultures will be viewed as more deviant as their behaviour differs.
Give an example of how the DSM V and ICD 10 are bias in their diagnosis.
Nazroo found that in some African tribes hearing voices is seen as having spiritual connection, whereas in Western culture, that is a symptom of schizophrenia.
Give a counter argument for the diagnosis of mental disorders being biased.
Culture bound symptoms are actually included in the DSM V, however, they are just included in a few pages as the back of the manual, making them seem less important.
What is the first way in which psychology uses culturally biased methods?
The sampling used in major psychological studies could be seen to be culturally biased as they are conducted on mainly white Western participants and findings are then generalised to a wider population.
Give an example of where sampling methods have been culturally biased in a piece of major research.
Asch conducted his research into conformity with white Western participants and his research is largely considered globally in regards to conformity.
Give further support for biased sampling methods.
Perrin and Spencer conducted similar research in Britain which showed different results to Asch with much lower levels of conformity. This shows that results can’t be applied even across all Western cultures, never mind other countries.
