S1 Wk 3 - Psychology around the world

Question 1

psychology as a global discipline

Answer 1

1. An international discipline
   - significant presence in over 50 countries
   - international conferences aid diversity but west
   america set model and rest copy
2. globally dominated by US model
   - structure of degree programmes
   - topics theories determined by Western social
   agenda
   - Supremacy of APA journals
   - Dominance of English:

Question 2

10 assumptions of Western psychology (Marsella, 2009)

Answer 2

Individual (mind) is primary object
Complex issues are reduced to easy research topics
Laboratory studies are preferred to field studies
Preference for methodology of natural sciences
Always try to measure behaviour if at all possible
Materialist approach to selecting study variables
Reflects male dominance (topics, participants etc)
Favours objectivity over the subjective or specific
Attempts to identify generalised principles and laws
Assumes rational understanding of phenomena

Question 3

mental health and culture

Answer 3

• Differences observed across cultures (e.g. Leff 1980)
• Within cultures: british ppl with south asian backgrounds over-represented in MH services
• Often assumptions about family structure, gender roles
• Cultural specifics often missed, e.g. ‘sinking heart’ in Punjabis (Farooq, 2014)
• ‘Multiple parenting’ rather than individual focus: case for family therapy?

Question 4

Culturally-sensitive therapy?

Answer 4

• CBT (cognitive behavioural therapy) designed with white clients in mind.
• Rathod et al (2010): adapting for culture can improve outcome (e.g. reduced hallucination) in S. Asian and African/Caribbean UK groups
• Religious/supernatural explanations dismissed (possession, punishment, even police mistreatment)
• Stigma/taboo towards Western ‘mental illness’
• Overuse of medication (not always welcome)
• Preference by fear of giving offence, misinterpretation)

Question 5

Gross: emic/etic distinction

Answer 5

• Emic: within-culture features (e.g. religious interpretations in Africa)
• Etic: from outside (e.g. neurochemical processes from US/UK - and vice versa
• Emics are difficult for outsiders
• E.g. intelligence: Uganda (Wober, 1974) - slow, careful, deliberate, thoughtful vs. Germany - speed as most important aspect of IQ
• Neither emic feature ‘works’ in other culture

Question 6

Idigenous Psychology

Answer 6

• Oppong (2022): need to consider within-culture factors, e.g. ‘black psychology’ in US (or even S.Africa) not applicable to country like Botswana
• These have been defined against ‘white’ psychologists
• Might traditional healing practices have therapeutic benefits? (often stigmatised due to misconceptions)
• African Psychology - curriculum from Eswatini
• Is Africa too diverse for it to fit all sizes?

Question 7

Confucian Psychology?

Answer 7

• Liu (2021): application of ideas from Chinese philosophy, overlooked due to Western imperialism/Communism
• Can be integrated into modern scientific practice/thinking
• Confucian virtues: benevolence, justice, wisdom, trustworthiness
  + ‘The science of the cultivation of the self in
  society’
• Traditional practices such as calligraphy and diary work can be systematically applied in therapy