Sociocultural Approach - Terminology Flashcards
Culture
Beliefs, customs, and traditions of a specific large group of people
Surface culture
Behaviors, customs, words, and traditions of a culture that can easily be observed
Deep culture
Values, thought processes, assumptions, and beliefs of a culture, that cannot easily be observed
Cultural norms
The set of attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors that are specific to a particular culture
Enculturation
Learning one’s culture through observation, formal instruction, or direct personal experience
Acculturation
Acquiring cultural norms of a different culture
Globalization
The increasing interconnectedness among all cultures
Self-efficacy
An individual’s belief that he or she is capable of performing a task
Social learning
The theory that we learn social behavior by observational learning, imitating, and reinforcement (by Bandura)
Social comparison
Tendency to compare oneself to others to validate behavior
Social identity
The individual’s self-concept derived from perceived membership in social groups
Out-group homogeneity effect
Perception of out-group members as more similar to one another than in-group members
Cultural dimensions
The trends of behavior in a given culture that reflect the values of that culture
Emic approach
Looking at behaviors of a group from the perspective of one member of that group
Etic approach
Involves drawing on the notion of universal properties of cultures, which share common perceptual, cognitive, and emotional structures
Individualism
Defining one’s identity in terms of personal attributes rather than group identifications + giving priority to one’s own goals over group goals
Social identity theory
The study of the interplay between personal and social identities. The theory aims to predict the circumstances under which individuals think of themselves as individuals or as group members. The theory also considers the consequences of personal and social identities for group behavior
Collectivism
Giving priority to the goals of one’s group + defining one’s identity accordingly
Social cognitive theory
The theory argues that we learn from observing models that receive rewards and punishment, a process known as vicarious reinforcement
Vicarious reinforcement
Our tendency to repeat or imitate behaviors for which others are being rewarded
Stereotype
Social perception of an individual in terms of group membership or physical attributes
Stereotype threat
When worry about conforming to a negative stereotype leads to underperformance on a test or other task by a member of the stereotyped group
Assimilation
When an individual abandons their original culture and adopts the cultural behaviors and values of a new culture
Marginalization
When it is not possible to maintain one’s original culture, but because of exclusion or discrimination, it is not possible to assimilate into a new culture
Retention
The belief is that observers have to remember what behavior was observed to repeat it
Integration
When there is an interest in adopting the behaviors and values of a new culture while maintaining one’s original culture
Modelling
The process of observing and imitating a specific behavior
Prejudice
A negative attitude toward an entire group of people with very little information about them except the group membership
Discrimination
Behavior-based on stereotyping and prejudice
Social categorization
The mental process of categorizing people into groups based on their shared characteristics
Separation
Individuals maintain the norms of their heritage culture and do not adopt the norms of the new culture
Illusory correlations
Correlations that appear to exist, but either do not exist or are much weaker than assumed
Minimal group paradigm
An experimental paradigm in which researchers create groups based on arbitrary and seemingly meaningless criteria and then examine how the members of said groups are inclined to behave toward one another
Attention
The extent to which we notice someone’s specific behavior
Motivation
Given a reason, an observer may reproduce a behavior; this is influenced by whether the behavior observed was rewarded or punished
Social groups
Collections of individuals who interact and share common characteristics, influencing behavior, attitudes, and identities through shared values, norms, and goals
Group norms
Shared expectations and guidelines within a social group that define appropriate and acceptable behavior for its members, influencing the way individuals interact, communicate, and conform to collective standards
Positive distinctiveness
The psychological tendency of individuals to perceive their social group as superior or positively distinct compared to other groups, often leading to in-group favoritism and the reinforcement of group identity
Superordinate goals
Shared objectives or tasks that require the cooperation of individuals from different social groups, fostering intergroup cooperation and reducing intergroup conflict by emphasizing common interests and goals that override group differences
Outcome expectancies
Individuals’ anticipated beliefs about the potential consequences or results of their actions within a specific social or cultural context
Relativism
Understanding cultural practices within their context without imposing external judgments
Universalism
Acknowledgesshared principles or values across cultures
Bilingualism
The ability of individuals to proficiently speak and understand two languages, reflecting the influence of linguistic and cultural diversity on cognitive and social processes
Bicultural identity
An individual sense of belonging and, incorporation of values, customs, and behaviors from two distinct cultures, highlight the complex interplay of cultural influences on one’s identity and worldview
Berry’s acculturation model
Posts that individuals undergoing cultural change can adopt various strategies, such as assimilation, integration, separation, or marginalization, to navigate the balance between their heritage culture and the dominant culture in a given context
Globally assimilated
The process by which individuals adopt the cultural practices, values, and norms of a dominant global culture, potentially leading to a loss or dilution of their distinct cultural identity
Locally encapsulated
Described individuals who maintain a strong connection to their local or cultural identity, resisting influence from external or global cultural norms
Alienated
The feeling of detachment or estrangement that individuals may experience when they perceive a disconnection from their cultural or social environment
Bicultural
Denotes an individual’s ability to navigate and integrate aspects of two distinct cultures, reflecting a dual cultural identity and adaptation to diverse cultural contexts
