sociocultural approach: the influence of globalisation on individual behaviour

Question 1

globalisation, what is it and what is it driven by

Answer 1

the process of interaction and integration among people of different nations, resulting in a unifying global culture

is a process driven by international trade, travel, international companies, flow of information (the internet) and investment aided by modern information technology

Question 2

what causes globalisation

Answer 2

Technology and internet
Trade of goods
Travelling
Immigration

Question 3

effects of globalisation

Answer 3

Less chances of acculturative stress
Change in diet
Rise in consumerism, more materialistic
Rise in secularism
Change in attitudes

Question 4

an effect of globalisation on mental health

Answer 4

hikikomori

Question 5

Hikikomori

Answer 5

Japanese phenomena, a mental health disorder could be caused by globalisation
A disorder that some argue is a response to feelings of marginalisation that occur by wanting to be part of the global internet community, but not being able to escape one’s own culture

Hikikomori (social isolation syndrome) is a culture-bound syndrome, primarily found in Japan. Young Japanese may lock themselves in their rooms and refuse to come out for years at a time

Question 6

3 key characteristics of Hikikomori

Answer 6

No motivation to participate in school or work
No signs of other psychological disorders
Persistent social withdrawal for at least 6 months

Question 7

who does Hikikomori primarily affect

Answer 7

Primarily affects young men, lifetime prevalence of 4.6% of Japanese young people ages 15-34

Question 8

goal of young people with Hikikomori

Answer 8

to avoid possible social interactions with others who may know them and judge them

Question 9

how has the number of hikikomori cases changed over the years, what does this cause psychologists to consider

Answer 9

The disorder was relatively rare in the past but it has been rising significantly over time → could globalisation be playing a role in the rise of hikikomori?

Question 10

why may Japanese youths develop Hikikomori

Answer 10

Japanese youth may not see the benefit of conformity and social harmony which is characteristic of Japanese society and yet do not feel that they are part of the globalised community and its values → leads to identity confusion and marginalisation

Question 11

Norasakkunkit and Uchida (2014), aim

Answer 11

To explain the origins of hikikomori by applying Berry & Sam’s acculturation model.

Question 12

Norasakkunkit and Uchida (2014), participants

Answer 12

195 Japanese university students because getting access to people who suffer from hikikomori is very difficult

Question 13

Norasakkunkit and Uchida (2014), method

Answer 13

Participants took a standardised test to see whether they were at high risk or low risk for hikikomori

Researchers gave participants a test to measure their attitudes about social harmony and social conformity. This test looked at 3 levels: perception of their current self, their ideal self, and general Japanese society

Also took a test to measure their sense of local identity (high on social harmony and collectivism) and global identity (high on individualism and achievement)

Question 14

Norasakkunkit and Uchida (2014), results

Answer 14

Both groups agreed that social harmony and conformity were highly valued by Japanese society

When assessing current self and ideal self, High risk hikikomori: ranked social harmony values much lower than the low-risk students, means that high-risk students would ideally like to be lower in harmony seeking and conformity than what they perceive to be the case in Japanese society

High risk students scored lower than low-risk students on local identity and global identity → marginalisation

Question 15

Norasakkunkit and Uchida (2014), conclusion

Answer 15

Local culture may alienate many Japanese youths who may then decide not to conform to the cultural norms but do not identify with or know how to access the globalised culture, and so they withdraw from society

Marginalisation and acculturative stress as an effect of globalisation

Question 16

Norasakkunkit and Uchida (2014), strengths

Answer 16

Standardised → same experience, reliability

Sample was large → more likely to be representative

Question 17

Norasakkunkit and Uchida (2014), weaknesses

Answer 17

Not using people with hikikomori → may not apply to the actual condition and doesn’t tell us about the mental illness

Cognitive processes → not directly observable, subjectivity → bias in the materials

Correlation is not causation

Self-report → people could lie

Question 18

second effect of globalisation on mental health

Answer 18

eating disorders

Question 19

Becker et al (2002), aim

Answer 19

To study if the introduction of television would lead to an increase in disordered eating attitudes and behaviours among Fijian adolescent girls in two secondary schools in Nadroga (district just outside the capital city of Nadi)

Question 20

Becker et al (2002), background

Answer 20

Fijian culture focuses on having a large appetite, a larger body mass is not seen as unattractive but as desirable. Up until the study, there was only one reported case of anorexia

Question 21

Becker et al (2002), procedure

Answer 21

Prospective study
Natural experiment, TV was not an IV manipulated by the researcher, it was naturally occurring
Qualitative and quantitative methods

Question 22

Becker et al (2002), participants

Answer 22

Adolescent girls from Fiji, aged 16-18
Independent groups design
1st group: 1995, only a few weeks after the introduction of TV
2nd group: 1998, 3 years later

Question 23

Becker et al (2002), method

Answer 23

1995 girls given the EAT-26, a standardised (Western) test to determine eating attitudes
After completion, semi-structured interviews were used to confirm the test results if there was evidence of bingeing and/or purging behaviours
Measured weight and height

1998 sample took the EAT-26 with the follow up interview
Addition questions regarding dieting practice, body image and difference in generational values

Question 24

Becker et al (2002), results

Answer 24

Significant difference in the EAT-26 scores of the two groups
1995 = average 12.7% 1998 = average 29.2%
1998, scored of above 20 were correlated with dieting and self-induced vomiting

1995 = no girls reported purging behaviours
1998 = 11.3% of the sample reported purging behaviours
Self reported binge-eating = no significant change, 7.9% and 4.6% respectfully

1995 = dieting was rare
1998 =
69% of PPS reported that they had dietted to lose weight
74% felt they were too big/fat
77% reported that television had made them think differently about their body shape
40% felt that weight loss would improve their job prospects
31% felt that parent’s generation wanted them to consume too much food

Question 25

Becker et al (2002), conclusion

Answer 25

Participants admired TV personalities and wanted to alter their looks to be more similar to them

Identifying with role models on TV changed body image in the period of the study

Cultural values about dieting/weight were changed between the girls

Interviews revealed that there was little awareness among the participants that television images are heavily edited

Question 26

Becker et al (2002), strengths

Answer 26

High ecological validity

Prospective study, can compare behaviours and infer a cause-and-effect

Question 27

Becker et al (2002), weaknesses

Answer 27

Cannot be replicated

Different PPS in both groups, we don’t know in the girls from the 1998 sample had disordered eating in 1995 too

Natural experiment, IV was not manipulated, could be other factors affecting eating disorders

Etic approach, tries to generalise results to other cultures, ignores cultural differences

EAT-26 is a westernised test, may not truly reflect mental health in Fiji, possibility of eating disorders existing before

No control group

Self reported, socially sensitive topic, demand characteristics, social desirability bias, lowers credibility & validity