Sociocultural Paper 1

Question 1

social identity study/theory

Answer 1

Tajfel (1970)

Question 2

social groups

Answer 2

Tajfel (1970)

Question 3

social cognitive study/theory

Answer 3

Odden and Rochat (2004)

Question 4

cultural dimensions theory

Answer 4

Hofstede’s Cultural Dimensions

Question 4

stereotypes

Answer 4

Steele and Aronson (1995)

Question 5

cultural groups theory

Answer 5

Hofstede’s Cultural Dimensions

Question 6

cultural groups study

Answer 6

Berry (1967)

Question 6

cultural dimensions study

Answer 6

Berry (1967)

Question 7

norms

Answer 7

Odden and Rochat (2004)

Question 7

enculturation

Answer 7

Odden and Rochat (2004)

Question 8

acculturation / assimilation study

Answer 8

Lyons-Padilla et al. (2015)

Question 9

ethics

Answer 9

Sherif’s (1954) “Robbers Cave” Social Identity theory

Question 10

Tajfel (1970)

Answer 10

AIM
- investigate out-group prejudice after arbitrary placement into groups

STUDY
- true experiment

PARTICIPANTS
- 64 boys — aged 14 to 15

METHOD
- participants were asked to estimate the number of dots within an area, and were placed into groups based on whether they overestimated the no. Dots or underestimated

• each participant was tested by asking to reward certain amount of money to their in-group which was connected to a certain about of money to the out-group
• these options were shown in matrices with 2 main conclusions
  (1) most in-group profit, w/ more money given to out-group
  (2) maximum difference between in & out group’s profit, however, this was the lowest possible amount in-group would receive

RESULTS
- the boys would consistently choose option 2, giving the least money to their in-group, to disadvantage out-group at any cost

IMPLICATIONS
- even when there is no reason for out-group discrimination, people are still inclined to in-group favouritism

Question 11

methodology

Answer 11

Steele and Aronson (1995)

Question 12

Research methods used to study the influence of globalisation on behaviour ERQ

Answer 12

• Lyons-Padilla et al.’s (2015)
• Ogihara & Uchida (2014)
• Becker (2002)

Question 12

The interaction of local & global influences on behaviour ERQ

Answer 12

• Lyons-Padilla et al.’s (2015)
• Ogihara & Uchida (2014)
• Becker (2002)

Question 13

Steele and Aronson (1995)

Answer 13

AIM
- To investigate the effects of stereotype threat on the test performance of African Americans

STUDY
- true experiment

PARTICIPANTS
- 114 black and white students
- Half were induced stereotype threat
- Half were neutral for control

METHOD
- The participants performed a 30-minute standardised test of verbal ability
- The participants in experimental condition incurring stereotype threat were told the test diagnosed intellectual ability
- The control condition were told the test was a problem solving exercise
- Theory: linking the test to intellectual ability may activate existing racial stereotypes causing black participants to face the threat of fulfilling the stereotype

RESULTS
- The performance between black and white participants were equivalent in the control condition
- However, black participants performed worse than white participants in the stereotype threat condition

IMPLICATIONS
- The expectation of negative racial stereotypes creates a self-fulfilling prophecy where participants subconsciously fulfil the stereotype

Question 13

Hofstede’s Cultural Dimensions

Answer 13

Cultural Dimension:
- Individualism vs Collectivism may influence behaviour as cultural norms shape our values of individualism vs collectivism

• Cultural dimensions shape the thinking of people within the culture which can affect their behaviour

Individualism vs. collectivism

• Individualist societies prioritise individuals
• Values: uniqueness, freedom, privacy, independence
• Collectivist societies prioritise community
• Values: family, relationships, shared heritage, interdependence,
  social harmony
• origins/causes/reasons of cultural dimension of individualism vs collectivism:
  environmental factors:
  Inuit rely on hunting and fishing which require individual skills and initiative which promoted independence, self-reliance, and thus individualism

Sierra Leone culture practiced farming, which necessitates co-operation, co-ordination, community, and thus collectivism

Question 13

Odden and Rochat (2004)

Answer 13

AIM
- To investigate the role of observational learning or social cognitive theory in enculturation in Samoa

STUDY
- naturalistic observational study
- longitudinal design

PARTICIPANTS
- 28 Samoan children

METHOD
- Since Samoan culture takes a non-interventionist approach to raising children as they believe children learn important skills and values on their own, researchers could observational investigate observational learning of cultural norms
- Children are also not taught how to fish due to limited supply of fishing equipment, forcing them to learn observationally watching adults fish/
- The researchers observed the Samoan children’s behaviour over 25 months, and at the end children completed a multi-choice test on their knowledge of Samoan values and their hierarchy system
- Emic approach to enculturation as studied the culture from within

RESULTS
- By the children were 10 most of them began borrowing fishing equipment without adult supervision and learnt how to fish by recalling watching adults fish
- By 12 most children were capable fishermen despite never being overtly taught how to fish
- The test demonstrated that most children, despite never being overtly taught, understood the concepts, values, and norms of their culture

IMPLICATIONS
- Children are able to learn the norms of their culture simply by observing and overhearing the conversations of others
- Observational learning plays an important role in enculturation to learn cultural values, norms, behaviours, and tradition through observation and imitation

Question 14

Lyons-Padilla et al. (2015)

Answer 14

AIM
- To investigate the effect of acculturation strategies of Muslim immigrants on mental health
- To investigate the effects of globalisation promoting Pakistani Muslim immigration to more globally dominant cultures such as US on mental health of immigrants

STUDY
- Correlational survey

PARTICIPANTS
- Over 200 Muslim immigrants from Pakistan in US between 18-35

METHOD
- Survey consisted of questions about acculturation strategies, significance loss (feeling purposelessness in life), and support of islamic extremism

RESULTS
- The integrated immigrants had better mental health and cultural identity outcomes
- The immigrants with radical/extremist Islamic views correlated with significance loss which comes from the marginalisation component of acculturation
- Marginalised immigrants experienced loss of personal and cultural identity, and excluded themselves from cultural gatherings as well
- The immigrants who experienced more significance loss were correlated to be more likely sympathetic towards radical Islamic beliefs potentially due to the purposelessness of significance loss which is caused by marginalisation acculturation strategy

IMPLICATIONS
- Increasing immigration to Western countries due to globalisation affects mental health by creating significance loss in the immigrants whose acculturation strategies consist of marginalisation ,
- As globalisation increases immigration of local cultures to more globally dominant cultures such as US, the globalised immigration affects the mental health of immigrants due to their acculturation strategies
- Acculturation, promoted by globalisation, if consists of marginalisation strategy may cause significance loss which is a risk factor of radicalisation of Muslim immigrants (Kruglanski et al, 2014), as immigrants who feel disconnected to local and global cultures, and thus often also experience prejudice or discrimination, may potentially seek connection in extremism
- As globalisation has coincided with Islamic extremism and terrorism (Lutz and Lutz, 2015), the significance loss resulting from marginalisation acculturation strategies and prejudice and discrimination against increasing immigrants due to globalisation, may possibly cause radicalisation and extremism

Question 14

Berry (1967)

Answer 14

AIM
- To investigate whether the cultural group or norm of collectivism or individualism would influence the susceptibility to conformity

STUDY
- quasi-experiment

PARTICIPANTS
- Around 360 people
- From 3 different cultures around 120 people from each culture
- Sierra Leone collectivist culture
- Inuit Canadian individualist culture
- Scottish control culture with elements of both

METHOD
- Individually participant had identify which line out of 8 was the closet in length to the line given
- There were 6 trials, however, on the 3rd trial, the participants were given a hint as to what most people apart of ones culture would choose to be correct which was the true closet line
- However, on trials 4-6, the participants were given the same hint but suggested an incorrect answer

RESULTS
- Collectivist cultured participants were more likely to be influenced and conform to the incorrect answer

IMPLICATIONS
- Cultural groups with collectivist norms are more likely to conform as they value agreeability with ones respective cultural group
- Berry believes this is because the collectivists don’t want to go against the rest of the people within your collectivist group as this is the mentality that they hold

Question 15

Ogihara and Uchida (2014)

Answer 15

AIM
- To investigate the relationship between growing individualism, discordance to local collectivist culture, in Japanese students, due to globalisation, and their subjective wellbeing

STUDY
- Correlational survey

PARTICIPANTS
- 114 Japanese students
- 62 US students (control group with individualistic culture)

METHOD
- Survey measured levels of individualism, wellbeing, and number of close friends

RESULTS
- The more individualistic Japanese students rated lower subjective wellbeing levels, as their globalised cultural value of individualism potentially made it harder for them to fit into their local collectivist culture
- The individualistic Japanese students had less friends due to cultural discordance potentially causing less contentment
- No correlation between individualism and wellbeing was found in the Americans, as the individualistic value did not hinder cultural connection

IMPLICATIONS
- The Japanese students, and young people, who adopt globalised cultural values of individualism may have poorer wellbeing and mental health outcomes as they fit less into their local culture of collectivism due to globalisation
- Spread of western values through globalisation could have a negative effect on people in collectivist cultures

Question 15

Novotny and Polonsky (2011)

Answer 15

AIM
- To investigate the effect of globalisation of Western TV in altering Fijian attitudes, and body image ideals in becoming more globalised or Westernised

STUDY
- Naturalistic experiment
- Prospective multi-wave cross sectional design
- Independent groups design
- Semi-structured interviews
Survey / Questionnaire

PARTICIPANTS
- Adolescent Fijian girls
- 1st sample: 63 Fijian girls examined in 1995 before introduction of globalisation through Western TV
- 2nd sample: 65 Different Fijian girls examined in 1998 after introduction of TV

METHOD
- Both samples completed an Eating Attitudes Test (EAT) which is a survey which measures propensity to develop an eating disorder quantitatively. A score of 20 = high risk for an eating disorder
- Separate survey measured the
Western TV exposure of the participants
- Afterwards qualitative data was collected through semi-structured interviews (open ended questions) which consisted of questions about body image, dieting, and their perspectives of their parents views (local culture)

RESULTS
- EAT scores above 20 had increased from 1st sample to 2nd sample by 16% after the globalisation of Western body ideals
- Girls with TVs in their homes were 3x likely to have EAT above 20
- Over 70% stated TV influenced their body image, and stated they felt too fat
- Vomiting after eating went from 0% to 11%

IMPLICATIONS
- The globalisation of Western TVs in local cultures causes those cultures, and specifically adolescents to absorb Western cultural body ideals, which could change behaviour in local cultures by increasing the likelihood of developing an eating disorder

Question 16

Globalisation ERQ

Answer 16

Lyons-Padilla et al.’s (2015)
Ogihara & Uchida (2014)
Novotny and Polonsky (2011)