Sociocultural theory

Question 1

What is sociocultural theory

Answer 1

Sociocultural theory emphasizes the role of culture and social context in shaping human behavior and development.
It posits that individuals are active agents who construct their own understanding of the world through social interaction with others and participation in cultural practices.

Question 2

key concepts of sociocultural theory

Answer 2

Cultural norms: shared beliefs, values, customs, and practices of a particular society or group.
Zone of proximal development (ZPD): the range of tasks that a person can perform with assistance from others that they cannot perform alone.
Scaffolding: the support provided by others to facilitate a person’s learning or problem-solving.
Socialization: the process by which an individual acquires the norms and values of their culture through social interaction and learning.

Question 3

Strengths of sociocultural theory

Answer 3

It emphasizes the importance of context and culture in shaping human behavior, which provides a more holistic and nuanced understanding of individuals and societies.
It has practical applications in fields such as education, health, and intercultural communication.
It acknowledges the active role of individuals in their own development and learning.

Question 4

Limitations of sociocultural theory

Answer 4

-It may oversimplify the complexity and diversity of cultures and individual experiences.
-It may neglect the role of biology and innate factors in shaping behavior and development.
-It may be criticized for being too culturally specific and not applicable to all societies and cultures.

Question 5

Social group

Answer 5

Two or more people who interact with one another, share similar characteristics and collectively have a sense of unity

Question 6

Social categorisation

Answer 6

We identify which groups we blond to. These groups we identify with are our in groups. The out-groups are the groups we do not belong to

Question 7

Ingroup

Answer 7

a group in which a person defines themselves as a member
- Groups members are seen as individuals with positive traits
- Leads to favouritism

Question 8

Out-group

Answer 8

• Group members are seen as similar to each other with negative traits
  
  • Leads to out group discrimination. .

Question 9

Social identification

Answer 9

Takes place after deciding to belong to the group. This is the process of adopting the norms of the group and taking on the characteristics of the group.

Question 10

Social comparsion

Answer 10

Asset the value of their ingroup membership vis a process of social comparison with an outgroup which helps maintain their self-esteem.

Question 11

Positive distinctiveness

Answer 11

the ingroup is perceived as ‘better than’ the out group and a positive social identity is achieved= increased self-esteem.

Question 12

Negative Distinctiveness

Answer 12

assessment is not positive, individual will try to leave the group and move to another with more a positive identity and try to make the group seem better.

Question 13

Self esteem

Answer 13

how we value and perceive ourselves

Question 14

Minimal group paradigm

Answer 14

social psychology research methodology that proposes that the minimal condition for group biases (like favoritism towards your own group and prejudice towards other groups) is simply being a member of a group.

Question 15

modelling

Answer 15

Role models are positively perceived
- Have similarities between the model and the learner
- Are familiar with the model from previous observations
- Models behaviour is noticeable
- Perceive ourselves as being able to imitate.

Question 16

attention

Answer 16

learners must focus on, or closely watch the role models behaviour and their consequences.
- motivation and interest level of the observer
- Distractions
- Distinctiveness of the behaviour
- Importance of learning the behaviour
- Characteristics of the role model.

Question 17

retention

Answer 17

learner remembers what they have observed
Learnt behaviour must be stored in memory as a mental representation so that the observed behaviour can be utilised at a later time.

Question 18

Reproduction

Answer 18

learner attempts to replicate or imitate what was observed
- For learning to be occurred there must be reproduction
- Reproduction is exhibiting of a particular behaviour at a time later than immediately after the observation
- Bandura makes the point that the organism has to be capable of reproducing the learned behaviour before we can say learning has occurred.

Question 19

Motivation

Answer 19

learner must want to perform the behaviour
- Must see a purpose or incentive to perform the behaviour
- Motivation can be:
- Intrinsic: motivation that results from internal factors operating within an individual e.g., pride, sense of achievement
- Extrinsic: motivations that results from that rewards that are external to the individual e.g., praise, reward, money and recognition.

Question 20

Vicarious learning

Answer 20

a way of learning that allows individuals to learn from the experience of others

Question 21

Vicarious reinforcement

Answer 21

It involves learning through observation of the consequences of actions for other people.

Question 22

Vicarious punishment

Answer 22

a decrease in the frequency of certain behaviors as a results of seeing others punished for the same actions.

Question 23

Self-efficacy

Answer 23

one’s belief in one’s ability to be successfully accomplish a task.

Question 24

culture

Answer 24

the ideas, customs, and social behaviour of a particular people or society.

Question 25

cultural norms

Answer 25

A cultural norm is a set of rules based on socially or culturally shared beliefs of how an individual ought to behave to be accepted within that group.

Question 26

surface culture

Answer 26

• easily observered
  eg. behaviours, customs, tradtions, architecture

Question 27

deep culture

Answer 27

cognitive elements of culture that cannot be observed

Question 28

Ethnocentric

Answer 28

evaluating other cultures according to preconceptions originating in the standards and customs of one’s own culture.

Question 29

Emic Approach

Answer 29

based in a belief that unique values and norms of a given culture are indispensible to understanding behaviors meaningful to indigenous members of the society.

Question 30

Etic approach

Question 31

Conformity

Answer 31

is the changing of behaviour as a result of real or imaginary group pressure

Question 32

Asch paradigm

Answer 32

The Asch conformity experiments consisted of a group “vision test”, where study participants were found to be more likely to conform to obviously wrong answers if first given by other “participants”, who were actually working for the experimenter.
The experiment found that over a third of subjects conformed to giving a wrong answer.
In terms of gender, males show around half the effect of females (tested in same-sex groups). Conformity is also higher among members of an in-group.

Question 33

cultural dimension

Answer 33

aspects of culture that can affect behaviour which can be measured and compared with that of other cultures

Question 34

individualist

Answer 34

emphasis on self/ induvial looser connections between people, more independent more important that group.
values autonomy, independence.

Question 35

Collectivist

Answer 35

emphasis on group, people closely connected to thwi groups, less independent, values cooperation, harmony

Question 36

Enculturation

Answer 36

The process by which people learn the necessary and appropriate skills and norms in the context of their own culture.

Question 37

Cultural transmission

Answer 37

the process through which cultural elements, in the form of attitudes, values, beliefs, and behavioral scripts, are passed onto and taught to individuals and groups.

Question 38

Direct tuition

Answer 38

means teaching young children how to behave by reinforcing “appropriate” behaviors/conduct and by punishing or otherwise discouraging “inappropriate” conduct/behaviors.

Question 39

Participatory learning

Answer 39

an approach to teaching and learning which focuses on the learner

Question 40

Observational learning

Answer 40

the process of learning by watching the behaviors of others.

Question 41

Acculturation

Answer 41

Acculturation is the cultural and psychological change that take place as a result of contact between two or more cultural groups.

Question 42

Assimilation

Answer 42

individuals are open to change and are unconcerned about any loss to their culture.
- Individuals seek interaction with cultures other than their own and are willing to change.
- Losses a sense of belonging to his or her heritage culture and completely adopts and adapts to the norms and values of their new culture.
- Was once considered the goal of acculturation, however many countries are embracing multiculturalism

Question 43

Intergation

Answer 43

• individuals want to hold on to traditional values and beliefs but at the same time desire daily interactions with other cultures.
  
  • Feel equally at home in both cultures

Question 44

Separation

Answer 44

• individuals value their original culture and are adverse to losing touch with the values and traditions of their past.
  
  • Individuals actively seek to avoid contact with other cultures.

Question 45

Marginalisation

Answer 45

individuals have little interest in maintaining their original culture but at the same time have little interest in opening relations with other cultures.
- Can result in a feeling of alienation, as the person no longer has a firm connection with either cultural background.

Question 46

Acculturative stress

Answer 46

is the psychological somatic and social difficulites that occur when an individual is adapting to a new culture, resulting in a reduction of the indivduals mental, and physical wellbeing

Question 47

Realistic Conflict theory

Answer 47

• intergroup hostility can arise as a result of inter-group conflict
  -groups cooperate when they have a shared, common goal, this goal must be achieved by cooperating w the other group.

Question 48

stereotype threat

Answer 48

the internalised fear of confirming or reinforcing a negative stereotype.