Topic 2 : Culture Flashcards
What is Culture?
Social Learning
Shared Context
Influence Behaviour
What are General Psychology Assumptions?
The mind operates in natural and universal laws ( Law of Generalization )
Content and Context are not considered (DSM )
Central Processing Unit ( CPU ) : memory , learning , attention
How is the Psychological Database constructed?
WEIRD
Western
Educated
Industrialized
Rich
Democratic
Why Study Cultural Psychology ?
Increase Globalization
No colour Blind Approach ( sameness)
Yes to multicultural approach ( individual differences)
What are the Three approaches to Cultural Psych ?
Symbolic approach
Activity Approach
Individualistic Approach
What is a Symbolic Approach?
Shared concepts, meaning, linguistic terms ( duck Face / Cross example )
It is internalized
What are the Strengths of Symbolic Approach ?
Emphasizes cognitive basis of psychological processes
Elaborates social content of psychological processes (meaning )
Recognizes social construction and sharing of concepts
What are the Weaknesses of the Symbolic Approach?
Overlooks practical activities, artifacts and conditions
Symbols appear arbitrary
Minimizes individual differences in concepts and processes
Indefinite process of social construction
What is Activity Approach ?
The engagement in socially organized activities that are practical
It is externalized
What are the Strengths of Activity Approach ?
Emphasizes action rather than pure cognition
Emphasizes tools and social agency
Recognizes heterogeneity ( differences ) of psychological processes
What are the Weaknesses of Activity Approach ?
Activity and tools are conceived as devoid ( no ) of social content
Unclear about how activity organizes psychological process
Minimizes individual agency
What is Individualistic Approach ?
Individuals reconstruct culture the way they see fit. ( The Third Culture Child / Immigration )
Internalize + Externalize
What are the Strengths of the Individualistic Approach
Emphasizes individual agency in contracting psychological phenomena from social influences and individual differences in psychological phenomena
What are the Weaknesses of Individualistic Approach ?
Overlooks practical activities, artifacts and conditions
Overlooks organized social action necessary to alter cultural and psychological phenomena
What are Psychological Universals and Levels of Analysis?
Non -Universals
Existential Universal
Functional Universal
Accessibility Universal
