Wht is cultural psychology? What is culture? Flashcards
What is cultural psychology? What does this field study?
Cultural psychology is a subfield of psychology that studies how culture and mind influence each other. It examines how cultural contexts shape psychological processes and how human thought, behavior, and emotions are embedded within cultural traditions and practices.
How does general psychology view the mind and culture?
General psychology often views the mind as universal, functioning similarly across cultures. It tends to emphasize biological and cognitive processes that are assumed to be consistent worldwide.
How does this differ from the cultural psychology approach?
Cultural psychology, on the other hand, argues that the mind and culture are deeply intertwined. It suggests that psychological processes are shaped by cultural environments and cannot be fully understood outside of these contexts.
What is mutual constitution? What does it mean to say that mind and culture make each other up?
Mutual constitution refers to the idea that culture and mind make each other up. This means that cultural norms, values, and practices influence psychological processes, and in turn, individuals contribute to shaping their cultural context.
how do we see this example play out in cultural beliefs and individual identities related to sex/gender in the Sambia case study (jerungdu)?
In the Sambia case study, the concept of jerungdu (masculine strength) demonstrates how cultural beliefs about gender shape individual identities and practices, such as rites of passage and societal expectations for masculinity.
How are related disciplines, such as anthropology or sociology similar and different from the field of cultural psychology?
Anthropology and sociology also study culture, but they differ in their methods and focus.
Anthropology: Often qualitative, focusing on ethnographic fieldwork and deep cultural description.
Sociology: Examines social structures and institutions on a broad scale.
Cultural psychology: Uses a theory-driven, often quantitative approach to measure cultural influences on psychological processes.
what are Etic and Emic approaches to studying culture?
Etic approach: Examines cultures from an outsider’s perspective, identifying universal principles across cultures.
Emic approach: Studies culture from within, focusing on culturally specific phenomena.
why is considering etic and emic approaches important?
Importance: Using both approaches provides a more complete understanding of cultural influences on psychology.
relate these key terms:
1. color-blind approaches
2. multicultural approaches
3. ethnocentrism
Color-blind approach: Ignores cultural differences and emphasizes common humanity.
Multicultural approach: Recognizes and values cultural diversity.
Ethnocentrism: Judging other cultures by one’s own cultural standards.
how do concepts of etic and emic relate to the concept pf value-based judgments?
Value-based judgments: Cultures have inherent values that influence perception, as reflected in the phrase, “a fish cannot/did not discover water.”
what do nonuniversals and universals mean?
Nonuniversals: Psychological concepts that do not exist in all cultures.
Universals:
Functional universals: Exist across cultures but vary in application.
Accessibility universals: Exist across cultures and are used similarly.
What is the acronym WEIRD mean?
Stands for Western, Educated, Industrialized, Rich, and Democratic societies
is the field of psychology WEIRD? What are the potential limitations?
Yes, Most psychological research has been conducted in WEIRD populations, limiting its generalizability to other cultures.
what are some of the key boundaries we see to distinguish cultures within the WEIRD framework?
WEIRD as a spectrum: Cultures are not strictly WEIRD or non-WEIRD; differences exist within:
Small-scale vs. Industrialized societies: Industrialized societies tend to be more individualistic.
Western vs. Non-Western countries: Western cultures emphasize individualism more.
U.S. vs. Other Western countries: The U.S. is generally more individualistic than even other Western nations like Canada.
What is intra-cultural variability?
Intracultural variation is the difference in culture between people who share a larger cultural group. It can refer to differences in beliefs, values, attitudes, and behaviors.
What do we mean when we say cultures have variability within them?
Cultures are not homogeneous; there is variability within them.
What is the Müller-Lyder Illusion?
A visual illusion in which two lines of the same length appear to be different due to the addition of arrow-like tails.
how and why does it vary across cultures?
The reason for this difference lies in perceptual learning and environmental exposure:
Westerners grow up in carpentered environments filled with right angles, straight edges, and geometric structures. This conditions their brains to interpret depth cues in a way that makes the illusion stronger.
Non-industrialized cultures, especially those living in environments without as many straight edges (e.g., round huts, natural landscapes), do not develop the same visual biases and are less affected by the illusion.
why does this example also show us the importance of incorporating culture into psychological science?
It challenges the assumption that all human perception works the same way universally.
It demonstrates how culture shapes cognitive and perceptual processes, influencing how people experience the world.
It serves as a reminder that many psychological theories—especially those developed in WEIRD societies—may not apply globally.
What are some limitations or challenges in defining or studying culture?
Complexity & Broad Scope – Culture includes beliefs, values, norms, behaviors, and customs, making it difficult to define universally.
Dynamic Nature – Cultures change over time, making static definitions ineffective.
Variability Within Cultures – Not all members of a culture share the same beliefs or practices, leading to intracultural variability.
Difficulties in Measurement – Quantifying cultural influence is challenging since culture is socially transmitted rather than biologically inherited.
Research Bias – Many studies focus on WEIRD (Western, Educated, Industrialized, Rich, Democratic) populations, limiting generalizability.
What is culture? according to the textbook
Culture is the collection of shared beliefs, values, customs, and practices that define a group of people
Culture is the collection of shared beliefs, values, customs, and practices that define a group of people
