socio key terms psych

Hofstede’s cultural dimensions

6 cultural dimensions which provide a framework for understanding cultural differences and can help individuals and organisations adapt their behaviour to different cultural contexts. widely used in cross cultural research and are an important tool for understanding and navigating cultural diversity in a global setting

6 cultural dimensions

power distance, uncertainty avoidance, individualism-collectivism, masculinity-femininity, and short vs. long-term orientation, indulgence vs restraint

culture

complex system of shared beliefs, values, customs and behaviours that characterise a group or society. encompasses the way of life, social norms and traditions of a particular community

enculturation

process by which individuals learn and internalise values, norms and beliefs of their culture. process begins in childhood and continues into adulthood through socialisation e.g family peers, religion, media, education

acculturation

process by which individuals and groups from different cultures come into contact with each other and adopt aspects of each others cultures. occurs through migration, globalisation and technology and causes changes in attitudes, behaviour and beliefs as well as cultural norms and practices

long term vs short term orientation

long term orientated cultures value perseverance, respect for tradition and authority and are willing to sacrifice short term gains for long term benefits. short term orientated cultures value quick results, adaptability, immediate gratification and are willing to take more risks.

social cognitive theory

emphasises the importance of social learning in shaping human behaviour, cognition and motivation. individuals learn from observing others and their behaviour is influenced by their own cognitive processes e.g. attention, memory and self regulation

stereotypes

generalizations made about groups of people based on their membership to a social category e.g. race, gender, age. often negative and oversimplified reducing complex individuals to a few traits which causes prejudice and discrimination

social identity theory

individuals define themselves by the social groups they belong to. people have an innate drive to evaluate their own social worth by comparing themselves to others

acculturative stress

psychological, emotional, physiological impact of adjusting to a new culture/environment. causes anxiety, stress, PTSD, depression due to changes in language, customs, values and social norms.

assimilation

assimilation is a strategy in which individuals adopt the cultural norms and values of the dominant culture while relinquishing their own cultural identity. This approach typically involves a desire to fit in with the dominant group and to minimize cultural differences. Assimilation may involve learning the language, adopting cultural practices, and conforming to social norms and expectations.