IB Psychology Sociocultural Studies

Enculturation

The process by which individuals learn and adopt the norms and values of their culture.

Narrative interviews

An open style of interviewing in which no pre-prepared questions are used.

Gender socialisation

The process through which individuals learn the gender norms and behaviors expected in their culture.

Thematic analysis

A method of analyzing qualitative data by identifying themes or patterns within the data.

Corporal punishment

Physical punishment used as a disciplinary measure for perceived rule violations.

Qualitative data

Data that provides insights and understanding of underlying reasons and motivations, often collected through interviews.

Sample population

A group of individuals selected from a larger population for the purpose of research.

Socially disadvantaged area

A location characterized by low socioeconomic status and limited access to resources.

Formal education

Structured education typically provided by schools, including primary, secondary, and higher education.

Cultural norms

The shared expectations and rules that guide behavior within a society.

Gendered behaviour

Behaviors that are considered appropriate for individuals based on their gender.

Influential figures in socialisation

Individuals, such as parents and teachers, who significantly impact a child's learning and development.

Comparative analysis

A method of comparing different groups or cultures to understand similarities and differences.

Traditional attitudes

Beliefs and practices that are rooted in historical customs and norms.

Mildest interactions

The least severe forms of social interaction, often referring to casual or non-threatening encounters.

Enculturation impact

The effects that cultural learning has on individual behavior and societal norms.

Gender expectations

The societal beliefs about how individuals of different genders should behave.

Intergenerational comparison

The analysis of differences and similarities between different generations regarding beliefs and behaviors.

Restrictions on interaction

Rules or norms that limit social engagement between different genders.

Insightful data

Information that provides a deep understanding of a subject or phenomenon.

Research limitations

Factors that may affect the validity or reliability of research findings.

Cultural adherence

The degree to which individuals or groups follow cultural norms and practices.

Aim

To investigate ethnic identity in first-generation Indian Hindu parents living in the USA

Participants

16 first-generation Indian Hindu parents (8 female; 8 male) who had moved to the USA in the late 1960s/early 1970s

Emigration Age

The parents had all been over 20 years old when they had emigrated

Sampling Methods

Both purposive and snowball sampling methods were used to obtain the sample who were all fluent in English

Procedure

Prior to the interview, participants were asked to classify themselves as either 'very Indian/somewhat Indian/bicultural/somewhat American/very American'

Interview Type

Semi-structured interviews were then conducted

Ethnic Identity

The two most common self-categorisations were 'very Indian' whilst also feeling 'bicultural'

Integration Strategy

Berry's idea that integration is the most successful acculturative strategy is supported in the data

Factors Contributing to Ethnic Identity Retention

Engagement in cultural celebrations and activities; maintaining traditional values and upbringing; family ties; and the need for social support

Children's Bicultural Experiences

Fathers typically and mothers generally noted the bicultural influence and the difficulties of maintaining cultural continuity

Bicultural Strength

Being bicultural was generally seen by both groups of parents as being a strength

Challenges

Limited family and community guidance; obstacles presented by Western culture; a lack of specific cultural knowledge; an inability to apply their own experience when raising their children; and fear of intermarriage

Conclusion

First-generation immigrant parents are able to acculturate successfully but this is not always without its problems and difficulties

Strengths of Inman et al. (2007)

Narrative interviews allow the participants complete freedom when responding to questions

Internal Validity

The results of the interviews were cross‐checked and confirmed between researchers and by an external auditor

Limitations of Inman et al. (2007)

It is possible that the parents could have discussed what they were going to say in the interviews prior to them being conducted

Sample Size Limitation

A sample of 16 parents is very small and means that the results are not easily generalised

Key Terms

Acculturation, Ethnic identity, Narrative interviews

Key Study

Smith & Bond (1996)

Key Study Aim

To investigate conformity as a product of culture

Participants in Key Study

The study was a meta-analysis which in total comprised 133 studies, from 17 countries

Cultural Representation

The studies represented both collectivist and individualistic cultures

Meta-analysis

A quantitative research method which uses the data from previously published studies on the same topic.

Asch paradigm

A classic study of conformity conducted by Asch in 1951, measuring conformity rates.

Effect size

A statistical measure that quantifies the strength of the relationship between two variables, in this case, conformity rates.

Collectivist cultures

Cultures that emphasize group goals and interdependence over individual goals.

Individualistic cultures

Cultures that emphasize personal goals and individualism over group goals.

Normative social influence

The influence of others that leads us to conform in order to be liked and accepted by them.

Fiji

A collectivist country with the highest effect size of conformity at 2.48.

Hong Kong

A collectivist country with an effect size of conformity at 1.93.

Japan

A collectivist country with an effect size of conformity at 1.42.

France

An individualistic country with the lowest effect size of conformity at 0.56.

The Netherlands

An individualistic country with an effect size of conformity at 0.74.

USA

An individualistic country with an effect size of conformity at 0.90.

Conformity rates

The frequency with which individuals conform to group norms or pressures.

Critical trials

Trials in the Asch experiment where confederates give the same wrong answer.

Naïve participant

An individual in the Asch study who is unaware of the confederates' true role.

Confederates

Individuals in the study who are aware of the experiment and provide predetermined responses.

Dependent variable

The variable that is measured in an experiment, in this case, the number of conforming answers.

Acceptance and liking

The social motivations behind why participants may conform to group answers.

Cross-cultural replications

Studies that replicate the original research across different cultural contexts.

Overall conclusion

The summary drawn from the combined findings of various studies regarding conformity.

Conformity and culture

The relationship indicating that conformity may be influenced by cultural context.

Meta-analysis

A method that combines results from multiple studies to identify patterns and trends in behavior.

Asch paradigm

A psychological experiment designed to study conformity by having participants identify line lengths.

Effect size

A quantitative measure of the magnitude of a phenomenon, often used in meta-analysis.

Naïve participant

An individual in a study who is unaware of the true purpose of the experiment.

Conformist

A person who aligns their beliefs or behaviors with those of a group.

External validity

The extent to which the results of a study can be generalized to other settings or populations.

Conformity rate

The percentage of participants who give the same incorrect answer in a conformity experiment.

Cultural dimension of individualism/collectivism

A framework for understanding how cultures prioritize individual versus group goals.

Economic vitality

A measure of the economic health of a city, often linked to its pace of life.

Pace of life

The speed at which people and organizations operate in a given environment.

Hypothesis

A proposed explanation for a phenomenon, which can be tested through research.

Sample

A subset of a population selected for study, which represents the larger group.

Standardised procedure

A consistent method used across different studies to ensure reliability of results.

Critical trials

Key tests in an experiment that are designed to measure the main effects being studied.

Cultural stereotypes

Oversimplified and generalized beliefs about a group of people based on their culture.

Generalise

To apply findings from a study to a broader population beyond the sample studied.

Reliability

The consistency of a measure or study over time and across different contexts.

Statistical power

The probability that a study will detect an effect when there is an effect to be detected.

Individualistic cultures

Cultures that prioritize individual goals and personal autonomy over group goals.

Conformity

The act of matching attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors to group norms.

Outdated ideas about culture

Beliefs that are no longer accurate or relevant to current cultural understandings.

Pace of life

The speed at which people live their daily lives, measured through various behaviors.

Economic vitality

The level of economic activity and health in a country, which can influence the pace of life.

Inter-rater reliability

The degree to which different observers give consistent estimates of the same phenomenon.

Levine & Norenzayan (1999)

A study that collected quantitative data to analyze the pace of life across different cultures.

Collectivist cultures

Cultures that prioritize group goals and relationships over individual goals.

Individualistic cultures

Cultures that emphasize personal independence and individual achievement.

Smith & Bond (1996)

A meta-analysis investigating conformity as a product of culture across 133 studies from 17 countries.

Asch paradigm (1951)

A classic study of conformity where participants were asked to match line lengths in a group setting.

Effect size

A quantitative measure that reflects the magnitude of a phenomenon, such as conformity rates in this study.

Fiji

A collectivist country with the highest rate of conformity observed in the study, with an effect size of 2.48.

Hong Kong

A collectivist country with a conformity effect size of 1.93.

Japan

A collectivist country with a conformity effect size of 1.42.

USA

A country that scored in the middle range for pace of life in the study.

Switzerland

The country with the fastest observed pace of life.