SAQ- cultural dimensions.

Potential Q

Describe one cultural dimension with reference to one relevant study.

What is a cultural dimension?

the differences in values or beliefs between cultures which reflect society's culture and show what they view as the most important.

What is an example of a cultural dimension?

Individualism and collectivism

What is individualism?

it focuses on personal success, freedom, independence, and privacy.

What is collectivism?

focuses more on group success and interdependence within a community.

What’s a study that shows this cultural dimension and what’s the aim?

Kulkoffsky et al Wanted to investigate is there was a difference in flashbulb memories in individualist and collectivist cultures.

What’s the design?

Questionnaire

What’s the method?

• they gave a flashbulb memory questionnaire, based on the original questionnaire used by Brown & Kulik, to people from individualistic cultures like the US and collectivistic cultures like China.

• The participants were asked to recall a public event that took place in their lifetime - like 9-11 or the death of a famous person.

What did they find?

• The collectivist is cultured had less examples of flashbulb memories because it’s doesn’t put as much importance on personal experiences.

• The personal emotional responses is frowned on so rehearsal isn’t carried out so vividly memories aren’t developed.

What’s the conclusion?

• collectivistic cultures can have strong memories of the actual event but not flashbulb memories where they remember what they were doing, whom they were with, or how they personally found out about the event.

• This study supports the idea that our culture can impact our behavior and cognition.