Psychology - Sociocultural Approach Key Terms

IBDP Psychology Sociocultural Approach Key Terms

Acculturation models

The process through which individuals from one culture come into contact with and adopt the behaviours, norms and values of another culture. Berry's acculturation model was based on 4 strategies.

Integration

High value on both the old and new culture; the person becomes bicultural. This typically results in the best psychological well-being. One of the four strategies the acculturation model was based on.

Assimilation

Assimilation: High value on the new culture and low value on the old heritage culture. One of the four strategies the acculturation model was based on.

Separation

Separation: High value on the heritage culture while rejecting the host culture. One of the four strategies the acculturation model was based on.

Marginalization

Low value on both the original culture and the new host culture. One of the four strategies the acculturation model was based on.

Cognitive dissonance

Refers to a situation involving conflicting attitudes, beliefs, or behaviors. For example, smoking and knowing it causes cancer, but keeping on smoking regardless of knowing the harm.

Compliance techniques

______ is a type of social influence where an individual does what someone else wants them to do, following his or her request or suggestion. Marketing and sales use this a lot in their campaigns. There are a few techniques such as a foot in the door technique, door in the face technique and lowballing.

Conformity

This occurs when we adapt our behavior to match that of others. Asch developed a research paradigm for studying conformity, which is used in much of the conformity research. This was based on lines.

Cultural dimensions

These ______ look at how the values of a society affect behaviour. A dimension describes the trends of behaviour in a given culture. One dimension is collectivistic verses individualistic.

Individualistic

Defined by personal traits, distinct choices, and individual accomplishments.

Collectivistic

Defined by group membership, social roles, and familial ties

Emic approach

This _____ studies human behaviour from inside a specific culture. It uses the local group's own meanings, values, and categories to understand actions rather than imposing outside theories. This perspective highlights cultural uniqueness instead of universal traits. This tries to see and interpret the world through the eyes of the culture's members. There is cultural specificity, qualitative methods, and avoiding bias.

Cultural Specificity

Focuses on behaviours, ideas, and disorders unique to a specific group.

Qualitative methods

Relies on open-ended tools like interviews, observations, and local case studies.

Avoiding bias

Prevents researchers from assuming Western or outsider rules apply everywhere.

Enculturation

________ is the lifelong, mostly unconscious process where people learn and adopt the values, beliefs, and behaviours of their own native culture. Starting at birth, it occurs through direct teaching and observation of family, peers, and media, helping individuals fit into their society.

Etic approach

________ in Psychology are seen within cross-cultural psychology, where behavior is compared across specific cultures. It involves drawing on the universal properties of cultures, which share common perceptual, cognitive, and emotional structures.

Social identity theory

_________ is a psychological framework stating that a person's self-esteem and identity are directly tied to the social groups they belong to, such as nationality, sports teams, or religion. Developed by Henri Tajfel, the theory explains that we naturally divide the world into "us" (the in-group) and "them" (the out-group). To boost our own self-worth, we unconsciously praise our own group and judge or discriminate against rival groups.

Social learning theory

_________ states that people learn new behaviours, values, and attitudes simply by watching and imitating others. Developed by Albert Bandura, the theory argues that learning does not require direct experience or rewards; instead, we look to models—like parents, peers, or media figures—and copy their actions. A critical part of this process is vicarious reinforcement, meaning we are much more likely to repeat a behaviour if we see the model get rewarded for it.