Cultural Variation in Experience, Behavior, and Personality

Flashcards for reviewing key concepts from the lecture notes on cultural psychology, cross-cultural understanding, individualism, collectivism, and related topics.

What is Cultural Psychology?

Seeks to understand individual cultures in their own terms and avoids making comparisons, focusing on how culture intersects with personality psychology.

What is Enculturation?

Adopting the culture into which one was born.

What is Acculturation?

Picking up a new culture.

What are Etics?

The universal components of ideas across cultures; examples include conception of duty and marriage.

What are Emics?

Components of ideas that are particular to certain cultures.

What is a 'tough' culture?

A culture where only a few goals are viewed as valuable and few ways are available to achieve them.

What is a 'loose' culture?

Cultures that allow fairly large deviations from cultural norms.

What is the key difference between individualist and collectivist cultures?

Individualist cultures prioritize the needs and rights of the individual, while collectivist cultures emphasize the needs and rights of the group.

In which type of culture is harmony of relationships more important: individualistic or collectivistic?

Collectivistic cultures

What is the 'face' in the context of collectivist cultures?

Maintaining respect by one’s social group

What is a culture of Dignity?

Individuals are valuable in their own right; this value does not come from what others think of them.

What factors constitute universal values?

A common set of values might settle disputes between cultures by developing compromises based on the areas of universal agreement.

What is Ethnocentrism?

Observations of other cultures will be influenced by the observer’s own cultural background.

What is Bicultural identity integration (BII)?

People can belong to more than one culture and see the world and themselves through more than one cultural lens

How can the ecological approach explain cultural differences?

It posits that differing ecologies create different needs, which in turn result in different cultures.

What is the difference between vertical and horizontal cultures?

Vertical cultures emphasize hierarchy and status, while horizontal cultures stress equality.

What are some limitations of cross-cultural research?

Challenges include ethnocentrism, difficulty in translating concepts, and the potential for imposing one's own cultural understanding on other cultures.

What role does genetics play in cultural differences?

Cultural differences are primarily learned and environmental, rather than genetic.

How do cultures vary in emotional expression?

Cultures differ in display rules, affecting how and when emotions are expressed.

What is meant by 'cultural relativism'?

The principle that an individual human's beliefs and activities should be understood by others in terms of that individual's own culture.

How does culture influence moral reasoning?

Culture provides the framework for understanding right and wrong, influencing moral judgments and ethical behavior.

What are some criticisms of cultural psychology?

Some criticisms include potential for stereotyping, the challenge of defining cultural boundaries, and overlooking individual differences within cultures.

What is the impact of globalization on cultural identity?

Globalization can lead to both the homogenization of cultures and the strengthening of local identities as people seek to preserve their heritage