cultural bias

What is cultural bias?

Western psychologists typically use western cultures as the standard by which everything else is measured

Critics argue psychology has ignored culture as an important influence which has created a false impression

What is ethnocentrism?

It means judging and evaluating other cultures in terms of the norms and values of our own

The beliefs, customs and bars of our own ethnic groups are presented as “normal”

What is cultural relativism?

The idea that norms and values, ethics and moral standards can only be meaningfully understood within specific social and cultural contexts. It is the andedote (opposite) to ethnocentrism

What is imposed etic

Assuming research (methods / concepts) developed in one culture can be used to study another culture (eg: strange situation)

What are etics?

Looks at the bvr from outside the culture and attempts to describe universal behaviours

What are emics?

Investigating a culture from within that culture and identifying behaviours that are specific to that culture

Individualist

Concerned with the self, focus on independence and self achievement

Collectivist

Concerned with group needs promised the community etc

Example : intelligence tests

One example of a research area notorious for cultural bias is testing for intelligence. Most IQ tests were developed in the west and contain embedded assumptions about intelligence but what counts as ‘intelligent’ bvr varies culture to culture

Positive impact on research into mental health

P. Due to greater awareness of cultural bias advances have been made into diagnosing mental disorders

E. In order to provide appropriate psychological help psychologists must consider the role of cultural factors

E. Kleinman and cohen pointed out that detailed work in serveral non western cultures defined many disorders that had previously been ignored by the APA

L. This illustrates the positive work that can come from cross cultural research

SSR damaging consequences of cultural bias

P. Damage can be done by psychologists who take a ethnocentric view

E.for example - US army IQ test ‘showed’ that south Eastern European immigrants fell below American in terms of IQ and African Americans had the lowest mental age

E. This data had a profound affect on the attitudes held by Americans towards certain groups it led to enduring stereotypes concerning ethnic groups and their IQ

L. This means that psychologists need to take other cultures into consideration to get the most validity results when testing different cultures

Methodological issues with research process

P. Researchers may misinterpret an action or language of a culture they are unfamiliar with

E. Demand characteristics may be more likely to occur as participants may not have the same ‘faith’ in scientific testing and historical explanations in research

E. Behaviours being investigated may not all be experiences in the same way by all participants

L. These issues may affect interactions between the researcher and participant and cause invalid conclusions to be drawn