Sociocultural Approach - Cultural Influences

Collectivism

you are responsible for society and society is responsible for you.

Cultural dimensions

are the values within the culture that influence behaviour and cognition.

Individualism

you are responsible for yourself only.

individualism

you are responsible for yourself only

Collectivism

you are responsible for society and society is responsible for you

One way in which we learn these "rules" of behaviour is through direct instruction

that is, rewards and punishments from our parents or other "gatekeepers" in our society

Enculturation

learning the behaviours and values of our culture

acculturation

all the knowledge and values shared by a society

acculturative stress

A reduction in health status of individuals who are undergoing acculturation

cultural norms

A set of rules based on socially or culturally shared beliefs of how an individual ought to behave to be accepted with that group.

In what way does one adopt cultural norms?

Learning through reinforcements of desirable behaviours and punishments of undesirable behaviours

ethics to consider

consent from participants, voluntary participation, undue stress to the participants due to being observed involuntarily

research methods that can be used

lab experiments, natural observations