Culture Bias

What is culture?

The rules, customs, morals and ways of interacting that bind together members of a society

What is culture bias?

The tendency to ignore cultural differences and interpret all events from the perspective of one’s own culture

What did Henrich et al review?

Hundreds of studies in leading psychology journals

What were Henrich’s findings?

68% of research participants were from the US, 96% from industrialised nations

What did Arnett find?

He did a review on research, saw that 80% of research participants were undergraduates studying psychology

What did the review of studies suggest?

Know that human behaviour has strong cultural bias

What term did Henrich et al create?

WEIRD, stands for Westernised, Educated people from Industrialised, Rich Democracies

What does WEIRD describe?

The group of people most likely to be studied by psychologists

What is the problem with using WEIRD people to investigate behaviour?

Their behaviour is seen as the norm. Behaviour of people in non-Westernised, less educated, poorer cultures is seen as unusual

Is the term WEIRD used today?

No, it is seen as oversimplified of the differences between cultures and nations

What is ethnocentrism?

A belief that one’s own culture is superior to other cultures, Judge other cultures’ values and standards by one’s own culture

What is research is an example of ethnocentrism?

Ainsworth’s Strange Situation

How is Ainsworth’s Strange Situation an example of ethnocentrism?

Only reflects the norms of Western culture. Misrepresentation of child-rearing practices in other countries

What is an example of misrepresentation in Ainsworth’s research?

Japanese infants were more likely to be classified as insecurely attached, they showed considerable distress on separation. Rarely separated from their mothers

What is cultural relativism?

Idea that behaviour can only be understood from within the context of the cultural norms and values

What did Berry do?

Drew a distinction between etic and emic approaches in the study of behaviour

What is an etic approach?

Focuses on behaviour outside of the given culture and attempts to describe the behaviours as universal

What is an emic approach?

Functions from the inside of a culture and identifies behaviours that are specific to the culture

What is an example of an imposed etic approach?

Ainsworth’s Strange Situation

Why is Ainsworth’s Strange Situation an etic approach?

Studies behaviour in one culture, America and assumed their ideal attachment type to apply it universally

What did Berry argue?

Psychology has been guilty of an imposed etic approach. Arguing that theories are universal when they are emic

What should psychologists do to avoid an emic approach?

Be mindful of the cultural relativism of their research. Should recognise this as a way to avoid cultural bias