IB Psych Sociocultural Study Guide

Terms:

  1. Social Cognitive Theory (SCT) – A theory that explains how people learn behaviors, attitudes, and norms through observation, imitation, and modeling of others.

  2. Salience – The extent to which something stands out or is noticeable in a given context, influencing attention and perception.

  3. Social Identity Theory (SIT) – A theory that explains how individuals derive a sense of identity from group memberships, leading to in-group favoritism and out-group discrimination.

  4. Acculturation – The process by which individuals adopt the cultural traits or social patterns of another group.

  5. Enculturation – The process of learning and adopting the norms, values, and behaviors of one’s own culture.

  6. Acculturative Stress – Psychological distress resulting from difficulties in adapting to a new culture.

  7. Assimilation – When an individual fully adopts the culture of the dominant group, often losing aspects of their original culture.

  8. Marginalization – When an individual loses connection to both their original and new culture, leading to isolation.

  9. Separation – When an individual maintains their original culture and rejects the new culture.

  10. Integration – When an individual maintains their original culture while also adopting aspects of the new culture.

  11. Cultural Dimensions – Theoretical frameworks that describe differences in cultural values and behaviors across societies.

  12. Individualism – A cultural value that emphasizes independence, self-reliance, and personal achievement.

  13. Collectivism – A cultural value that prioritizes group cohesion, social harmony, and collective goals over individual ones.

Key Concepts & Explanations

  • Differentiate between SIT and SCT

    • SIT focuses on group identity and how social categorization influences behavior (e.g., in-group bias).

    • SCT emphasizes observational learning and how behaviors are acquired through modeling (e.g., Bandura's study on aggression).

  • How Stereotypes are Formed & Their Effects

    • (To be covered in class – but typically through social categorization, illusory correlation, and confirmation bias; effects include stereotype threat and self-fulfilling prophecies.)

  • Explain Enculturation

    • The process of internalizing cultural norms through direct teaching, observational learning, and participation in cultural practices.

  • Explain Acculturation & Factors Influencing Acculturative Stress

    • Acculturation involves adapting to a new culture while maintaining aspects of one’s original culture.

    • Factors influencing acculturative stress: language barriers, discrimination, socioeconomic status, social support, and personal coping strategies.

  • Explain CIC of SIT + In-group Bias/Out-group Homogeneity

    • CIC (Categorization, Identification, Comparison): People categorize others into groups, identify with a group, and compare their group to others, leading to bias.

    • In-group Bias: Favoring members of one’s own group over outsiders.

    • Out-group Homogeneity: Perceiving out-group members as more similar to each other than in-group members.

  • Factors Influencing SCT & Successful Learning

    • Attention, retention, reproduction, and motivation (Bandura’s key components).

    • Factors like identification with the model, rewards/punishments, and self-efficacy increase likelihood of learning.

Relevant Studies

  • Torres – Examined acculturative stress in Latino immigrants in the U.S. and the role of discrimination in stress levels.

  • Lueck & Wilson (HL) – Investigated factors that predict acculturative stress in Asian immigrants and Asian Americans.

  • Charlton (HL) – Studied the impact of TV introduction on aggression in children in St. Helena (supports SCT).

  • Fagot – Examined parental reinforcement of gender roles in young children.

  • Kulkofsky (HL) – Studied the role of culture in flashbulb memories.

  • Bandura – Bobo doll experiment demonstrating observational learning and aggression modeling.

  • Berry – Researched cultural dimensions and the effects of individualism vs. collectivism on conformity.

  • Hilliard & Liben – Investigated how social categorization affects children’s perceptions of gender.

  • Martin & Halvorsen – Showed how gender schemas influence memory and perception in children.

  • Hofstede – Developed cultural dimensions theory (e.g., individualism vs. collectivism, power distance).