CULTURE BIAS in Psychology (Issues and Debates)
Culture Bias
Key Terms:
1. Culture Bias: when people of one culture, make
assumptions about people of other cultures, based on their own cultural norms
and practices.
2.
Ethnocentrism: is a
form of culture bias. In its extreme form, it is the belief in the superiority
of one’s own culture which may lead to prejudice and discrimination towards
other cultures.
3.
Cultural Relativism: is the
belief that one cannot judge a behaviour properly unless it is viewed in the
context of the culture in which it originates (eg. hearing voices is seen as
normal in some cultures).
4.
Imposed etic: is a
technique or theory developed in one culture and used to study the behaviour of
people in another culture (eg. using the Strange Situation outside of the US).
5.
Emic approach: is
something that applies only to specific cultures (eg. culture-bound syndromes)
Example of Cultural
Bias:
Asch and Milgram
Classic social influence studies on conformity (Asch) and obedience (Milgram) were conducted with US participants and then applied universally. However, when replicated in other parts of the world very different results were obtained.
Classic social influence studies on conformity (Asch) and obedience (Milgram) were conducted with US participants and then applied universally. However, when replicated in other parts of the world very different results were obtained.
Example of
Ethnocentrism: Ainsworth’s Strange Situation (1970)
All research was carried out using families from the USA, and then she attempted to apply these findings to all cultures. However, this lead to the misinterpretation of child-rearing practices in other countries which deviated from the American ‘norm’. For example, German mothers were seen as cold and rejecting rather than seen as encouraging independence in their children (had the highest percentage of insecure-avoidant attachments).
All research was carried out using families from the USA, and then she attempted to apply these findings to all cultures. However, this lead to the misinterpretation of child-rearing practices in other countries which deviated from the American ‘norm’. For example, German mothers were seen as cold and rejecting rather than seen as encouraging independence in their children (had the highest percentage of insecure-avoidant attachments).
Example of Cultural
Relativism: ETIC/EMIC APPROACHES
Etic Approach: the ‘strange situation’ -> Ainsworth studied behaviour within a single culture and then assumed their ‘norm’ could be applied universally.
Emic Approach: culture bound syndromes are recognised in the DSM-5 for the diagnosis of SZ
Etic Approach: the ‘strange situation’ -> Ainsworth studied behaviour within a single culture and then assumed their ‘norm’ could be applied universally.
Emic Approach: culture bound syndromes are recognised in the DSM-5 for the diagnosis of SZ
EVALUATION OF CULTURE BIAS:
Strength
P:
Nowadays there is an increased interconnectedness, such that a distinction
between cultures no longer exists
E: Takano and Osaka (1999) found that 14 out of 15 studies comparing USA and Japan found no evidence of the traditional distinction between individualism and collectivism.
E: This could suggest that cultural bias in research is less of an issue than it once was
E: Takano and Osaka (1999) found that 14 out of 15 studies comparing USA and Japan found no evidence of the traditional distinction between individualism and collectivism.
E: This could suggest that cultural bias in research is less of an issue than it once was
Weakness
P: It
can have significant real world (negative) effects: for example, amplifying and
validating damaging stereotypes.
E: The USA used an IQ test during WW1 which was culturally biased towards the dominant white majority – and unsurprisingly, this test placed African-Americans at the bottom of the IQ scale
E: This had a negative effect on the attitudes of Americans towards this group of people, which highlights the negative impact that culturally biased research can have.
E: The USA used an IQ test during WW1 which was culturally biased towards the dominant white majority – and unsurprisingly, this test placed African-Americans at the bottom of the IQ scale
E: This had a negative effect on the attitudes of Americans towards this group of people, which highlights the negative impact that culturally biased research can have.
Strength
P: One
strength of developing knowledge of culturally biased research is that this
heightened awareness of cultural diversity has led to the development of
‘indigenous psychologies’ (theories drawing explicitly on the particular
experiences of people in different cultural contexts)
E: For example, Afrocentrism: a movement which suggests that because all black people have their roots in Africa, theories about them must recognise the African context of behaviours and attitudes.
E: This matters because it has led to the emergence of theories that are more relevant to the lives and cultures of people not only in Africa, but also to those far removed from their African origins. The development of indigenous psychologies is often seen as a strength of cultural relativism.
E: For example, Afrocentrism: a movement which suggests that because all black people have their roots in Africa, theories about them must recognise the African context of behaviours and attitudes.
E: This matters because it has led to the emergence of theories that are more relevant to the lives and cultures of people not only in Africa, but also to those far removed from their African origins. The development of indigenous psychologies is often seen as a strength of cultural relativism.
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