culture bias

• universality of culture:

  • research has universal claims but usually white americans
• culture bias:

  • tendency to ignore cultural differences + interpret all phenomena through lens of own culture
  • own culture = norm
• example of culture bias:

  • cultural differences in conformity, attachment, definitions of abnormality
• ethnocentrism:

  • judging culture by own standards
  • extreme form = superiority/discrimination
• example of ethnocentrism:

  • strange situation, secure attachment more common so german mothers seem cold and rejecting
• etic approach:

  • looks at behaviour outside of given culture + attempts to describe them as universal - impose etic
• emic approach:

  • functions within certain cultures + identifies behaviour specific to culture
  • berry argues that psych is guilty of imposing etic when theories come about through emic approach
• cultural relativism:

  • norms/values can only be meaningful within specific cultural concepts, things make more sense from cultural perspective
  • luhrmann et al - cultural differences in hearing voices
• EVALUATION: unfamiliarity with research tradition

  • some knowledge in scientific testing may not extend to cultures with different historical experiences
  • demand characteristics when working with members of local pop
  • demand characteristics may have effects on validity - findings from different cultures may not be compared well
• EVALUATION: bias with diagnosing mental illnesses

  • even in west cultures variation in diagnosis - usa use DSM-V, europe ICD
  • copeland - 69% us psych diagnosis, 2% UK using same description
  • culture bias - more likely to diagnose in one country than other
• EVALUATION: real life consequences

  • US army WWII IQ test - biased toward white majority, AA at bottom of scale
  • negative effects on US attitudes towards people, AA
  • led to stereotypes concerning IQ + ethnic groups
• EVALUATION: indigenous psychologies

  • afrocentrism - all black people have roots in africa, theories must recognise african contexts
  • european values - at worst devalue non europeans at best are irrelevant
  • led to emergence of theories more relevant to lives of people far removed from origin