Ignoring cultural differences

• Psychologists often ignore cultural differences
• Culture refers to the set of customs, social roles, behavioural norms and moral values that are shared by a group of people
• Researchers typically study people who were available and from their cultural background
• Limited research conducted to compare different cultures
• Reasons for limited cross cultural research

  Researchers assume people from western cultures are the same as people in other cultures
• Reasons for limited cross cultural research

  Assumed non-western cultures are more primitive and less worthy of study
• Reasons for limited cross cultural research

  Expensive and time consuming