Sociocultural Approach

• Acculturation


  This is the process whereby people change as a result of contact with other cultures and how they assimilate into the new culture
• ARRM [Place a forward slash between each word]


  Attention/Retention/Reproduction/Motivation
• Assimilation


  The process by which individuals or groups of differing cultures are absorbed into the dominant culture of a society.
• Collectivism


  A culture that places emphasis on the group, achieved goals as a group and working together
• Confederate


  Someone in a study who knows the true aim but pretends to be a participant as part of the deception of the other participants, e.g. Asch.
• Conformity


  A type of social influence involving a change in belief or behaviour in order to fit in with a group.
• Cultural Dimensions


  Opposing cultural beliefs and values on a continuum that affects behaviour and cognition (Hofstede, 1973).
• Cultural norms


  The behaviour, attitudes and values that are usual in a culture and that are passed on intergenerationally through socialisation implicitly or explicitly.
• Culture


  "This can be defined as a dynamic system of rules, explicit and implicit, established by social groups in order to ensure their survival, involving attitudes, values, beliefs, norms, and behaviours" - Matsumoto
• Discrimination


  The behaviour that is exhibited due to prejudices.
• Enculturation


  Process by which an individual absorbs their culture's specific schemas and traits.
• Globalisation


  The growing interconnectedness of economic, social and cultural networks, through trade, information technology and travel
• Social Identification


  Second stage of Social Identity Theory: Individuals identify with certain groups to which they would like to belong
• In-group and Out-group


  The groups of people we consider ourselves as part of and not part of.
• Individualism


  People prioritise their own individual goals instead of the group - opposite of collectivism.
• Intrinsic Reinforcement


  A reward driven behaviour that comes from within an individual, e.g. pride.
• Long - term orientation


  A type of cultural dimension in which the culture will look to the future long-term goals and benefits
• Negative Reinforcement


  An undesirable stimulus is introduced to encourage behaviour.
• Normative influence


  Conforming into group pressure because a person wants to fit in with the group
• Observational Learning


  Method of learning that consists of watching and copying another person's behaviour.
• Positive Reinforcement


  A desirable stimulus is introduced to encourage the behaviour.
• Prejudice


  A quick and often negative thought process about a specific individual or group
• Resilience


  The ability to cope with a trauma without drastically affecting mental health
• Social Cognitive Theory


  A theory that focuses on observational learning, and the influence of self-efficacy on the production of behaviour
• Self-Efficacy


  One's belief in their innate ability to succeed in specific situations or achieve goals.
• Short - term Orientation


  A type of cultural dimension in which the culture will look to the short-term goals and gratification.
• Social Identity Theory


  A theory that proposes that a person's sense of who they are depends on the groups to which the belong
• Social Norms


  Behaviours deemed acceptable by a group, either explicit or implicit
• Social Representation


  A system of values ideas and practices that serve to establish a social order (Moscovici, 1972)
• Stereotypes


  A fixed, over generalised belief about a particular group or class of people.
• Social Categorisation


  First stage of Social Identity Theory: The process of grouping people based on their similarities or other qualities
• Social Comparison


  Third stage of Social Identity Theory: Comparing the in-group with the out-group and denigrating it to boost the status of the in-group
• Illusory Correlation


  A phenomenon of perceiving a relationship between variables (typically people, events, or behaviours) even when no such relationship exists.
• Stereotype Threat


  This is when individuals believe that their behaviour/performance will be judged on the basis of negative stereotypes about their group instead of personal merit.