culture

• 2 types of culture bias that affects universality:

  • ethnocentrism
  • cultural relativism
• Culture bias

  • research ignores cultural differences and assumes findings can be generalised globally
  • most research conducted in western uni (e.g. America) results only applicable to that culture
  • that culture is the norm
• Ethnocentrism

  • assumption one ethnic group is superior, emphasizing importance of one's own culture
  • leads to their cultures behaviours in that group being the norm and others abnormal
  • leads to prejudice and discrimination
  • Topic - African-Caribbean backgrounds score average of 15 points lower on IQ tests than Caucasians.
• Cultural relativism

  • appreciation that behaviour vary between cultures
  • important to consider individuals behaviour within their culture before making a judgement
  • due to social norms are culturally relative as what is acceptable in one cultural may be unacceptable elsewhere
  • Topic- schizophrenia - hearing voices = audiority hallucations, non-western = spiritual gift