AO1 - Culture Bias

• Universality - The idea that conclusions drawn from research can be applied to everybody, regardless of time period, gender or culture

  • For example, believing that some behaviours are the same for all cultures
• Culture bias- When psychological studies or theories ignore cultural difference assuming that their findings can be generalised globally

  • Much research has been conducted in western universities, such as Yale or Stanford (by educated people from wealthy backgrounds) meaning that the results are really only applicable to that culture
  • For example, Mary Ainsworth conducted research on 100 middle class mothers and their infants from USA
• Ethnocentrism is a type of culture bias
• Ethnocentrism:

  • The assumption that one ethnic group/culture is superior to another, or to all ethnic groups and emphasising the importance of one's own culture
  • This leads to a belief that the behaviours of their ethnic group/culture is the norm and others are seen as abnormal or strange which can lead to prejudice and discrimination
• An example of ethnocentrism is studies on IQ

  • They have identified that people from African-Caribbean backgrounds score an average of 15 points lower on IQ tests than Caucasians
• Another type of culture bias is cultural relativism - this opposes ethnocentrism
• Cultural relativism:

  • This is the appreciation that behaviours vary between cultures and that there is no 'right' or 'wrong' behaviour
  • It is important to consider individuals behaviour within their culture before making a judgement
  • Social norms are culturally relative (dependent on the culture) as what is considered acceptable in one culture may be unacceptable elsewhere
• An example of cultural relativism is defining abnormality

  • When defining abnormality, it should be appreciated that what is seen as abnormal in one culture may not be deemed abnormal in another