PSYC1001 Lecture Notes - Lecture 31: Xenophobia, Contact Hypothesis, Acculturation
12 Jun 2018
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Department
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Self-report - many aspect of cultural outside of awareness
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Assumes culture is static (it is not)
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Too broad - lacks predictive power
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Are the different dimensions meaningfully independent?
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Does the data reflect globalization effects especially for young adults?
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Critiques of the dimensional approach
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However, it is an interesting starting point for discussion of cultural differences and potential influence on behaviour
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Hofstede's dimensions
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Do test items have the same meaning when translated into different languages?
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Item choice
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Equivalent samples
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E.g. Australian vs Japanese culture
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Surry Hills sample vs Shinjuku sample
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Does the group being measured reflect the culture?
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E.g. for socio-economic status, gender
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Is there random sampling or matched samples?
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E.g. intelligent tests
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Theoretical approach may be biased from one's own cultural background
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Research bias
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Political tensions
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Implications of cultural differences?
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Distrust/threatened
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Research 'with', not 'on'
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Benefit to people 'studied'?
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Sensitivity issues
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Measurement: Challenges
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Business
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Romantic
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Friendships
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Groups
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Understanding how culture affects relationships and society
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Differences in culture can lead to interpersonal and intergroup problems
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From early age --> boys taught to think much of their Honour and defend it
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Honour = pride of manhood in masculine courage, physical strength and warrior virtue (value)
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Trained to defend Honour (belief) without hesitation - lashing out against their challengers with savage
violence (behaviour)
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Culture of Honour (Fischer, 1989)
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Compared white non-Hispanic male participants from North USA vs South USA
Matched demographics (socio-economically)
Study was to investigate why there was greater culture of honour in the South
Experimental group: confederate bumps into the participant and insults them
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Control group: no bump
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Fill in a short demographic questionnaire (end of corridor)
Then asked to complete a story
Experiment (Cohen et al, 1996)
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This is a problem --> related to crime rates, nature of crimes, physical assaults and murders over trivial matters
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Why study cultural influences on behaviour?
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11C - Cultural Psychology
Friday, June 8, 2018
1:31 PM
PSYCH 1001 Page 1
Then asked to complete a story
Insulted: 75%
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Control: 20%
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Southerners
Insulted: 41%
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Control: 55%
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Northerners
Percent who completed story with Steve inflicting injury on Larry
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Results - % Harming Larry
Generalized (sometimes accurate but often overgeneralized) belief about a group of people
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Characteristics attributed to people based upon their membership of group
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Positive or negative attributes
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Process of categorization - to predict behaviour of others
Forming stereotypes - normal psychological process in reaction to bombardment of new info
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Is it accurate?
Often not. (McCrae & Terracciano, 2006)
However, need to question the basis on which our stereotypical beliefs are formed - be critical thinkers.
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Big 5 personality test of 51 national samples - average 'real' personality profile
Respondents also rated 'typical' Australia, New Zealander, Canadian, etc. --> national stereotype
Two 'personality' profiles (actual, stereotype) for each country
More or less neurotic than average of 51 countries?
More or less extraverted than average of 51 countries?
Australian 'real' personality profile
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Results
National personality and stereotypes
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Stereotypes, Prejudice and Discrimination
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PSYCH 1001 Page 2
Document Summary
Theoretical approach may be biased from one"s own cultural background. Self-report - many aspect of cultural outside of awareness. However, it is an interesting starting point for discussion of cultural differences and potential influence on behaviour. Differences in culture can lead to interpersonal and intergroup problems. From early age --> boys taught to think much of their honour and defend it. Honour = pride of manhood in masculine courage, physical strength and warrior virtue (value) Trained to defend honour (belief) without hesitation - lashing out against their challengers with savage violence (behaviour) This is a problem --> related to crime rates, nature of crimes, physical assaults and murders over trivial matters. Compared white non-hispanic male participants from north usa vs south usa. Study was to investigate why there was greater culture of honour in the south. Fill in a short demographic questionnaire (end of corridor) Experimental group: confederate bumps into the participant and insults them.
