The Sociocultural Approach Psychology: Chapter 14, Section 5

The Sociocultural Approach The sociocultural perspective focuses on the roles of ethnicity, gender, and culture in the formation of personality They believe that family and environmental influences are key factors in the development of personality

Individualism vs. Collectivism Many Americans and Europeans are individualists They define themselves in terms of their personal identities, giving priority to their personal goals If completing the sentence “I am ___” they usually respond with their own personality traits or jobs, like “I am outgoing,” or “I am a nurse”

Individualism vs. Collectivism Many from Latin America, Africa and Asia are collectivists They define themselves according to the groups to which they belong and give priority to the group They would respond in terms of their families, religion, or nation– “I am a father,” I am a Buddhist,” or “I am Japanese”

Kamikaze Pilots Epitomized the Heroism of Self Sacrifice for the Good of the Group

Individualism vs. Collectivism The Western capitalist system fosters individualism It assumes that people have the right to acquire wealth if they have the drive and ability to do so Heroes are portrayed as self-reliant, such as gritty cowboys or go-it-alone adventurers On the other hand, the heroes of Eastern cultures are those who put the well-being of the group ahead of their own personal ambitions While, of course, there are individual differences in these cultures, these overall forces must have some effect on the personality traits of people based on where they are raised

Sociocultural Factors and the Self Social and cultural factors affect the self-concept and self-esteem of the individual Carl Rogers believed that our self concepts tend to reflect how we believe other people see us Members of ethnic groups who have faced discrimination may have lower self-esteem However, African-American girls are more likely to be happy with their appearance than white girls This may be because African Americans experience an environment of prejudice, and are thus less likely to blame themselves for individually not attaining some unreachable ideal

Acculturation and Self-Esteem Acculturation is the process of adapting to a new or different culture As people immigrate into a country, they may find that their differences in language is only a small part of what may become culture shock Some immigrants become completely assimilated, or absorbed, into their new culture, dropping their native language and their cultural traditions Others maintain separation, and retain their language and never become completely comfortable in their new land Still others become bicultural, integrating both cultures Bicultural immigrants have the highest self-esteem

Evaluation of the Sociocultural Approach The sociocultural perspective provides valuable insights into the roles of ethnicity, gender, culture, and socioeconomic status in the formation of someone’s personality Sociocultural factors are external forces that are internalized and affect us all This perspective also enhances our sensitivity to cultural differences and allows us to appreciate much of the richness of human behavior

Assessment Complete #1-3 on page 339