Distinguish between etic and emic concepts. Etic & Emic Distinguish between etic and emic concepts.

Distinguish between etic and emic concepts. An understanding of deductive versus inductive reasoning An overview of the Phenomenological Approach to Psychology * A clear definition of both “etic” and “emic” concepts. * An explanation of the difference between the two terms. * No research is required, but examples would be helpful.

DEDUCTIVE REASONING Deductive reasoning is a basic form of valid reasoning. Deductive reasoning starts out with a general statement, or hypothesis, and examines the possibilities to reach a specific, logical conclusion. The scientific method uses deduction to test hypotheses and theories.

INDUCTIVE REASONING Inductive reasoning makes broad generalizations from specific observations. In other words, start with the observation and then move to toward a hypothesis. This requires a certain amount of objectivity and openness on the part of the researcher.

A Phenomenological Approach A reaction to Positivism and the deductive approach Movement from ‘subjects’ to ‘participants’ and ‘patients’ to ‘clients’ A focus on descriptive data and the understanding of ‘their story’ An inductive approach with no clear goal in mind: ‘We all create our own truth’ CONFIRMATION and CREDIBILITY are key to this approach

Advertising Watch these adverts for McDonalds in different countries. What’s similar? What’s different?

an APPROACH to STUDYING CULTURE Emic VS Etic An approach to studying culture with the idea that behaviors are culture specific. This is also characterized as cultural relativism. An approach to studying culture based on the premise that there are universal properties of cultures Share common perceptual, cognitive and emotional structures Typically employed in cross-cultural psychology where behaviors are compared across cultures.

EMIC McDonalds is an example of a brand that uses emic advertising, i.e. Culturally specific. An emic concept is one specific to that culture e.g. In India the cow is sacred so the beef in Big Mac is replaced with chicken.

ETIC Starbucks is an example of a brand that uses etic advertising i.e. Universal. Starbucks has had major success because anywhere in the world a Starbucks will serve the same coffee in the same comfy cosy surroundings. An etic concept is one which is thought to be universally true e.g. All humans love coffee so keep it the same everywhere.

Emic & Etic eMic – M= my culture (i.e. Specific to me) eTic – T= the rest of the world (i.e. Universal)

Other vocab… Ethnocentrism: The inability to empathize with another culture; to assume that one's own culture is the standard by which other cultures are assessed. CENTERED AROUND ONE CULTURE

Common mistakes Distinguish between etic and emic concepts. Examples are given, but the two approaches are not outlined in any detail. Students mix up emic and etic. The concepts are oversimplified. Etic is not simply when a behavior is universal emic when it is not. It is an approach to research, not a focus on the results. The difference between the two concepts is not clearly outlined.

Why are emic & etic important? In terms of Psychology it is important for us to know if the study we look at has an emic or etic approach. For example take the Sherif Robbers Cave study. This is a study from an emic point of view, it is specific to Western, American culture. What makes Sherif an emic study? Are there any other studies that you can think of from an emic concept?

Emic & etic & psychology Get in pairs Debate the topic on the card – one is FOR the other is AGAINST Random groups will be asked to share…

Emic & etic & psychology Psychology research started out as ETIC, psychologists assumed that there were universal truths about human beings. We now know that EMIC concepts are important and whilst there may be ‘truths’ to be found in Psychology studies these are true in the context of the culture being studied. Can the values of one society ever be judged with any validity by applying the values of another culture?

Examples of emics and etics in Psychology Segall et al (1990) found that when he gave Libyans a task to sort objects, he found that they put the knife with the vegetables as it made sense to them, they used the knife to cut the vegetables in the field. Where as Americans put the knife separate to the vegetables, as they grouped foods and tools separately. The brain is the same, therefore intelligence is spread equally amongst all cultures. All humans have the same biological make-up IQ tests are culturally biased, IQ tests are an example of an EMIC concept, not ETIC as IQ researchers would have us believe. IQ

Examples of emics and etics in Psychology Mead (1935) studied the different peoples of New Guinea and found that among the Arapesh people both men and women displayed a ‘feminine’ gender, both being passive and non-aggressive. Everyone is born with either male or female genitals, so gender is universal. I.e. Males will always be the dominant gender, females will always be more passive and caring. Where as the Mundugamor people were all ruthless, unpleasant and ‘masculine’ in their gender. This shows how much society can influence gender development, therefore gender is an EMIC concept.

DONE!