Culture Bias in Psychological Research Issues and Debates Culture Bias in Psychological Research

Structuring Issues and Debates AO1 Describe the issue or debate Exemplify with research AO2 Apply to research AO3 Evaluate the issue or debate (3)

Culture Essay Plan

The same two forms as gender bias (alpha and beta). Culture Bias The tendency to judge people in terms of one's own cultural assumptions. The same two forms as gender bias (alpha and beta). Ethnocentrism Cultural Relativism Alpha Bias Beta Bias

Key Terms (examples not needed yet) Ethnocentrism Laura Josh Nawa Cultural Relativism Louise Andi Fowse Habiba Alpha Bias Gabby Alex Beza Beta Bias Samantha Dojan Portia Yasmin

Read Pick Explain Culture Bias AO1 Read your word together Explain your term and why you have chosen your image. Pick Pick one image which you think fits in best with your key term. Read Read your word together Culture Bias AO1

Ethnocentrism in a good way

Ethnocentrism

Cultural Relativism

Beta Bias

Alpha Bias

What could be the impact of…? Good and Bad? What could be the impact of…? Ethnocentrism Cultural Relativism

How would each approach respond? Ethnocentrism Cultural Relativism

Why do we have this problem in our science?? Psychology is predominantly a white, Euro-American enterprise 64% of psychological researchers from US In some texts, 90% of studies have US Participants Samples predominantly white middle class Can psychological theories/studied be considered to be universal? Why do we have this problem in our science??

Ethnocentrism and Cultural Relativism We are the standard that everyone should measure themselves against We cannot understand a culture unless through the lens of that culture We are the world! All cultures are completely and wildly different and need specialist research techniques We are normal, people that aren’t like us are weird! All cultures are worthy of respect

Examples Individualism VS Collectivism- assuming that they are completely different. The former being more conformist due to communist history and the latter less so, due to individualist values of independence. Takano and Osaka ‘99 found that when comparisng the US and Japan in these terms, that 14/15 didn’t support the common view of conformity. What type of Culture Bias is the view of Individualism and Collectivism? Cultural Relativism and Alpha Bias

Examples The traditional IQ Test (Stanford) measures intelligence as something to be found within the individual. As this is a western concepts, it ignores e.g. the Ugandan view that intelligence is a functional relationship between the individual and the society. As a result non-western people are continually perceived as less intelligent on the Stanford IQ test. Ethnocentrism, Beta Bias, the USA standard is universal

Examples The strange situation measures attachment and categorises infants as secure or insecure. This methodology leads to UK and US infants categorised as secure as they reflect desirable norms and values contained within the research methodology. In Germany, where independence is values, and Japan, where dependence is values, these infants are considered to be insecurely attached. Ethnocentrism, Alpha Bias… our behaviours are the standard and are the best

Examples Margaret Mead was an Anthropologist who worked with the Trobiand Islanders in Papua New Guinea. Anthropologists use Emic methods, which means going into the culture and understanding them from within. The only problem is that she falsely assumed that all traits were different in each cultural group, and only later identified that across all groups there were some universals. An example would be that fact that men tended to be more aggressive universally. Cultural Relativism- Alpha bias as she assumed real differences.

Examples Certain mental health related behaviours can only really be understood in the context of the culture of the patient. For example, in some cultures it is considered normal to sleep more, work less and hear voices. This has recently (2015) been recognised in the DSM-V which makes reference to cultural diversity, in that they suggest that panic can be manifested as crying in some cultures, and difficulty breathing in others. Cultural relativism= beta bias

Evaluation Indigenous Psychology Laura Josh Dojan Portia Bias in research methods Samantha Yasmin Alex Beza Habiba Etic VS Emic distinction Andi Gabby Nawa Fowse Louise

P E L

Typical exam style questions Outline what is meant by universality and bias in psychological research. (6 marks) Describe one example of psychological research that demonstrates alpha bias. (4 marks) Describe one example of psychological research that demonstrates beta bias. ( 4 marks) ‘Psychological theories and studies are criticised for having an alpha or beta bias and, as such, does not represent human behaviour very well.’ Discuss issues related to alpha and beta bias in psychology. Refer to examples of gender bias in your answer. (16 marks) Typical exam style questions

Short Answer Qs Write- 7 mins Peer Mark- 7 mins