The Socio-cultural Level of Analysis

What is Social-cultural Psychology? Sociocultural psychology is an emerging perspective in psychology that looks at the important contributions that the environment and culture makes to individual development. This theory stresses the interaction between developing people and the culture in which they live.

What is Social-cultural Psychology? The socio-cultural approach is based on the idea that society and culture shape cognition. Social customs, beliefs, values, and language are all part of what shapes a person's identity and reality. According to this approach, what a person thinks is based on his or her socio-cultural background.

Outline three principles that define the Socio-cultural level of analysis Objective 1.1

Principles that Define the Socio-cultural level of analysis Principle 1: Human behavior occurs within a social or cultural context. Principle 1: Social models and or theories of behavior can be proposed and investigated scientifically Principle 2: Humans have a tendency to comply or conform to group norms.

Principle 1: Human behavior occurs within a social or cultural context. In other words, different cultural groups think, feel, and act differently. Studying differences in culture among groups and societies can help us to understand differences in behavior. This principle implies that social factors can influence cognition (as suggested by environmental enrichment and mirror neurons) This also suggests that human behavior may change in various social situations.

Principle 2: Social models and or theories can be proposed and investigated scientifically In other words, Social and cultural models and or theories can be proposed to give us an understanding of human behavior. This principle allows one to propose various theories that can be used to explain human behavior in a social context. Examples of social models include Bandura’s Social Learning Theory, and Tajfel’s Social Identity Theory.

Principle 3: Humans have a tendency to comply or conform to group norms. Psychological research suggest that people will exhibit behavior that appears to appropriate according to the social situation. Research also suggests that people often conform or comply to group behaviors. Examples include research into conformity, compliance and in-group/out-group behavior.

Explain how two or more principles that define the SCLOA may be demonstrated in research. Objective 1.2

What are you being asked to do? Show, in general, how the principle can be applied to research. Describe a specific study that applies this principle. Provide a brief analysis of the study that you described and show how the study supports or displays the principle.

How can we demonstrate this principle in research? Principle 2: Social models and or theories can be proposed and investigated scientifically How can we demonstrate this principle in research? This principle can generally be demonstrated in research that makes a scientific attempt, through empirical research, to show correlations between cognitions and environmental influences. What study do we already know that can be used to demonstrate this principle?

Social Learning Theory revisited Social learning theory focuses on the learning that occurs within a social context. It considers that people learn from one another, including such concepts as observational learning, imitation, and modeling of other people. Among others Albert Bandura is considered the leading proponent of this theory.

Social Learning Theory revisited The principle and theory explain how behaviors can be socially learned, at least partly, through modeling. Aggression, as Bandura demonstrated in his research, can be learned through models. His Bobo Doll studies, as previously mentioned, indicated that children become more aggressive when they observed aggressive or violent models. This study, along with multiple other social learning research studies, demonstrate how a mental process (such as learning) can be influenced by the others (i.e. violent or aggressive models). *The study that you choose to use must be explained in detailed and must explicitly show application of the principle.

How can we demonstrate this principle in research? Principle 2: Human behavior occurs within a social or cultural context. How can we demonstrate this principle in research? This principle can generally be demonstrated in research that empirically observes correlations between social or cultural influences (such as cultural norms, etc.) and specific cognitions (such as the formation of cultural schemas) which potentially guide behavior. Note that the term behavior includes overt behavior (such as aggression) as well as cognitive functioning( such as learning, perception, and memory) What study do we already know that can be used to demonstrate this principle?

Cultural Schemas revisited Culture can be defined as the norms and values that define a society. In an ever more multi-cultural society there is a need to understand the effect of culture on a person’s behavior, because the study of culture may help us better understand and appreciate cultural differences. Bartlett’s cultural schema research, as previously discussed, demonstrates the idea that cultures impact our cognitive functioning-in the form of cultural schemas-through his War of the Ghost Study (1932). This study, along with multiple other cultural research studies (such as Hoftstede’s study on cultural dimensions), demonstrate how culture can influence our overt and or cognitive behaviors. *The study that you choose to use must be explained in detailed and must explicitly show application of the principle.

How can we demonstrate this principle in research? Principle 3: Humans have a tendency to adapt or conform, to some extent, to group and cultural norms. (Milgram, 1974) How can we demonstrate this principle in research? This principle can generally be demonstrated in research that empirically observes how human behavior may or may not change within specific cultural or environmental contexts. As previously stated; the term behavior includes overt behavior as well as cognitive functioning(learning, perception, memory)

Principle 3: Humans have a tendency to adapt or conform, to some extent, to group and cultural norms. (Milgram, 1974) According to Sabini et al. (2001) one of the most important findings in social psychology is the idea that social situations (meaning behavior is, in part, dependent upon group and cultural norms) influence behavior as much as individual factors. The socio-cultural level looks at behavior as dependent upon group or cultural setting they are placed in.

Principle 3: Humans have a tendency to adapt or conform, to some extent, to their social situation (group and cultural norms). Classic studies demonstrate this principle such as Zimbardo’s Stanford prison experiment which investigated the effects of putting ‘normal’ people in difficult group situations. Volunteers were randomly assigned to either prisoner or guard in a prison simulation, and within 6 days the experiment had to be suspended as a result of guard brutality and prisoner rebellion. Zimbardo concluded it was adaptation to the situation the guards were in ( eg. empowerment ) rather than any negative personality traits that explained their brutal behavior.

Principle 3: Humans have a tendency to adapt or conform, to some extent, to their social situation (group and cultural norms). In the Obedience experiments, ordinary people fulfilled orders to administer what appeared to be fatal electric shocks to a confederate of the experimenter. Milgram argued it was situational cues (such as the prestigious setting, and authority of the experimenter) that compelled participants to administer dangerous shocks.

Objective 1.3: Discuss how and why particular research methods are used at the socio-cultural level of analysis.

What are you being asked to do? Explain how the research method is used Explain why the research method is used Provide an analysis of the importance of the particular research method at this specific level of analysis along with specific research examples.

Research at the sociocultural level The principles of the SCLOA act as guidelines for the research at this level. Understanding the principles gives one a better understanding of how and why each research method is used. Research at the sociocultural level

Research methods In Sociocultural research, the aim is usually to see how behavior is influenced by social and cultural factors. Though experiments are sometimes used, the majority of research today is more qualitative in nature. The leading qualitative method used at the socialcutural level of analysis is observations.

Research methods Since social psychologists are studying behavioral changes due to environmental factors, it is important for the behavior of the participants to be as natural as possible. The leading methods used at the socialcutural level of analysis are observations, cross-cultural research, and field experiments.

Experimentation The first method used at the SCLOA is the straightforward experiment, involving the standard practice of manipulating quantitative, independent variables to generate statistically analyzable data. Often times researchers tend to measure changes in behaviors of participants with or without the presence of others.

Experimentation As the 1st principle of the SCLOA states, Social Psychology is the scientific attempt to understand and explain how mental processes are influenced by others. Thus, experimentation is necessary in order to be able to scientifically have an explanation for social influences on mental processes. Early social psychologists (such Milgram, etc. ) carried out laboratory experiments. It was considered to be the most scientific way of obtaining data.

Experimentation Classic social psychology experiments are widely used and accepted to expose the key elements of aggressive behavior, prejudice and stereotyping. Experimentation gave early social psychologist, such as Milgram the ability to isolate these mental processes in order to understand the social causes of the behavior. A specific example of experimentation use at the Cognitive level of analysis is Milgram’s experiment on obedience to authority. Read more: http://www.experiment-resources.com/stanley-milgram-experiment.html

Experimentation Milgram used a control laboratory experiment to test principle 3 of the social cultural level of analysis. By testing principle 3 scientifically, he was also able to demonstrate principle 2 by empirically showing a model for compliance in a social context (more information on Milgram’s study will be provided in objective 1.4)

Stanley Milgram’s Experiments While Milgram’s research raised serious ethical questions about the use of human subjects in psychology experiments, his results have also been consistently replicated in further experiments. His experiments have helped psychologist understand the nature of social influence on individual behavior. Stanley Milgram’s Experiments

Observations Observational research (or field research) is a socialcultural technique that involves the direct or indirect observation of phenomena in a natural setting. This differentiates it from experimental research in which a artificial environment is created where at least one of the variables is manipulated as part of the experiment.

Observations Observational research is a group of different research methods where researchers try to observe a phenomenon without too much overt interference. Observational research is heavily used at the sociocultural level of analysis as a way of studying an individual or group without affecting their behavior.

Observations It is usually the goal of social psychologists to “see the world through the eyes of the people being studied”. In order to do this, observations are often used. Participant Observation is when researchers immerse themselves in a social setting for an extended time and observe behavior. This was the aim of Zimbardo in his “Stanford Prison Experiment”.

Example of Observational Research (at the SCLOA) Zimbardo aimed to observe the effect of group pressures to conform to group norms. Through the observational research method, Zimbardo found support for principle 3. According to Zimbardo and his colleagues, the Stanford Prison Experiment demonstrates the powerful role that the situation can play in human behavior. Because the guards were placed in a position of power, they began to behave in ways they would not normally act in their everyday lives or in other situations. The prisoners, placed in a situation where they had no real control, became passive and depressed.

Example of Observational Research (at the SCLOA) The Stanford Prison Experiment is frequently cited as an example of unethical research. The experiment could not be replicated by researchers today because it fails to meet the standards established by numerous ethical codes, including the Ethics Code of the American Psychological Association. However these research methods, both naturalistic observations and controlled observations, are still used today at the SCLOA to understand behavior in a social context.

Observational Research (at the SCLOA) Observations, such as the Stanford Prison Experiment, typically combine multiple research methods including: Interviews Focus Groups Surverys This allows for the researcher to collect rich data that strongly depicts behavior as it occurs naturally (which is seen as a strength).

Evaluation of Observational Research Methods (at the SCLOA) It enables more complex aspects of a persons experience to be studied. It enables one to observe behaviors (naturally) without the control or artificial feel (like those present with experiments) We are able to see behaviors as they occur within the social or cultural context (even with controlled obervations, this is applicable)

Evaluation of Observational Research Methods (at the SCLOA) It generally takes more time to collect the data when compared to experiments. Data analysis is often time consuming. There are ethical limitations on social situations that we can create (Zimbardo’s study can be mentioned)

Extra Credit Opportunity! One page written summary of Leon Festinger’s “When Prophecy Fails us” Outline of his study Explain the research method used and what the findings suggest. Provide a brief reflection of this study.

Ethnographic Studies Survey and Questionnaires Interviews Cross-cultural studies Other research methods specifically used at SCLOA (as discussed in your IB packet)