1. Principles of the sociocultural level of analysis
4.2 Outline principles that define the sociocultural level of analysis (SAQ)

2. Blank Piece of Paper Mrs. Helton Fold Paper in half (hamburger)
On the left side…Write your first name across the top!
Write (creatively) 10 words to describe yourself
Mrs. Helton

3. 1. Human beings are social animals
We have a basic need to belong
Belongingness Theory (Baumeister & Leary)
Humans are biologically motivated to form and maintain interpersonal relationships
Culture helps us satisfy the psychological need to live together
Relationships are bidirectional
Group involvement impacts individual
Individual impacts group

4. Howarth, 2002
AIM: to study how girls describe and evaluate themselves based on where they live
Method: Focus group, interviews
Participants: adolescent girls
Results: positive social identity
Positive view of “being from Brixton”
Negative view of those living outside Brixton
Implications
In-group and out-group schemas support our need to belong

5. 2. Culture influences behavior
Definition of culture
norms and values that define a society
The study of culture will help us understand & appreciate cultural differences
World is becoming a multicultural society

6. Berry, 1967 Aim: investigate how culture and conformity are related
Method: Cultural comparison experiment
Culture: comparing two cultures (IV)
Experiment: Asch line test (DV)
Participants
Temne Culture (Sierra Leone)  agriculture
Inuits (Baffin Islands in Canada)  Fishing & hunting
Results
Temne: very high conformity
Work together to feed the whole community
Inuits: very low conformity
Hunt & fish alone
Implications
Children learn at a young age what level of conformity is necessary to be part of a successful community

7. Blank Piece of Paper On the other side Examples
Identify FIVE groups you belong to
Identity one value for each group
Examples
Social Studies Teachers
JFK Faculty

8. 3. Humans have a social self
We have an individual identity AND a collective/social identity
Many behaviors are determined by membership in a group
Family, community, club or nationality
In-groups & out-groups

9. Tajfel & Turner “SIT” Theory: Social Identity Theory Tajfel, 1970
Social identities are determined by the groups we belong too (in-group) and the groups we don’t (out-group)
In-group: seen as more positive
Out-group: seen in a more negative light
Tajfel, 1970
Social identity is easy to establish
quickly creates favoritism

10. 4. People’s views of the world are resistant to change
World view:
The way the world is understood
Why it works the way it does
What values are essential
Culture helps shape world view

11. Activity Compare your individual self with your social self
Discuss in small groups
What happens when there is a conflict between your social self and individual self?

12. Defining Culture Simple Definition
set of attitudes, behaviors and symbols
shared by a large group of people
communicated from one generation to the next
A unique meaning and information system
shared by a group
transmitted across generations
Why?
basic needs of survival
pursue happiness
derive meaning from life

13. When defining culture, most definitions include…
Transmitted from generation to generation
Cultural attitudes
Beliefs (political, religious, and moral)
Values
Superstitions
Behaviors
Norms
Customs, traditions, fashions
Symbols
Words, gestures, pictures

14. Interaction Some definitions focus on essential functions
Procreation
Production of food
Skills and tools needed to protect themselves
Formation of social networks and relationships
Production of art, science and mathematics

15. Write a SAQ
Outline principles that define the sociocultural level of analysis
Structure
A paragraph discussing the principles (all of them)
A paragraph summarizing research
Connect to one or more principles

16. Evaluating the Sociocultural Level of Analysis
Contributions:
Placing the individual in a social context
Emphasizing the importance of culture
Making psychology more relevant to social life
Misuses and Misinterpretations
Reductionism
Stereotyping
Extreme cultural relativism
Ethnocentrism

17. Placing the individual in a social context
Old way…
Individual apart from context
Don’t consider a person’s generation (age), immediate situation, historical or contemporary circumstances
Assumption: find laws of behavior that apply to ALL humans EVERYWHERE
Idea of universal stages or passages is fading

18. Emphasizing the importance of culture
Research needs to consider culture
Example: baby sleeping through the night…YIPPY!!
Should we study this milestone?
How do you study adolescences?
When are you an adult?

19. Making psychology more relevant to social life
Why is cross-cultural and cross-situational research difficult?
Why must we do it?
Explain, predict and influence behavior
How can we resolve issues?
Are there cultural similarities?

20. Activity Identify one thing that you failed at or did not achieve?
Now, explain why!

21. Reductionism What is it?
What are the problems with any type of reductionism?
Do you believe that there are cultural “genes”?

22. Activity
Identify 10 stereotypes

23. Stereotypes
Sociocultural emphasis can cause people to exaggerate differences between groups and overlook variations within

24. Extreme relativism Absolutist attitudes Relativist attitudes
Universal truths and a common human nature
Relativist attitudes
Every culture differs from every other
Judge only on its own terms
Nonjudgmental view of all cultural practices
Female circumcision
Honor killings