Cross-Cultural Psychology
Psychology 3053.001
Raymond T. Garza, Ph.D.
Professor of Psychology
Spring 2010
M.W. 4:00-5:15
http://www.utsa.edu/lhri/PSY3053.html
Cross-Cultural Psychology:
Introduction and Overview
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How does culture affect human behavior?
Is psychology relevant in developing
countries?
How do child-rearing practices differ
across cultures?
Do multi-cultural work groups perform
well in organizations?
Is crossing cultures stressful?
What methods should you use for
conducting cross-cultural research?
Course Objectives
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Examine the role of culture in the
development and validation of psychological
theories at the conceptual level.
Increase awareness and understanding of
the critical issues in the application of
psychological theories developed in the
United States and Western Europe to other
cultural groups, including ethnic minority
subgroups in the United States and
elsewhere.
Course Objective (continued)
Examine the cultural appropriateness of
various research methods and procedures.
 Examine the role of culture in personality and
social development.
 Review cultural issues in specific content
areas including human developmental
processes, inter-group relations and
communication, leadership and
organizational behavior, and clinical
assessment and treatment.
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Overarching Topics
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Defining culture
Factors that influence culture
Groups that have cultures
Contrasting culture, race, personality and
popular culture
The psychological contents of culture
How does culture influence human behaviors
and mental processes?
The contribution of the study of culture
What is Culture?
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We use “culture” to describe and explain a
broad range of activities, behaviors, events and
structures
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Descriptive, historical, normative, psychological,
structural, genetic
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General characteristics, food & clothing, housing
& technology, economy & transportation,
individual & family activities, community &
government, welfare, religion & science, sex &
life cycle
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As a result, much confusion and ambiguity
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One of the most well-known and quoted often definitions
was put forth by Kroeber & Kluckholm (1952):
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“Culture consists of patterns, explicit and implicit, of
and for behavior acquired and transmitted by
symbols, constituting the distinctive achievements of
human groups, including their embodiments of
artifacts; the essential core of culture consists of
traditional (i.e., historically derived and selected)
ideas and especially their attached values; culture
systems may on one hand be considered as products
of action, on the other as conditioning elements of
further action” (p. 181).
THE STUDY OF CULTURE
IN PSYCHOLOGY
Cross-Cultural Research and Psychology
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Most theories in psychology are based on
studies with American university students
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Do these theories hold true for all people,
regardless of gender, race, ethnicity, culture,
class or lifestyle?
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In part, Cross-Cultural Psychology attempts
to answer this question by studying the
attitudes and behavior of people from
differing cultural backgrounds.
Cross-Cultural Research and Psychology
Elements of cross-cultural psychology
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Research method employed test the cultural
parameters of psychological knowledge by
comparing data from participants from more than
one cultural background.
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Cross-cultural psychology is scientific
paradigm based on a philosophy of science
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Not topic specific
Cross-Cultural Research and Psychology
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Scientific contribution of Cross-cultural
Psychology
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Tests limitations of our knowledge
in psychology by examining
whether theories are universal or
culture-specific.
Promotes methodological change in
psychological research by
examining the impact variations in
cultural background of the samples
being studied.
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The Growth of Cross-Cultural
Psychology
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Cross-cultural psychology has had a
substantial impact on psychology worldwide,
especially in the in the past two decade.
In part, this popularity is due to increased
awareness of importance of culture and
increasing frequency of intercultural conflicts.
Lately there has been a significant increase in
the number of cross-cultural studies published
in cross-cultural and culture and psychology
journals, and increasingly, in top-tier
mainstream journals.
Figure 1.1
Number of publications
Proportion of publications
1600
0.025
1200
Proportion
Number
0.020
800
0.015
0.010
0.005
400
1978
1983
1988
1993
Publication year
1998
2003
0.000
1978
1983
1988
1993
Publication year
1998
2003
Where do we Start?
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What are its theoretical underpinnings?
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Is culture real?
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Can it be studied scientifically?
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What role can it play in the overall
development of the field of psychology?
Where does culture come from?
Figure 1.2
Human Nature and Culture
adaptation
Universal
Biological
Needs and
Functions
Universal
Social
Motives
Context
Culture
Where does culture come from?
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In order to survive, biological needs (e.g.
reproduction, eating AND social motives (e.g.
negotiating complex hierarchies) must be met.
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All humans need to come up with solutions on
how to adapt to environment to address needs
and motives – environmental adaptation
involves culture.
Where does culture come from?
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These solutions are dependent on context
(e.g. physical environment, social factors,
types & sizes of families and communities).
Where does culture come from?
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Solutions to these challenges require
manifestations of culture
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Product of interaction between universal
biological needs, social motives and context
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Solution to the problem of individual’s
adaptation to their contexts to address their
social motives and biological needs
Is culture a uniquely human product?
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Many aspects of human culture are shared
with other animals
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Therefore culture is NOT uniquely human
product
What is unique about human culture?
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Unique human skills
1)
2)
3)
Language
Complex social cognition
Ratchet effect
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As a result, human cultures have three
characteristics: complexity, differentiation,
institutionalization
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Humans evolved to have human culture
The difference between society and
culture
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Society is “a system of interrelationships among
people”
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Both humans and non-human animals have society
Culture embodies meanings and information
associated with social networks
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Humans give social groups unique meaning
Non-humans do not have human culture associated
with social groups
Factors Influencing Culture
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Ecological Factors
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Social Factors
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geography, climate, natural resources
population density, affluence, technology,
government, media, religion
Biological Factors
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temperament, personality
A Meta-theoretical Framework
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How can we categorize the various systems and
variables that make up culture?
1. The Ecology:
- physical environment, resources, geography.
2. The Subsistence System:
 methods of exploitation of the ecology to
survive – agriculture, fishing, gathering,
industrial work.
A Framework…
3. The Socio-cultural System:
institutions, roles, norms and values as
they exist outside the individual.
4. The Individual System:
 perception, learning, subjective culture,
including the perception of elements of
the cultural system.
5. The Inter-individual System:
- patterns of social behavior, including child
rearing methods.
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Groups that have Culture
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Nationality
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Ethnicity
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Country of origin and each country has own culture
(as well as subcultures)
Racial, national or cultural origins
Gender
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Behaviors society/culture deems appropriate for
men and women
Groups that have Culture
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Disability
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Some type of physical impairment in senses, limb, or
other parts of bodies
Sexual Orientation
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Person with whom one forms sexual relationships