LECTURE #2- CULTURAL
PSYCHOLOGY QUESTIONS AND
ANSWERS
What does general psychology focus on? - ANSWER-On universals
What does cultural psychology focus on? - ANSWER-On cultural variation
What do general psychologists see the brain as? - ANSWER-As a central processing unit
How do general psychologists see context & content? - ANSWER-As noise and irrelevant
What are 3 examples of cultural universal and cultural variable things? - ANSWER-Numbers,
Color, and Emotion norms.
Define culture: - ANSWER-Culture is the process of symbolic mediation, it's also multi-faceted
and dynamic
Name the 4 degrees of universality: - ANSWER-Accessibility Universal, Functional Universal,
Existential Universal, and Nonuniversal
Accessibility Universal - ANSWER-A cognitive tool that is present in all cultures that serves the
same function and is accessible to the same degree. (Example: Social facilitation and Perceptual
preferences in newborns)
Functional Universal - ANSWER-A cognitive tool that is found in all cultures that serves the same
function but is used in different degrees in different cultures. (Example: Fairness based
punishments)
Existential Universal - ANSWER-A cognitive tool found in all cultures that does not serve the
same function and is accessible to a different degree in different cultures. (Example: Increased
persistence in the face of failure)
Nonuniversal (Cultural Invention) - ANSWER-A cognitive tool not found in all cultures. (Example:
Abacus)
PSYCHOLOGY QUESTIONS AND
ANSWERS
What does general psychology focus on? - ANSWER-On universals
What does cultural psychology focus on? - ANSWER-On cultural variation
What do general psychologists see the brain as? - ANSWER-As a central processing unit
How do general psychologists see context & content? - ANSWER-As noise and irrelevant
What are 3 examples of cultural universal and cultural variable things? - ANSWER-Numbers,
Color, and Emotion norms.
Define culture: - ANSWER-Culture is the process of symbolic mediation, it's also multi-faceted
and dynamic
Name the 4 degrees of universality: - ANSWER-Accessibility Universal, Functional Universal,
Existential Universal, and Nonuniversal
Accessibility Universal - ANSWER-A cognitive tool that is present in all cultures that serves the
same function and is accessible to the same degree. (Example: Social facilitation and Perceptual
preferences in newborns)
Functional Universal - ANSWER-A cognitive tool that is found in all cultures that serves the same
function but is used in different degrees in different cultures. (Example: Fairness based
punishments)
Existential Universal - ANSWER-A cognitive tool found in all cultures that does not serve the
same function and is accessible to a different degree in different cultures. (Example: Increased
persistence in the face of failure)
Nonuniversal (Cultural Invention) - ANSWER-A cognitive tool not found in all cultures. (Example:
Abacus)
