Cultural bias occurs when we use our own ethnic or cultural group as a basis
for judgements about other groups; it can lead to seeing other cultures as
deviant. groups such as the working class, sexual minorities, and ethnic
minorities could be disadvantaged. Emics are only true of certain cultures;
for example, arranged marriage and Etics are universal (attachment).
However problems arise when we impose Etics. This is when psychologists
take an emic such as arranged marriage and assume that it applies to all
cultures, thus making it an Etic. Freud's theory of personality is an imposed
etic, as it assumes that personality is the same worldwide. Eurocentrism then
occurs as the emic is used to explain all types of behaviour.
In the theory of attachment, most of the work has been constructed by
western universities and research establishments. examples include the
work of Bowlby (UK) and the work of Shaffer and Emmerson (the Glasgow
babies study). Methodological problems occurred with the widespread use of
the strange situation tool (Ainsworth and Bell). The strange situation was
developed in the U.S. The logic of it is that certain mother-infant interaction
patterns are understood to indicate an underlying attachment type. The
strange situation was then used in studies in many countries; however, the
child-rearing practices in those countries were not taken into account.
Interesting comparisons between countries emerged: 32% (1/3) of Japanese
children compared with 10% of U.S were categorised as insecure and
resistant. the strange situation assumes that the interaction patterns are due
to attachment type however particular child rearing practices interfere with
this (3.g Japanese babies always near to the mother) in conclusion cross
cultural studies did show important differences between these cultures
however the assumption that these differences were entirely about
attachment type was biased as a methodological tool. The strange situation
is an example of an imposed etic.
cultural bias has occurred in the intelligence theory. It assumes that there is
a genetic difference in intelligence in different racial groups. Intelligence
tests have been designed to test this; however, they are formed in western
societies and might disadvantage children from other societies such as black
and African Caribbean. Several studies including Vygotsky have found racial
differences in intelligence however these differences in performance may
have been due to factors associated with social deprivation (i.e.
environmental factors rather than innate/genetic differences) Mackintosh
demonstrated this problem by doing two studies of white and west Indian
children in England one with groups matched for several factors which
for judgements about other groups; it can lead to seeing other cultures as
deviant. groups such as the working class, sexual minorities, and ethnic
minorities could be disadvantaged. Emics are only true of certain cultures;
for example, arranged marriage and Etics are universal (attachment).
However problems arise when we impose Etics. This is when psychologists
take an emic such as arranged marriage and assume that it applies to all
cultures, thus making it an Etic. Freud's theory of personality is an imposed
etic, as it assumes that personality is the same worldwide. Eurocentrism then
occurs as the emic is used to explain all types of behaviour.
In the theory of attachment, most of the work has been constructed by
western universities and research establishments. examples include the
work of Bowlby (UK) and the work of Shaffer and Emmerson (the Glasgow
babies study). Methodological problems occurred with the widespread use of
the strange situation tool (Ainsworth and Bell). The strange situation was
developed in the U.S. The logic of it is that certain mother-infant interaction
patterns are understood to indicate an underlying attachment type. The
strange situation was then used in studies in many countries; however, the
child-rearing practices in those countries were not taken into account.
Interesting comparisons between countries emerged: 32% (1/3) of Japanese
children compared with 10% of U.S were categorised as insecure and
resistant. the strange situation assumes that the interaction patterns are due
to attachment type however particular child rearing practices interfere with
this (3.g Japanese babies always near to the mother) in conclusion cross
cultural studies did show important differences between these cultures
however the assumption that these differences were entirely about
attachment type was biased as a methodological tool. The strange situation
is an example of an imposed etic.
cultural bias has occurred in the intelligence theory. It assumes that there is
a genetic difference in intelligence in different racial groups. Intelligence
tests have been designed to test this; however, they are formed in western
societies and might disadvantage children from other societies such as black
and African Caribbean. Several studies including Vygotsky have found racial
differences in intelligence however these differences in performance may
have been due to factors associated with social deprivation (i.e.
environmental factors rather than innate/genetic differences) Mackintosh
demonstrated this problem by doing two studies of white and west Indian
children in England one with groups matched for several factors which
