Psychologie Jaar 2 – Tilburg University
Culture and Psychology
David Matsumoto & Linda Juang
Chapter 1
Cultural psychology: a subdiscipline within psychology that examines the cultural
foundations of psychological processes and human behaviour. It includes theoretical and
methodological frameworks that posit an important role for culture and its influence on
mental processes behaviour, and vice versa.
Goals of psychology:
1. Build a body of knowledge about people.
2. Allowing others to take that body of knowledge, and apply it to intervene in people’s
lives to help improve those lives.
Two goals are closely related. The value of psychological theory is often judged by its
practical usefulness in society.
Most knowledge we have in psychology is based on studies WEIRDOS:
- Western.
- Educated.
- Industrialized.
- Rich.
- Democratic.
Psychology should question the characteristics of people in ANY study: Is what we know
about human behaviour true for all people, regardless of gender, race, ethnicity, etc.?
Cross-cultural research: research methodology that tests the cultural parameters of
psychological knowledge. Traditionally: research on human behaviour that compares
psychological processes between two or more cultures. Approach is primarily concerned
with testing the possible limitations of knowledge gleaned from one culture by studying
people of different cultures.
Cross-cultural research tests possible limitations in our knowledge by examining whether
psychological theories and principles are universal or culture-specific.
Many scientists have come to recognize that much of the research and theories once
thought to be universal for all people is indeed culture-bound.
Culture: a unique meaning and information system, shared by a group and transmitted
across generations, that allows the group to meet basic needs of survival, pursue happiness
and well-being and derive meaning from life.
The concept of culture is used in many different ways because it touches on so many aspects
of life. The concept of culture has different meanings in other cultures. Culture itself is
culture-bound.
Sources of the origins of cultures:
1
Culture and Psychology
David Matsumoto & Linda Juang
Chapter 1
Cultural psychology: a subdiscipline within psychology that examines the cultural
foundations of psychological processes and human behaviour. It includes theoretical and
methodological frameworks that posit an important role for culture and its influence on
mental processes behaviour, and vice versa.
Goals of psychology:
1. Build a body of knowledge about people.
2. Allowing others to take that body of knowledge, and apply it to intervene in people’s
lives to help improve those lives.
Two goals are closely related. The value of psychological theory is often judged by its
practical usefulness in society.
Most knowledge we have in psychology is based on studies WEIRDOS:
- Western.
- Educated.
- Industrialized.
- Rich.
- Democratic.
Psychology should question the characteristics of people in ANY study: Is what we know
about human behaviour true for all people, regardless of gender, race, ethnicity, etc.?
Cross-cultural research: research methodology that tests the cultural parameters of
psychological knowledge. Traditionally: research on human behaviour that compares
psychological processes between two or more cultures. Approach is primarily concerned
with testing the possible limitations of knowledge gleaned from one culture by studying
people of different cultures.
Cross-cultural research tests possible limitations in our knowledge by examining whether
psychological theories and principles are universal or culture-specific.
Many scientists have come to recognize that much of the research and theories once
thought to be universal for all people is indeed culture-bound.
Culture: a unique meaning and information system, shared by a group and transmitted
across generations, that allows the group to meet basic needs of survival, pursue happiness
and well-being and derive meaning from life.
The concept of culture is used in many different ways because it touches on so many aspects
of life. The concept of culture has different meanings in other cultures. Culture itself is
culture-bound.
Sources of the origins of cultures:
1
