PSCY 307 Lecture 4 · Culture comes from family practices -From society, cultural environment Our brains are active participants in our society People and their brains are not fundamentally different No one is born with culture, we learn to have them Cultural differences are not biological differences · How to societies deal with diversity? -Color blind approach =ignore the differences =emphasize the similarities people have =even subtle distinctions can result in discrimination =based on the idea of the majority group wanting all the other groups to act like them -Multicultural approach =appreciate the differences instead of ignoring them MAJORITY MINORITY -endorse color blindness. -dislike minority groups who assert identity -prefer multicultural approach. -find it taxing to hide their cultural identity
-high underlying prejudice leads to worse -greater sense of ethnic interactions identity less perception of threat · Cross cultural psychology Similarities -deals with how cultures influence how we think, feel and act Differences -involves a lot of cultural groups at the same time whereas cultural society focuses on 2-3 cultures -also focuses on similarities as well, differences + universals · Sociology Similarities -both focus on cultural environment and mental processes Differences -focuses on larger, broader societal variables eg social classes, govt systems - "big picture things" -more qualitative methodologies · Multi-cultural Similarities -how culture affects psychology 2
Differences -focused on one geopolitical context Where does culture come from? -EVOKED -certain behavioral patterns encoded in our biology -behavioral immune system- protects from pathogens -people in high pathogen areas- kept themselves to people they know- lead to low level of interaction TRANSMITTED -cultural practices that passed down -learn by watching, being taught BERRY'S ECOCULTURAL MODEL 1) Background variable Ecological context -physical surroundings Sociopolitical context -social environment -govt. system, ways of marriage =bring pressure on people to adapt to either 3