Gender and culture in psychology: Culture bias

Universality and bias-

mainstream psychology has ignored cultural differences and so any behaviour from one cultures standpoint may be seen as abnormal from another, e.g. Asch and Milgram's studies gathered differing results when carried out in other parts of the world

Ethnocentrism- judging other cultures by the standards and values of one's own culture. in its extreme form it is the belief in the superiority of one's own culture which may lead to prejudice and discrimination towards other cultures

when one culture is seen as the 'norm' e.g. Ainsworth's ideal attachment type which is identified as children showing moderate anxiety upon seperation, which lead to German mothers being seen as cold and rejecting rather than encouraging independence

Cultural relativism- the idea that norms and values, as well as ethics and moral standards, can only be meaningful and understood within specific social and cultural contexts

Berry suggested that psychology has taken at etic approach, forcing one cultures norms onto another (such as Ainsworths **), when it should be emic…