Download Culture and Social Interactions

Culture and Social Interactions,
Gender, and Emotions
Dr. K. A. Korb
University of Jos
1 June 2009
Universals in Social Behavior
(Aberle et al. 1950)
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Assignment of Roles
Communication
Shared set of goals
Regulations of how to achieve goals
Regulation of emotions
Socialization
Control of misbehavior
Dr. K. A. Korb
University of Jos
A.
B.
Asch-type task (Asch, 1956)
Dr. K. A. Korb
University of Jos
Conformity
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Conformity: Degree to which individuals will go
along with the group norms
Conformity varies across cultures
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More conformity in societies with high compliance
training
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Densely populated and highly stratified societies
High values of conservatism, collectivism, and preference
for status ascription
Less conformity in societies with low compliance
training
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Sparse and unstratified societies
High values of autonomy, individualism, and status
achievement
Dr. K. A. Korb
University of Jos
Values
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Values: Broad tendency to prefer certain
states of affairs over others
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More general than attitudes
Relatively stable in individuals and cultures
Dr. K. A. Korb
University of Jos
Values
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Three basic concerns of all societies:
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How individuals relate to their group
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How people consider the welfare of others
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Embedded or independent
Vertical or Horizontal
Relationship of people to their national world
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Dominate and exploit or live within it
Dr. K. A. Korb
University of Jos
Individualism and Collectivism
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Individualism: Primary concern is for oneself
Collectivism: Primary concern is for one’s ingroup
Dimensions:
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Definition of self as personal or collective
Personal goals or group goals having a priority
Emphasis on exchange or communal relationships
Importance of personal attitudes or social norms in
behavior
Dr. K. A. Korb
University of Jos
Individualism and Collectivism
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Correlation between individualism score
and Gross National Product (GNP) is .82
(Hofstede, 1980)
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Directionality of Correlation
Measurement issues: Collectivist societies
might be more prone to social desirability,
acquiescence bias, and extremity set than
individualist countries
Dr. K. A. Korb
University of Jos
Gender
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Key Question: Are societies similar or different
in how they interpret initial biological differences
between males and females?
Gender stereotypes: Widely shared beliefs
within a society about typical males and females
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University students in 27 countries (Africa, Europe,
Asia, North and South America)
300 Adjective Check-List – Determine whether the
adjective is more frequently associated with men or
women
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“Report the characteristics generally said to be associated
with men or women in your culture.”
Dr. K. A. Korb
University of Jos
Gender Stereotypes
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Adventurous
Daring
Affectionate
Strong
Sentimental
Stern
Submissive
Emotional
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Progressive
Sensitive
Dominant
Pleasant
Boastful
Loud
Attractive
Softhearted
Dr. K. A. Korb
University of Jos
Gender Stereotypes
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Consensus of adjectives attributed to males and
females across countries was so large that
researchers concluded psychological universals in
gender stereotypes (Williams & Best, 1990)
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Interpretation: Original biological differences
influence cultural practices of treating males and
females similarly across cultures
Limitation: Acculturation of sample
Dr. K. A. Korb
University of Jos
Psychological Differences in
Gender by Culture
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Key Question: Are differences between males
and females on psychological variables the same
across cultures?
Males tend to be better at spatial tasks than
females
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Only true in agricultural societies
No differences (or reversed) in nomadic and hunting
societies
Conclusion: Gender differences in spatial abilities
are not universal.
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Ecological and cultural factors influences gender differences
Dr. K. A. Korb
on spatial abilities
University of Jos
Psychological Differences in
Gender by Culture
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Females are more susceptible to conformity
than males
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Large differences in conformity between
males and females in tight, agricultural
societies
No differences in conformity between males
and females in loose, nomadic societies
Dr. K. A. Korb
University of Jos
Emotion
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Emotion: A feeling state that results in
physiological arousal and expressive behaviors
Six basic emotions reflected in the face
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Happiness, Sadness, Anger, Fear, Surprise, Disgust
Most cultures can identify these six emotions in
photographs of individuals of other cultures
Participants can also identify emotion in the voice
without understanding the language
Dr. K. A. Korb
University of Jos
Emotional Expression
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Display rules: Cultural norms about the expected
management of facial display of emotions
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Japanese and American participants were shown a
stressful film (Ekman, 1973)
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Half viewed the film alone, half viewed the film with an
experimenter
When viewing the film alone, the Japanese and American
participants showed the same facial expression
When viewing the film with an experimenter, the Japanese
students showed fewer negative expressions than the
Americans
Conclusion: Cross-cultural similarities in
underlying emotions but cultural differences in
Dr. K. A. Korb
display of emotions
University of Jos
Revision
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What are some social conventions that are similar
across cultures? What are some social
conventions that are different across cultures?
What are some gender differences that are similar
across cultures? What are some gender
differences that are different across cultures?
What are similarities and differences in emotion
between cultures?
Dr. K. A. Korb
University of Jos