Sociocultural Approach Bibliography & Research

General learning outcomes

1. Outline principles that define the sociocultural level of analysis (for example, the social and cultural environment influences individual behaviour; we want connectedness with, and a sense of belonging to, others; we construct our conceptions of the individual and social self).
   • Human beings are social animals, we feel a need to belong.
     • Asch's conformity study
     • Elliot's classroom study | video from class
     • When Prophecy Fails (1956) Festinger's cognitive dissonance theories
   • Social and cultural environment affect/influence behavior.
     • Bandura's social learning
     • Triandis's theory of individualist v. collectivist cultures
     • Grosjean, Francois. (Nov. 1, 2011). "Change of Language, Change of Personality?" Psychology Today.
   • Humans have a social self
     • Tajfel's ingroup/outgroup
     • Sherif's Robbers Cave
   • An important but rarely discussed lesson of the Stanford prison experiment- an article from "The Creativity Post" (social situation influences behaviour)
2. Explain how principles that define the sociocultural level of analysis may be demonstrated in research (that is, theories and/or studies).
3. Discuss how and why particular research methods are used at the sociocultural level of analysis (for example, participant/naturalistic observation, interviews, case studies).
4. Discuss ethical considerations related to research studies at the sociocultural level of analysis.

Sociocultural cognition

1. Describe the role of situational and dispositional factors in explaining behaviour.
   • Attribution Theory by Fritz Heider (1958)
   • In interview with Lee Ross (Social psychologist from Stanford who coined Fundemental Attribution Error)
   • Attribution Theories: How People Make Sense of Behavior- a literature review of several theoriest by Bertram F. Malle (2011)
   • Impressions of Milgram's Obedience Teachers- literature review by Reeder, Monroe, & Pryor (2008)
   • The Attribution of Attitudes by Jones and Harris (1967)
2. Discuss two errors in attributions (for example, fundamental attribution error, illusory correlation, self‑serving bias).
   • The self-serving bias in attributions as a coping strategy a cross-cultural study by Kashmina and Triandis (1986). Study break down
3. Evaluate social identity theory, making reference to relevant studies.
   • Tajfel's Bristol School Study of ingroups and outgroups (1970)
4. Explain the formation of stereotypes and their effect on behaviour.
   • Kenneth and Mamie Clark's Doll Test: a Youtube video
   • "Modern Racist Paradigm", a documentary that exposes the "White" Media's long-term agenda to standardize Caucasian people as the "social norm" for general society

Social norms

1. Explain social learning theory, making reference to two relevant studies.
   • See p. 114 in Crane for Carlton, et al (2002) study from St. Helena
   • Broadcast television effects in a remote community (Carlton, et all, 2002) Google Book LINK

• From ABC news
• Video from MSNBC

1. Discuss the use of compliance techniques (for example, lowballing, foot‑in‑the‑door, reciprocity).
   • Increasing Compliance by Improving the Deal by Jerry m. Burger (1986)
2. Evaluate research on conformity to group norms.
   • Frontline episode on "A Class Divided"
   • Jane Elliot's bibliography list
   • Lesson of a Lifetime: A look at the Elliot study from Smithsonian Magazine
   • A Psychologist's Explanation of Why Racism Persists in America: an article from the Huffington post about discrimination.
3. Discuss factors influencing conformity (for example, culture, groupthink, risky shift, minority influence).
   • Berry's Conformity Study (Cultural replication of Asch's study)- ETIC study
   • ABC's replication of the Milgram's experiment

Cultural norms

1. Examine the interconnectedness of cognition and biology with regards to the sociocultural approach to psychology.
   • Ryoo, Nancy. (2017). Understanding Translanguaging and Identity among Korean Bilingual Adults. The University of San Francisco USF Scholarship: a digital repository @ Gleeson Library | Geschke Center.
2. Define the terms “culture” and “cultural norms”.
   • Bond and Smith (1996) Culture and Conformity
   • Differences between tight and loose cultures: A 33-nation study by Gelfand, et al (2011) published in Science Magazine.
   • David Matsumato (2004) and cultural psychology
3. Examine the role of two cultural dimensions on behaviour (for example, individualism/collectivism, power distance, uncertainty avoidance, Confucian dynamism, masculinity/femininity).
   • Demensionalizing Cultures: The Hofstede Model in Context by Geert Hofstede (2001)--- You will need to be familiar with this article!
4. Using one or more examples, explain “emic” and “etic” concepts.
   • Emic- research conducted to understand a culture through the eyes of their culture. An attempts to explain the norms, motives, and customes of a culture using the researcher's words.
     • Margaret Mead: Human nature and the power of culture. A collection of documents from the Library of Congress
     • Bartlett (1932) mentioned the extraordinary ability of Swazi herdsmen to recall individual characteristics of their cattle. He explained that the Swazi culture revolves around the possession and care of cattle and it is important for people to recognize their animals because this is part of their fortune.
     • Classification of the culture-bound reactive syndroms by P.M. Yap (1967)
   • Etic- a means of explaining a phenomenon over many different cultures in order to determine if the phenomenon is universal or culture-bound.
     • Berry's Conformity Study (Cultural replication of Asch's study)- ETIC study
     • Demensionalizing Cultures: The Hofstede Model in Context by Geert Hofstede (2001)--- You will need to be familiar with this article!
     • Harry Triandis's Individualism and Collectivism Scale
     • Kashmina and Triandis (1986). Study break down
   • Cross-cultural model testing: toward a solution of the etic-emic dilemma by Davidson, et al (1976)

• Culture and Emotion: A Literature review from David Matsumoto and Hyi Sung Hwang
• David Matsumoto's website: Excellent source for his publications for the SCLOA.
• Rat Park drug experiment by Alexander, B (1977)- this is a great, online graphic novel about an important experiment on drug addictions. Not only does it look at states of consciousness, but contains strong elements of the SCLOA.

SCLOA Study Tools:

• This is a great website with A LOT of studies on it! Thank you Rachel for finding it for us :) SCLOA on IB Psych Notes
• AP/IB SCLOA folder link

A take on making cultural assumptions