Cross Cultural Psychology

Essay by shampoo0000University, Bachelor'sA+, December 2010

download word file, 5 pages 0.0

Introduction to Cross-Cultural Psychology

PSY/450

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Cross-Cultural Psychology

Psychology in whole has many fields in which to study. Cross-cultural psychology is one of many and its main focus is on the study of human behavior in diverse cultures. This paper will define cross-cultural psychology and examine the critical thinking and methodology involved with it.

Relationship between cultural psychology and cross-cultural psychology

Cross-cultural psychology is a fairly recent addition to the field of psychology, established in 1972. Since that time this field of psychology has increased in growth and development to become widely used. Many psychologists presently examine how worldwide cultures differ on various dimensions.

Culture is often referred to as the blueprint of a person, such as behaviors, traditions, beliefs, and values in which passes on through each generation. Although cultures tend to have similar characteristics; cultures throughout the world also have significant differences. As a case in point, there are some universal feelings that people from all cultures experience; such as grief, sadness, and happiness, but these feelings are expressed differently across each individual culture.

Thus, the concept of culture is directly related to cross-cultural psychology. Cross-cultural psychology does not only concern itself with the differences between different cultural groups; it also establishes psychological universals, that is, phenomena common for people in several, many, or perhaps all cultures.

Culture is an array of attitudes, behaviors and symbols communal by a large group of people and is usually passed down from generation to generation (Shiraev & Levy, 2010). Although some cultures may seem very similar, no two cultures are alike (Shiraev & Levy, 2010). Many varieties of cultures exist. Ethnic cultures such as the African American culture, Greek culture, Indian culture, and American culture each have his or her style in art, values, religion, household structure, and food. Each...