1.10 Understanding cross-cultural psychology in a changing world.

Cross-cultural psychology has made scientific contributions in understanding human behavior as influenced by the cultural context. In cross-cultural psychology the variability but also the similarities of human behavior is of interest, as influenced by cultural factors, by common genetic inheritance, and by the similarity of human problems in the struggle for survival. Since cross-cultural psychology is a scientific enterprise we are interested in the systematic comparisons between populations under varying cultural situations in order to infer cause and affect relationships for important psychological dimensions. Underlying the interest in the variability in human cultural behavior is the finding that different cultural experiences with childrearing, cultural norms, and socio-economic institutions produce individuals that differ in predictable ways. In the final analysis cross-cultural psychology seeks to understand how culture affects the psychological life of individual human beings (Cole, 1996).

The above definition requires a more specific articulation of what constitutes culture as the term is used in many non-scientific ways. We can speak of people of high social economic standing as having “culture” which may simply mean they have the money to enjoy the good life and fine wine. Culture is also used to describe what is popular in society such as current fads in fashion or music. However, influential these influences may be they are just temporary phenomenon -here today but gone tomorrow.

Some researchers have used cross-national as synonymous for cross-cultural, however cross-national studies can be carried out between culturally related groups like the Danes and the Dutch, and may tell us more about recent socio-economic changes and dynamics than lasting culture (Frijda & Jahoda, 1966). On the other hand recent years have seen more studies on ethnic groups within nations. These groups seem justified for inclusion in cross-cultural studies as they often maintain particular cultural values over long time periods, and their adjustment to the dominant society is of obvious importance and utility.

Cross-cultural psychology is interested in inferring cause and effect relationships between cultural factors and subsequent behavior. Ultimately the objective is to develop a discipline where cultural variations are seen as antecedents to differences in human behavior by comparing cultural groups on salient psychological dimensions. In the process we become aware of what cultural experiences like language are salient and how these variables may be related to mental life and cognitive processes.

One important distinction is between the concepts of cultural and cross-cultural psychology (Berry, 2000; Poortinga, 1997). In cultural (indigenous) psychology an individual culture is studied at some depth in order to observe the relationship between cultural determinants and behavior. On the other hand the cross-cultural (comparative) discipline seeks to study both the similarities and salient differences in psychological behavior and cognition between cultures. Research suggests that comparative differences occur because of socio-cultural factors, but also as noted from variability in ecological variables like climate, as well as biological factors. In both the cultural and cross-cultural domains we must remain conscious of the effects of rapid socio-economic and scientific change as cultural variables also respond to these forces.