Introduction to Cross-Cultural Psychology



Introduction to Cross-Cultural Psychology

Introduction

Psychology itself is divided into a wide range of subgroups; cultural psychology and cross-cultural psychology are two of the most important part of its subgroup. Psychology is a very broad discipline of the applied and academic discipline. It is the scientific study of the behaviors of individuals and group of individuals, which also focuses on identifying the mental functions of those individuals. This paper will be focusing on cross-cultural psychology, and identify the relationship between cultural & cross-cultural psychology. Furthermore, it will also discuss the role of critical thinking in cross-cultural psychology, and the methodology used for cross-cultural research.

Define cultural and cross-cultural psychology

The cultural psychology is the study of behavior along with the cultural traditions of the individuals and group of individuals. It relates on the influence of cultural background on the behavioral development of an individual. The study identifies the relationship of culture and social practices in reshaping the individual's behavior. Cultural psychology defines the distinguishable nature of the mind and the culture (Shweder, 2008). Resulting less in psychic harmony for humankind than in racial deviation in emotion, self, and mind, cultural psychology is the learning of the method social practices and cultural customs permute, change, articulate, and control the human consciousness.

Cross-cultural psychology is also the study of individual's behavior, but it focuses on the impact of cross-cultural environment on the behavior (Hui, 1985). The modern era reflects the importance of globalization, where individuals and groups from different cultural and social backgrounds interact with each other in order to expand their business. This also puts a lot of emphasize on the diverse cultural environment and their impact on the behavior of the individuals (Triandis, 1999). Cultural diversity not only impacts the behavior, but it also helps the individuals to develop their bi-lingual skills. It is different from the cultural psychology, as cultural psychology focuses on the cultural impact on the behavior, while cross-cultural psychology focuses on the influence of cultural differences on the individual's behavior. The processes that are cognitive or mental and the behavior of humans in a scientific study, is in a broader term called, Cross-cultural psychology. Among cultures, differences and similarities are addressed by this field, in general.

Analyze the relationship between cultural and cross-cultural psychology

Analyzing the cultural and cross-cultural psychology reveals a relationship amongst both. Together with anthropology and philosophy, and having common characteristics with other disciplines, is the field, ...