Cultural Psychology
| Module title | Cultural Psychology |
|---|---|
| Module code | PSY3442 |
| Academic year | 2020/1 |
| Credits | 15 |
| Module staff | (Convenor) |
| Duration: Term | 1 | 2 | 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Duration: Weeks | 11 |
| Number students taking module (anticipated) | 35 |
|---|
Module description
How are we influenced by our cultural context and by other people? How does culture shape the way we come to know ourselves? How does culture colour the way we view others? Do members of different cultures vary in how they explain another’s behavior? How can we use our understanding of other cultures to help us communicate with others from different countries? How are individuals in different cultures similar? These questions have been pondered for centuries, but cultural psychology is unique in that it applies the scientific method to investigate such topics.
Cultural psychologists not only develop theories, but they use empirical research to identify which theories are good and can be put to practical use. In this module, we will examine the ways that culture is defined and measured, discuss the dominant theoretical paradigms in the field, and explore cultural variation in psychological phenomena such as the self-concept, cognition, emotion, motivation, mental health, and their developmental processes.
A key outcome of this module is to increase cultural competence, including knowledge about different cultures and the thought and behavior patterns that are common in these cultures. If you enjoyed PSY2203 Social Psychology II, and if you are curious about what makes us similar or different to others around the globe, then this module should really appeal.
Module aims - intentions of the module
This module analyses the extant literature on cultural differences in thought and behaviour. The module aims to explore in depth both traditional and contemporary approaches to the area. Areas considered include cognition, motivation, emotions, and mental health. You will examine differing approaches to the study of cultural psychology and will critically evaluate the contribution of differing methodologies and research outcomes to our understanding of social life as it occurs within cultural spheres. As such, material in this module may be relevant for your future employment settings.
- The emergence of cross-cultural psychology in the 20th century and its relation to other academic disciplines
- Research methods of cross-cultural psychology and critical evaluation of its empirical research
- Definitions of culture and the dominant theoretical paradigms in cross-cultural psychology
- Operationalizing culture in terms of values, beliefs, attitudes, and ideologies
- Cultural variation across different domains of psychology (e.g., cognition, emotion, motivation)
- Applications of cross-cultural psychology to relevant social issues (e.g., acculturation, multiculturalism)
- Applications of cross-cultural psychology to global challenges (e.g., mental health, refugee crisis)
Moreover, through attending the weekly classes and completing the assessments, you will further develop the following academic and professional skills:
- cultural competence (including knowledge about different cultures and the thought and behaviour patterns that are common in these cultures)
- problem solving (linking theory to practice, developing your own ideas with confidence, showing entrepreneurial awareness, being able to respond to novel and unfamiliar problems)
- managing structure (identifying key demands of the task, setting clearly defined goals, responding flexibly to changing priorities)
- time management (managing time effectively individually and within a group)
- collaboration (respecting the views and values of others, taking initiative and leading others, supporting others in their work, maintaining group cohesiveness and purpose), and
- audience awareness (presenting ideas effectively in multiple formats, persuading others of the importance and relevance of your views, responding positively and effectively to questions).
- written and oral communication skills
Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)
ILO: Module-specific skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 1. Evaluate some traditional and contemporary approaches to the study of cultural psychology
- 2. Describe systematically the effectiveness of differing research methodologies and the ability to critically appraise the research
- 3. Communicate your own thoughts and ideas in response to the ideas of others in a succinct and engaging way
ILO: Discipline-specific skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 4. Acquire detailed, systematic and comprehensive knowledge within the discipline, with in-depth specialisation at the forefront of the discipline in certain areas and demonstrate advanced critical understanding of this knowledge and of the limits and provisional nature of this knowledge
- 5. Review and critically evaluate published work and identify the strengths and weaknesses of this work and structure this literature to present logical, coherent and sustained arguments to support conclusions at an advanced level
- 6. Understand and apply essential principles in designing novel research, critically evaluate and analyse empirical evidence and assess the reliability of empirical evidence using a range of defined techniques at an advanced level
ILO: Personal and key skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 7. Interact effectively and supportively within a learning group
- 8. Select and manage information, and to undertake competently study tasks with minimum guidance
- 9. Take responsibility for your own work and criticise it
- 10. Identify with confidence and flexibility complex problems and apply appropriate knowledge and methods for their solution
Syllabus plan
Whilst the content may vary from year to year, it is envisioned that it will cover some or all of the following topics:
What is Culture? What are key dimensions of cultural differences?
What are key methods to study cultural differences?
Culture & the Self
Culture & Motivation
Culture & Emotion
Culture & Cognition
Cultural Neuroscience
Development and Socialisation across cultures
Acculturation
Organisations across cultures
Health and Well-being across cultures
Learning activities and teaching methods (given in hours of study time)
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities | Guided independent study | Placement / study abroad |
|---|---|---|
| 33 | 117 | 0 |
Details of learning activities and teaching methods
| Category | Hours of study time | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching | 33 | Seminars and seminar skills workshops (11 x 2 hours, 11 x 1 hour) |
| Guided Independent Study | 70 | Reading in preparation for weekly seminars, following reading list recommendations on reading list and linked to ELE module homepage and independently exploring further sources of information using links provided. Preparing seminar presentations |
| Guided Independent Study | 10 | Additional seminar skills workshop preparation (e.g., learning how to give presentations, debating, planning essays, writing sample introductions, improving exam technique) |
| Guided Independent Study | 37 | Essay preparation, revision |
Formative assessment
| Form of assessment | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|
| In-Class Exercises / Debates | 30 minutes / week | All | Oral |
| Oral Presentation | 10 minutes | All | Oral |
Summative assessment (% of credit)
| Coursework | Written exams | Practical exams |
|---|---|---|
| 40 | 60 | 0 |
Details of summative assessment
| Form of assessment | % of credit | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Proposal | 40 | 2000 words | All | Written, individual feedback on mark sheet, generic feedback posted on ELE |
| Examination | 60 | 2 hours | All | Written, generic feedback posted on ELE |
Details of re-assessment (where required by referral or deferral)
| Original form of assessment | Form of re-assessment | ILOs re-assessed | Timescale for re-assessment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proposal | Proposal | All | August assessment period |
| Examination | Examination | All | August assessment period |
Re-assessment notes
Two assessments are required for this module. Where you have been referred/deferred in the examination you will have the opportunity to take a second examination in the August re-assessment period. Where you have been referred/deferred in the proposal you will be required to resubmit the proposal. If you are successful on referral, your overall module mark will be capped at 40%; deferred marks are not capped.
Indicative learning resources - Basic reading
Indicative basic reading list:
Most of the research discussed will be drawn from journal articles (posted on ELE). Web-based and electronic resources:
| Credit value | 15 |
|---|---|
| Module ECTS | 7.5 |
| Module pre-requisites | PSY2203 Social Psychology II or equivalent |
| Module co-requisites | None |
| NQF level (module) | 6 |
| Available as distance learning? | No |
| Origin date | 13/02/2020 |
| Last revision date | 07/08/2020 |
