Ethnocentrism
Psychology: AQA A Level, topic 8.1.4
Ethnocentrism - Asch
Ethnocentrism is a form of cultural bias. It is when the culture of the psychologist is taken as the norm. The psychologist then compares other cultures to their own.
Ethnocentric psychology
- Research that is ethnocentric is based on one culture.
- The theories/conclusions are then generalised to all cultures.
- Historically, most psychological research has been ethnocentric because it has been on Western culture.
Asch (1951)
- An example of ethnocentric research is Asch’s research into conformity (1951).
- The study involved testing whether or not people would conform to the majority.
- Confederates (actors) were placed in the study to deliberately give wrong answers to the task given (stating which length of line is longer).
Asch (1951) conclusions
- Asch concluded that people will conform to majority opinion (even if the answer is wrong).
- Because only Americans were used, the research is ethnocentric.
- The study also only used university aged males, so it is also an example of gender bias.
- To avoid this ethnocentrism, further research on different cultures should be conducted to be able to draw truly universal conclusions on conformity.
Ethnocentrism: Milgram
Ethnocentrism is a form of cultural bias. Ethnocentrism is when the culture of the psychologist is taken as the norm, the psychologist then compares other cultures to their own.
Intentions of the study
- Another example of ethnocentric research is Milgram’s obedience experiments (1963).
- The study was conducted after the atrocities committed by the Nazis during World War Two. Milgram wanted to measure levels of obedience in people.
- Milgram wanted to find out if all people could be capable of the evils of the Holocaust.
- He wanted to determine if evil could be induced in people or if they were born with it (nature or nurture).
Method
- In the set-up of the study, Milgram had researchers give orders to give shocks (which were faked) to a confederate (planted actor).
Findings
- He found that people could be ordered to give lethal shocks (they were fake, but this was unknown to the participants), showing obedience.
- But this research has imposed etic because only American participants were used.
- He did not take into account the cultural differences between Nazi Germany and USA.
Test yourself on Ethnocentrism
What is ethnocentrism in psychology?
What is ethnocentrism in psychology?