Psychology and Culture

Putting it All TogetherHow does culture relate to life experiences?

The purpose of this assignment is to provide you with an opportunity to examine how culture impacts a person across the lifespan. Conduct an interview with a person who has substantial life experiences (it is recommended that you interview someone who is 55+) and who is from a different cultural background than your own. You will want to ask them about how their economic status, ethnicity, race, gender, religion, language, and age have contributed to who they are today. Below are some possible questions that you may wish to ask. Feel free to add questions of your own whenever one occurs to you.

Please tell me about your childhood, family and school life. How has your cultural background influenced your life? How has your gender influenced your life?

How has your religion influenced your life?

Have you ever experienced any negative attitudes or discrimination?

Here are some resources on how to conduct an interview:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0plSyP-uDzU http://www.sparkminute.com/2011/11/07/30-tips-on-how-to-interview-like-a-journalist/

After your interview, please write a 5-8 page paper on the following:

How does the person culturally define themselves? Write 1-3 paragraphs regarding the interviewees definition of themselves from a cultural perspective.

How has the persons cultural background influenced their life? Write 1-3 paragraphs about the persons cultural background and how this has effected their development, behavior, how they respond emotionally, and their social relationships. Make sure to tie-in content from the course (i.e., discuss whether or not what you learned in the in the interview is consistent with what you learned in the class).

How has the persons gender influenced their life? Write a few paragraphs about the persons gender and how this has effected their development, behavior, how they respond emotionally, and their social relationships. Make sure to tie-in content from the course (i.e., discuss whether or not what you learned in the in the interview is consistent with what you learned in the class).

Powered by TCPDF (www.tcpdf.org)

How has the persons religion influenced their life? Write 1-3 paragraphs about the persons religion background and how this has effected their development, behavior, how they respond emotionally, and their social relationships. Make sure to tie-in content from the course (i.e., discuss whether or not what you learned in the in the interview is consistent with what you learned in the class).

How (if at all) has the person experienced discrimination and how has this affected them? Write 1-3 paragraphs about the persons interactions with society has effected their development, behavior, how they respond emotionally, and their social relationships. Make sure to tie-in content from the course (i.e., discuss whether or not what you learned in the in the interview is consistent with what you learned in the class).

What other cultural aspects have influenced the persons life? Write 1-3 paragraphs any other cultural elements that have impacted the persons development, behavior, how they respond emotionally, and their social relationships. Make sure to tie-in content from the course (i.e., discuss whether or not what you learned I n the in the interview is consistent with what you learned in the class).

Class Resources

Sieck, W. [July 17, 2015]Cultural Norms: Do they matter? Global Cognition.org, LLC. Retrieved from

Gelfand, M. J. (2012). Cultures constraints: International differences in the strength of social norms. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 21(6), 420-424. doi:10.1177/0963721412460048. Retrieved from Ebsco multi-search database in the Touro Library:

*is a linked article, click on link takes to SAGE Premier Collection (conduct an advanced search with Culture in the first search bar and Constraints in the second search bar and use the pull down menu to select title) then takes you to the full pdf.

Amanda Price [September 21, 2011]. How Culture Impacts Behavior [Video file]. Retrieved from (12:45)

Lodi, H. [July 27, 2017] Meet the female barber challenging cultural norms in the UAE. Retrieved from

TedxTalks [October 21, 2014]. Cultural Differences and Perception & Behavior [Video file]. Retrieved from (19:58)

Reynolds, K.J., Subasic, E., Tindall, K. (2015). The problem of behavior change: from social norms to ingroup focus. Social and Personality Psychology Compass, 9(1). 45-56. doi: 10.1111/spc3.12155. Retrieved from Ebsco multi search in Touro Library

*is a linked article so you need to click on this and it takes you to wiley where you click on the pdf.

Wilkins, A. [June 13, 2017]. Groupthink Can Actually Be Good, If Its Done Right. Vocativ. Retrieved from

Michael MacKenzie [March 25, 2015]. What is social influence? [Video file]. Retrieved from (2:59)

Marques, L, Eustis, E.H., Dixon, L., Valentine, S.E., Borba, C.C., Simon, N., & Wiltsey-Stirman, S. (2015). Delivering Cognitive Processing Therapy in a Community Health Setting: The Influence of Latino Culture and Community Violence on Posttraumatic Cognitions. Psychological Trauma: Theory, Research, Practice and Policy, doi: 10.1037/tra0000044. Retrieved from Ebsco multi search in Touro Library.

Robinson, D.T. (2014). The role of cultural meanings and situated interaction in shaping emotion. Emotion Review, 6(3). 189-195. doi:10.1177/1754073914522866. Retrieved from Ebsco Multi-search in Touro Library as a linked article.

*links to Sage Publications.

Elaine, W, & Los Angeles, T. (2011, April). Scholar at center of race-IQ debate. Washington Post, The. Retrieved from Ebsco Multi-search in Touro Library.

Michael Baker [September 18, 2012]. Intelligence & Culture [Video file]. Retrieved from (3:51)

LonelyCinderrella123 [February 26, 2013].Racial Differences in IQ Scores [Video file]. Retrieved from (4:50)

California Academy of Sciences [April 16, 2009]. Emotional Facial Expressions Cross Culturally [Video file]. Retrieved from (2:57)

notthemouse’s channel [March 30, 2012].Cultural Differences in How People Experience & Express Emotions [Video file]. Retrieved from (6:32)

Carteret, M. (2013). How Individualism and Collectivism Manifest in Child Rearing Practices. Dimensions of culture: cross cultural communications for healthcare professionals. Retrieved from

Nuttall, E. [2015]. Cultural Differences in the Development of Children. Global Post-International News: Demand Media. Retrieved from

tvoparents [March 25, 2009]. Parenting Across Cultures [Video file]. Retrieved from (27:49)

Rashed, M.A., (2013). Talking past each other: Conceptual confusion in

‘culture’ and ‘psychopathology.’ South African Journal of Psychiatry, 19 (1), 12-15. doi: 10.79196/SAJP433. Retrieved from Ebsco Multi Search in Touro Library

Joshanloo, M. (2014). Eastern Conceptualizations of Happiness: Fundamental Differences with Western Views. Journal of Happiness Studies, 15 (2). 475-493. doi:10.1007/s10902-013-9431-1. Retrieved from Ebsco Multi-search in Touro Library.

Asian American Mental Health [May 09, 2014]. Lecture on Culture Bound Syndrome [Video file]. Retrieved from (12:49)

IB Psychology at BGE [February 07, 2013]. Abnormal Psychology: Cultural and Ethical Considerations of Diagnosis. [Video File]. Retrieved from:

(3:37).

Pincott, J. (2011). Pretty Young Things: DOES CUTENESS LAST? Psychology Today, 44 (6), 27. Retrieved from Ebsco Multi-Search in Touro Library.

Chung, F.M., van de Vijver, F.J.R., Leong, F.T.L. (2011). Toward a new approach to the study of personality in culture. American Psychologist Vol. 66, No. 7, 593603 DOI: 10.1037/a0022389. Retrieved from:

Tedx Talks [June 19, 2015]. The psychology of culture | Fernando Lanzer | TEDxAUBG. [Video File]. Retrieved from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rgdRzyCO5Zo (22:23)

Tedx Talks [March 22, 2013]. Multiculturalism in the Modern World: Jen Holladay at TEDxDenverTeachers [Video file]. Retrieved from (14:50)