Classical psychological world views of culture

1. PROGRAMME: APPLIED SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY COURSE: CROSS-CULTURAL PSYCHOLOGY

PRESENTATION
BY
EMMANUEL DEMAH, EUSTACIA MORRIS AND
ANNA USTYAKINA

2. Rogof, B. (2016). Culture and Participation: a Paradigm Shift. Current Opinion in Psychology, 8, 182-189.

Question 3: What are the differences
between mainstream and participation
approaches to culture? Exemplify limitations
of mainstream approach that were overcome
in participation approach on particular cases
from
other
research/your
own
experience/fictional literature or movie.

3. INTRODUCTION

This article presented by Rogoff (2016) focuses on how we
understand culture and the very lens through which culture is
conceived and understood.
There are various classical paradigms through which culture is
conceptualized and understood. However, Rogoff (2016) indicated
that there is the need for a paradigm shift, focusing on peoples
participation in cultural activities rather than understanding
culture as an immutable characteristic attributable to separate
individual and ethnic entities.

4. CLASSICAL PSYCHOLOGICAL WORLD VIEWS OF CULTURE

• According to Altman and Rogoff (1987), there are basically two
psychological world views for understanding culture. These
psychological world views includes;
• Interactional world view (Mainstream paradigm)
• Transactional or Contextual World view (Participatory
paradigm)
• However, Rogoff (2016) idea (focus) through which one should
conceptualize and understand culture, corresponds to that of the
transactional world view.

5. Participatory Paradigm or Approach

• Focuses on individuals participation in cultural activities
• Culture is seen as an ongoing process
• Focuses on the holistic interrelations of many aspects of human
life or ways of life

6. Mainstream Approach or Paradigm

• Culture is seen as a static social address such as ethnicity, race
and nationality
• Culture is viewed as an immutable feature of an individual as a
member of a bounded group defined by individuals birthplace
• The individual and its cultural aspects for his or her functioning
are treated as separate entities that interact with each other

7. Differences Between Participatory Paradigm And Mainstream Paradigm

Participatory
There is a mutual and holistic relationship
between the individual and the cultural
environment or community
Mainstream
Change is inherent or intrinsic to both the
individual and the cultural communities
Description of patterns to understand
how things work and their variations over
time or different situations
The aim is to find the patterns that
characterizes the role of specific
situations that are inherently contextual.
The individual and cultural communities
are seen as separate entities
Change is not inherent since the individual
and the cultural communities are seen as
interacting separate parts or entities
Focuses on cause and effect relationship
of phenomenon
The aim is to seek laws of relations
between variables and parts of the
system.

8. Limitations of Mainstream Approach that were Overcome in Participatory Approach

• Individuals are likely to identify themselves with more than one
group
• There is ongoing proliferation of possible groups through culture
contact and parenting across ethnic groups, race and
nationalities.
• It is an impoverished way to understanding culture as a way of
life due to efforts to treating these variables as independent of
each other.

9. Conclusion

• If we want to get a deeper understanding of culture
as a way of life in human functioning and
development, then there is the need for a paradigm
shift to focus on peoples participation in cultural
communities.