Catalog Description

Prerequisite: Completion of PSYC 100 with grade of "C" or better
Hours: 54 lecture
Description: Examination of psychological principles and theory emphasizing both contemporary and historical research on the influence of culture on human mind and behavior. Topics include the interplay between culture and developmental processes, cognition, emotion, motivation, world-view development, communication, gender, sexuality, health, social behaviors and cultural evolution. (CSU, UC)

Course Student Learning Outcomes

  • CSLO #1: Describe the role culture plays in the development of personality, self-concept, attitudes, moral values, gender roles, health, motivation, attraction, and close interpersonal relationships.
  • CSLO #2: Compare and contrast different research methodologies used when studying culture.
  • CSLO #3: Determine the role of culture in the experience of perception, expression of emotion, cognition and social behavior and the psychology behind ethnocentrism, stereotype, prejudice and justice orientation.

Effective Term

Fall 2022

Course Type

Credit - Degree-applicable

Contact Hours

54

Outside of Class Hours

108

Total Student Learning Hours

162

Course Objectives

1. Describe, compare and contrast how cultural variation is defined and understood in psychological research including, but not limited to, the changing perspectives of methodologies across contexts, issues in defining culture within and across disciplines.
2. Analyze and provide examples of cultural evolution, variations within and between cultures, humans as "naturally" cultural.
3. Identify, examine, and critically evaluate competing cross-cultural psychological theories in, developmental research, personality and self research, motivation research, cognition research, emotion research, perception research.
4. Analyze, discuss, and evaluate psychological dimensions of cultures and their implications for understanding cultural differences and similarities in relationships, religion, morality and ethics, health outcomes, psychological adjustment, mental health, social expectancies, prejudice, discrimination, equity, interpersonal conflict, social justice activism, possibilities for peace.

General Education Information

  • Approved College Associate Degree GE Applicability
    • AA/AS - Multicultural Studies
    • AA/AS - Social Sciences
  • CSU GE Applicability (Recommended-requires CSU approval)
    • CSUGE - D Social Sciences
  • Cal-GETC Applicability (Recommended - Requires External Approval)
    • IGETC Applicability (Recommended-requires CSU/UC approval)
      • IGETC - 4 Soc./Behav Sciences

    Articulation Information

    • CSU Transferable
    • UC Transferable

    Methods of Evaluation

    • Classroom Discussions
      • Example: In small groups, construct one solid paragraph that represents the response for your group to the film "Before the Rain." Your paragraph must have a strong, descriptive thesis that represents the response of each individual in your group. The remainder of your paragraph should be devoted to explaining/justifying that thesis. Put your names on your paragraph as you will be turning it in to me for credit. After each group has read their paragraph aloud to the entire class, students will have the opportunity to a) ask clarifying questions of other groups, i.e., When you said, "x," what did you mean by that?, b) make agreement/disagreement statements to other groups, i.e., I disagree with your claim that x or I agree with your claim y. Agreement/disagreement statements should also be supported by one or two pieces of evidence from the film. Groups will have the opportunity to briefly respond, citing evidence from the film.
    • Essay Examinations
      • Example: On an essay exam, students will be asked to select one film from a provided list and a) explain the historical time frame in which the film was produced, b) describe the key characteristics of the film/narrative that place the film within that time frame, and c) evaluate the film as if it were produced in today's cinema. The exam question will be graded in accordance with an instructor-prepared rubric.
    • Objective Examinations
      • Example: _____1. Inculturation _____2. Acculturation _____3. Assimilation _____4. Integration _____5. Segmented Assimilation _____6. Cultural Syncretism A. Process of being absorbed into the majority culture, adapting to majority culture B. Adopting cultural traits or social patterns C. Learning one's own group culture through experience and modeling D. Sociological model of the experience of immigrants who adopt aspects of their new culture. It posits that social and economic barriers can be so severe that they cause downward mobility among certain immigrant groups and create oppositional forms of culture. E. A form of cultural exchange in which one group assumes the beliefs, practices and rituals of another group without sacrificing the characteristics of its own culture. F. A concept that refers to the social processes by which the beliefs and practices of two unique cultures mix and create new cultural characteristics.
    • Projects
      • Example: Connection Map Using a 3'X4' poster board, students will create a visual "map" of the connections between the structural, familial and individual influences on the student's own experience of prejudice formation, discriminatory behavior and experience of equity and privilege. This map can take the form of a complicated flow-chart or a discreet example-by-example categorical display. Examples will be provided. (50 points) Instructor Rubric will be provided.
    • Reports
      • Example: For this position paper, you will be required to compare and contrast the essentialist approach to the study of cultural variation with the social constructionist view of cultural adaptation. Are these views mutually exclusive? Which approach do you believe to be most primary and why? The formal requirements for this paper are as follows: Three page maximum, typed, double-spaced, size 12 font, title page and stapled in the upper right hand corner. This is a formal paper assignment. The Instructor will provide a grading rubric.

    Repeatable

    No

    Methods of Instruction

    • Lecture/Discussion
    • Distance Learning

    Lecture:

    1. The instructor defines intersectionality and sets-up Diversity Bingo. Students are given cards (similar in size to Bingo cards) with twenty-five identities, such as "a person of Asian heritage," "a person who speaks more than one language," and "A person born and raised on a farm." Students circulate around the room, asking other students if they fit specific identities. Discussion following the activity can be used to not only to illustrate the concept of multiple identities but also to elicit examples in which a student had an identity that was not apparent to other students.

    Distance Learning

    1. The instructor will facilitate small group discussions of media presentations of US immigration issues, across time, accompanied by a critical analysis.

    Typical Out of Class Assignments

    Reading Assignments

    1. Read Audre Lourde's "Sister Outside" and be prepared to discuss both the strengths and struggles of living at the intersection of strong identities, e.g., being black, female and lesbian. 2. Read Rosenhan's "On Being Sane in Insane Places" and be prepared to discuss in groups of three the relevance of the landmark study to the tendency for dominant cultures to diagnose pathology in other cultures. Each student is required to submit and discuss one example in the discussion board on the learning management system.

    Writing, Problem Solving or Performance

    1. Read pages 1-107 in "The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down." In 800-1000 words, respond to "Dr. Dan Murphy said, "The language barrier was the most obvious problem, but not the most important. The biggest problem was the cultural barrier. There is a tremendous difference between dealing with the Hmong and dealing with anyone else. An infinite difference" (p. 91). What does he mean by this?" 2. Journals: The journal requires 2 entries per week minimum and should be a reflection of your reactions (feelings and thoughts) to information in readings, class discussions, and/or other experiences that relate to the class topic. The journals should not be a rehash of what we did in class. One of your weekly entries will be a response to a specific prompt given to you in class. The remaining entry in your journal is your own prompt-less reaction to, or reflection on, readings, class discussion or other experiences related to course content. The journals will be graded based upon completeness, clarity and depth of thought. I may make comments on the journal, however the focus of the journals is on your own personal development and integration of the experience you are having in relation to the course material. The final journal entry for the semester, during the last week of class, will consist of a 3-5 page summary of your reflections on the course content. You may use one of your journal entries as discussion board posts each week. Journals will be evaluated using an instructor-created rubric.

    Other (Term projects, research papers, portfolios, etc.)

    Create a chart delineating similarities and differences between non-psychological approaches to explain cross-cultural variation and scientific psychological approaches. Annotate your resources.

    Required Materials

    • Cultural Psychology
      • Author: Heine
      • Publisher: Norton
      • Publication Date: 2020
      • Text Edition: 4th
      • Classic Textbook?:
      • OER Link:
      • OER:
    • Culture and Psychology
      • Author: Matsumoto
      • Publisher: Cengage
      • Publication Date: 2016
      • Text Edition: 6th
      • Classic Textbook?:
      • OER Link:
      • OER:
    • Cross-Cultural Psychology: Critical Thinking and Contemporary Application
      • Author: Shiraev and Levy
      • Publisher: Routledge
      • Publication Date: 2016
      • Text Edition: 6th
      • Classic Textbook?:
      • OER Link:
      • OER:

    Other materials and-or supplies required of students that contribute to the cost of the course.

    Students will read first-person narrative where cultural assimilation is problematic, such as "Between the World and Me," "Bird of Paradise: How I Became a Latina,""We Should All Be Feminists," "The Translator,""Stealing Buddha's Dinner,""The Woman Warrior,""Whipping Girl," "Under Her Skin," "Growing Up Brown," "Notes of a Native Son," 'I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings," My Life in an Indian Boarding School,""Persian Girls," "Redefining Realness," "Hunger, A Memoir of My Body,""Enchanted Air: Two Cultures Two Wings."