Chapter 9

Politics, prejudice and social

relations
PSY 2023 CROSS-CULTURAL PSYCHOLOGY
Learning Objective
At the end of this chapter, students are able to:

1. Describe the concept of anthropology

2. Describe social attributions and political values
3. Explain the interpersonal attraction, conflicts and social structure

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1.1 What is Anthropology?
 Anthropology
 A psychology discipline that focus in the differences of values, attitudes and
behaviour among people different countries.

 Anthropologists take a broad approach to understanding the many different

aspects of the human experience. They consider the past, through archaeology,
to see how human groups lived hundreds or thousands of years ago and what
was important to them.

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1.2 Anthropology vs Psychology
 How is psychology different from anthropology?

 In anthropology, the societies of people, past and present, are studied.

 In psychology, the emotions, thought processes, and behaviors of individuals

are examined.

 Both disciplines have many branches, and there can be some overlap between
them.

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2.1 Social attributions and political values
 Attribution and Social Psychology.
 In social psychology, attribution is the process of inferring the causes of
events or behaviors.

 Political value
 something you believe in that relates to how government should operate,
whom it should serve or not serve, who pays for it and who benefits.
 at the heart of this is the question, “what is a public good.”
 Different views in political systems: presidential vs parliamentary form of
governments

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3.1 Interpersonal attraction, conflicts and social structure

Challenges

Facilitating Factors

Obstacles and Coping

Strategies
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a) Invisible Challenges
Individualistic Orientation
• I - identity relationship
expectations
• Couple’s privacy, autonomy
• Voluntary, personal commitment
• Low-context emotional
expressions
• “Fall in love,” passionate love
PSY 2023 CROSS-CULTURAL PSYCHOLOGY
Collectivistic Orientation
• We-identity, ingroup relationship
pressures
• Ingroup’s (we) connection,
concerns
• Structural commitment, family
and social reactions
• High-context emotional
expressions
• Value companionate (friendship,
loyalty) love
7
b) Facilitating Factors
Intercultural/Interracia
Cross-Cultural Self-
Perceived Physical l Romantic
Perceived Similarity disclosure
Attractiveness Relationship
Comparisons
Development
Self-disclosure: Four stages of “racial”
Physical attractiveness intentional process of awareness and
critical to initial Similarity–attraction revealing exclusive awakening:
attraction; cultural hypothesis: cognitive information about
differences regarding consistency ourselves to others that • Racial awareness,
what is attractive. other individuals do not • Coping,
know. • Identity emergence,
• Relationship
maintenance
For example, U.S.
individuals attracted to
high energy, enthusiasm Intergroup–interpersonal
VS Korean individuals attraction: attitudinal JOHARI WINDOW
attracted to high issues
integrity, concern for
others.

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b) Facilitating Factors
 Cross-Cultural Self-disclosure Comparisons – JOHARI WINDOW

JOHARI Window of Interpersonal

Development
 It is used to help people better
understand their relationship with
self and others.
 It is used primarily in self-help
groups and corporate settings as a
heuristic exercise.

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c) Obstacles and Coping Strategies
 Prejudice and
Racism
 Intercultural-
intimate conflict
 Antagonistic
friction or
disagreement
between two
romantic partners
caused, in part, by
cultural or ethnic
group
membership Have you observed prejudice or racism toward interracial
differences. couples? What occurred?
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c) Obstacles and Coping Strategies
Countering 1. Ignoring or dismissing
Racism
2. Normalizing
and
Prejudice: 3. Withdrawing
Coping
4. Educating
Strategies:
5. Confrontation
6. Prayer
7. Humor
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Thank you

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