Dear Tipsters,
Mike's posting is interesting.
May I add that much of this issue resolves around the issue of generalizability
or external validity.
This has most sensibly been discussed by Doug Mook in the following article:
Mook, D. G. (1983). In defense of external invalidity. American Psychologist,
38, 379-387.
The key point for the present exchange is:
When is external validity important and when is it not important?
For example, if you are testing a theory, it may not be important.
In addition, it may be that certain issues (e.g., the course of dark adaptation
in the eye) are so physiogically basic that they apply to everyone.
Each case has to be thought through on its merits.
Sincerely,
Stuart
_____________________________________________________
"Floreat Labore"
"Recti cultus pectora roborant"
Stuart J. McKelvie, Ph.D., Phone: 819 822 9600 x 2402
Department of Psychology, Fax: 819 822 9661
Bishop's University,
2600 rue College,
Sherbrooke,
Québec J1M 1Z7,
Canada.
E-mail: [email protected] (or [email protected])
Bishop's University Psychology Department Web Page:
http://www.ubishops.ca/ccc/div/soc/psy
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_______________________________________________________
From: Michael Smith [mailto:[email protected]]
Sent: August 4, 2009 8:40 PM
To: Teaching in the Psychological Sciences (TIPS)
Subject: Re: [tips] Psychology irrelevant to African-Americans
Well let us hope that we will all be 'exempt from survIval pressures'. I find
nothing glamorous about "survival", and hope that we do have the free time to
develop symphony orchestras, the arts, etc. When that goes, then I think we are
in definate trouble.
>"One can think of classical music as a good model for the prevalence of the
>current Eurocentric and U.S centric models-boredom >and exemption from
>survuval pressures can lead to wonderful creations reinforcing itself."
In my opinion, there is just no comparison between 'tribal' "music" and
symphony orchestras. Like it or not, Europeans and their descendents have given
us the arts and music of such a quality that couldn't even be dreamed of in
simpler "survival" based cultures which were found in Africa, Australia, etc.
>"Psychology is the study of behavior of the universal and the diversity of
>all human behavior"
Probably in an ideal world. But we all know it's the study of undergraduates in
psychology programs. Perhaps generalizeable, perhaps not so much.
But anyway. Americans are humans too and so are Europeans (I think). I don't
see that it's incumbent upon European and American (maybe even Canadian)
psychologists to be constantly worried about and addressing cross-cultural
issues in all that they do. I think it is perfectly fine to study the people of
Western-European culture (which has given the world so much)--it is a viable,
admirable, desirable, and important thing to do and I wouldn't be apologizing
for a Euro-Western emphasis at all.
Surely the psychology departments in Africa, Latin America, China, Japan, Korea
etc., are studying the psychology of their own people and culture. And indeed,
they are arguably the best people to be doing that. Then the psychologists of
these different countries and cultures who are interested in cross-cultural
issues as their main concern can all get together and compare.
I am Western-European so perhaps that's why I value their advanced cultural
contributions to the world and think that they are unparalelled in any other
culture. I am unapologetically proud to be Western-European with such
magnificent contributions to the world of culture, arts, music, health,
science, technology, etc--they cannot be matched by any other culture.
Perhaps this attitude is not politically correct. I mean Europeans, Americans,
Canadians, and Western culture in general are supposed to abandon their world
view in favor of being inclusive of everyone and every culture while other
cultures such as African, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Latin, etc., are allowed
to remain proud of their own culture and its acheivements. This is a mistake
that I don't make. I'm personally not all that interested in cross-cultural or
international issues in psychology and I am content in the Euro-Western culture
which includes amazing diversity and richness--certainly enough to justify its
study in psychology.
--Mike
On Tue, Aug 4, 2009 at 12:32 PM, michael sylvester <[email protected]>
wrote:
----- Original Message -----
From: Michael Smith <mailto:[email protected]>
To: Teaching in the Psychological Sciences (TIPS)
<mailto:[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, August 03, 2009 11:32 PM
Subject: Re: [tips] Psychology irrelevant to African-Americans
Well, what do you want? Psychology was invented by Europeans.
--Mike
And it is for this reason I use the term Eurocentric cognitive
imperialism,Psychology is the study of behavior of the universal and the
diversity of all human behavior,but the so called "scientific" approach was
the work of some Europeans
who were the quintessential domesticated cultures.So being removed from
the constant struggle of human survival there were a number of factors that
contributed to the the current psychological paradigm-domestication led to a
pre-occupation with intellectual pursuits and obviously it was thought that
human behavior can be described and understood within a physical science
model.Actually most of modern day U.S psychology takes it roots in the
functionalist tradition of William James,Dewey,Angell,Carr and a philosopher
named William Pierce.
But what should be noted is that psychology with its current models
would probably not exist if it was not for the
creation of the United States of America.Functionalism was a kind of a
movement that validated the Americanization process and hence its strong
environmental emphasis.Behaviorism launch the final blow by its emphasis and
ignoring the context and import of the stimulus complex.
Psychology as developped in the U.S is confined to its geographic
boundaries.The Americanization process does not necessary imply adherence to a
specific Eurocentric knowledge base.It is interesting to note that the conquest
of the Amricas only led to the imposition of Catholicism,whereas other
cultural aspects remained intact in some parts of the Americas.There was not a
Latin Americanization process,One can think of classical music as a good
model for the prevalence of the current Eurocentric and U.S centric
models-boredom and exemption from survuval pressures can lead to wonderful
creations reinforcing itself.
Michael Sylvester,PhD
Daytona Beach,Florida
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