What Is Cultural Psychology?

Do you want to know what cultural psychology is? André Malraux said that “ culture is what life remains in death ”. So perhaps this area of ​​psychology offers us a broader view, which includes the past, present and future of a society.

Because much of our behavior, beyond the way of being of each one, is as related to the culture in which we live as to our own experiences. This does not mean that experiences and genetic background are unimportant, but they are not the only ones that limit and contribute to our way of being and acting.

What is cultural psychology?

For those who want to know what cultural psychology is, let’s define it in a nutshell. Most experts agree that cultural psychology is a current that has emerged as an alternative to the methods and theories of more speculative psychology. Thus, she is considered heir to Wundt’s psychology. (Wilhelm Wundt is considered the father of experimental psychology).

Cultural psychology focuses on the influence a culture has on people who come into contact with it. An influence that is not only behaviorally relevant, but also seems to condition the way we think and feel. On the other hand, this influence is exerted through an instrument: habits/customs.

In other words, cultural psychology explains the causes why a group of individuals inserted in a certain context act in a specific way and not in any other way. This perspective allows us to observe and explain many details of human behavior. For example, because the Western point of view, currently very globalized, leads us to observe with horror certain facts of the past or customs of other societies that are diametrically opposed to ours. Why don’t people who are embedded in these cultures view these facts with horror or why didn’t our ancestors also see them that way?

In this sense, another question arises: what will shock future generations when history shows them everything we think is normal today?

cultural barriers

When we look at the world scene, we find a lot of cultural barriers. For example, the language, a particular custom, a mentality, a way of thinking…

If we look closely, in each country we find common customs among the population, but also others that are not because they belong or are located in a certain city, region, area, etc. All of this includes variations in the human mind, as each one receives a unique cultural heritage that depends on many factors.

To give simple examples, we can observe how the Muslim community does not eat pork, in India cows are sacred animals or how some regions like the Basque Country have their own language within a bilingual context. All of this creates a cultural heritage that is unique and differentiated from other peoples.

What is the use of cultural psychology?

It is evident that, depending on the territory and the heritage received, culture varies, influencing the behavior and thinking of those who are in contact with it. Now what is cultural psychology trying to do? It goes beyond the simple fact, delves into the origins and consequences they produce, define and maintain traditional in this particular context.

To make it clearer, let’s take an example. Taking advantage of the previous examples, we already know that in India cows are sacred. But why does this happen? How did you get to this point until today?

Cultural psychology does not just delve into the heart of history to find out why a people has a particular culture. It also studies how this culture affects its people. Why are some customs successful and others not? How do customs affect behavior patterns? What future implications might these traditions have?

An area closely related to anthropology and sociology

It is evident that this area of ​​psychology is related to the social sciences, especially anthropology and sociology. While sociology studies societies in a broad sense, cultural psychology focuses on the proportion of quantitative data to investigate historical dynamics. In this way, it is easier to know how a specific culture was formed and how it influences people in that region.

Anthropology, which is responsible for studying the cultural content of a society and the collective changes that occur, is also linked to cultural psychology, as both seek to understand symbols, concepts, characteristics, etc. So, if you were curious to know what cultural psychology is, you already have a small outline. Thanks to it, we can understand ethnic behaviors or the study of intercultural conflicts.