PSYC 307 Chapter Notes - Chapter 13: System 6, Collectivism, Culture War
Document Summary
Secularization theory : religion is on the decline and people around the world are discovering new secular and rational ways to make sense of their lives. World is quickly secularized, religious beliefs supplanted by scientific ones; though religion is not dead but growing in importance around the world. 3 distinct models for making sense of cultural diversity: Universalism : seeing people from different cultures as largely the same, any observed cultural variability only exists at a superficial level (of conventions, little significance) Eg. languages: notion of universal grammar around the world evidence found in people who grew up hearing pidgin languages (mixture of several languages, w/o correct grammar) ending up speaking creole languages (fixed complex grammar systems) Relativism : cultural diversity in thinking exists not on superficial level but reflects different psychological processes; cultural practices viewed as ways to lead to certain habitual ways of thinking. Default assumption: cultural practices reflect solution to challenges faced by that culture.
