Cultural Psychology Theory Research Articles

The Impact of the Parameter <i>Individualism — Collectivism</i> on the Formation of Behavioral Characteristics in People of Various National Cultures

Different theories of cross-cultural communication developed by researchers in the field of humanities including cultural anthropology, social psychology, cognitive science, etc., offer a variety of ways to classify national cultures. At the same time, many agree that there is a need for finding clear and measurable fundamental parameters underlying any national culture. The article substantiates the use of the parameter of individualism vs. collectivism, already tested in the framework of anthropology and philosophy of culture with regard to both Western and non-Western cultures, as an effective way for cultural comparison. The article aims to give an overview of various theories of cross-cultural interaction and their elements; to examine where they overlap or diverge; to look into the correlation between individualist/collectivist value orientations and behavior; and to study this parameter realization on a number of cases. The study is based on philosophical, anthropological, and cultural psychological theories, including the theory of guilt and shame cultures by R. Benedict, theory of self–presentations by R. Baumeister and D. Hutton, theory of personality’s self-construction by H. Marcus and S. Kitayama, as well as theory of cultural logics by A. Leung and D. Cohen. As an empirical confirmation of the above theoretical approaches, the article provides real-life examples, collected by the author. Literature was subject to categorical analysis. Empirical data was collected and analyzed using methods such as participant observation and discourse analysis. The comparative approach and hermeneutics techniques served as a general methodological prism. The study shows that, at least since the 1960s, specialists in the field of cultural studies have been increasingly discovering limitations and inconsistencies in theories that previously claimed to be universal: many of the models which originated in the West do not adequately represent non-Western cultures. The study proves the workability of the parameter of individualism vs. collectivism for interpretation of behavioral inconsistencies between people of different cultures. This parameter is compatible with a wide range of frameworks and shows a clear correlation between behavioral characteristics in different cultures and allows to interpret phenomena that were previously uninterpretable.

Exploring students’ attitudes towards physics and their association with gender

The purpose of this study was to analyse gender differences in the attitudes towards physics in the framework of the Semiotic Cultural Psychological Theory (SCPT). According to this theoretical perspective, attitudes represent how individuals interpret their experience, through the mediation of generalized meaning with which they are identified. A view-of-physics questionnaire was used as instrument to collect data with 1562 (723 females) high school students. Using multiple correspondence analysis and cluster analysis, we identified four generalized meanings of physics: (a) interesting and important for society; (b) a quite interesting, but badly taught subject at school and not completely useful for society; (c) difficult to study and irrelevant for society; and (d) a fascinating and protective niche from society. The association between gender and the identified cluster was assessed by a chi-square test, which indicates a significant overlap between females and cluster (c).

Perceiving Migrants as a Threat: The Role of the Estimated Number of Migrants and Symbolic Universes

As immigration is one of the dominant issues in contemporary public discourse, it is important to explain the mechanism of prejudice against immigrants from a cultural psychology perspective. Several studies in the literature have confirmed a significant relationship between perceptions of the estimated size of the immigrant population and negative attitudes towards them. This study aims to investigate whether this relationship is moderated by symbolic universes, i.e., affect-laden generalized worldviews. The study involves a representative sample of 3020 Italians who participated in a computer-assisted web survey and completed a questionnaire containing items measuring their estimates of the size of the migrant population in Italy, political orientation, cultural worldviews (symbolic universes), and the perceived threat posed by migrants. The results confirm that the relationship between the estimated size of the migrant population and the perceived threat is moderated by symbolic universes, being stronger for participants who hold both pessimistic and idealizing symbolic universes. The results are interpreted within the framework of semiotic cultural psychology theory.

The representation of climate change: A retrospective newspaper analysis

This paper presents the results of an in-depth analysis aimed to identify climate change representations in four major Italian newspapers over 11 years. The objectives of the study were to map the prevailing themes, to examine the underlying semantic structures that shape the content of these themes, and to investigate their evolutionary trajectory. To this end, the study used the Automated Co-occurrence Analysis for Semantic Mapping (ACASM) procedure applied to a text corpus consisting of the journal articles. Results highlight four distinctive themes, grounded on two basic structures, according to which climate change in Italian media is represented. Additionally, the study revealed significant temporal variability in the use of the themes during the period examined. Drawing on the framework of Semiotic Cultural Psychology theory, the implications of the findings are discussed, offering valuable insights into the perception and social representation of climate change in the Italian media landscape.

How socio-institutional contexts and cultural worldviews relate to COVID-19 acceptance rates: A representative study in Italy

RationaleDespite its importance to counter the COVID-19 pandemic, vaccination has raised hesitation in large segments of the population. This hesitation makes it important to understand the mechanisms underlying vaccine acceptance. To this end, the study adopts the Semiotic Cultural Psychology Theory, holding that social behaviors – and therefore, vaccination acceptance – depend on the cultural meanings in terms of which people interpret the social world. ObjectiveThe study aims at estimating the impact a) of the way people interpret the socio-institutional context of the pandemic and b) of the underlying cultural worldviews on vaccine acceptance. More particularly, the study tested the three following hypotheses. a) The meanings grounding the interpretation of the socio-institutional framework – that is, trust in institutions and political values – are an antecedent of vaccination acceptance. b) The impact of these meanings is moderated by the cultural worldviews (operationalized as symbolic universes). And c), the magnitude of the symbolic universes’ moderator effect depends on the uncertainty to which the respondent is exposed. The exposure to uncertainty was estimated in terms of socioeconomic status – the lower the status, the high the exposure to uncertainty. MethodsAn Italian representative sample (N = 3020) completed a questionnaire, measuring vaccination acceptance, the meanings attributed to the socio-institutional context – that is, political values and trust in institutions – and symbolic universes. ResultsThe findings were consistent with the hypotheses. a) Structural equation modelling proved that vaccine acceptance was predicted by trust in institutions. b) Multigroup analysis revealed that symbolic universes moderated the correlation between trust in institutions and vaccine acceptance. And c), the moderation effect of symbolic universes proved to occur only in the segment of lower socio-economic status (i.e., the group exposed to higher uncertainty). ConclusionsVaccination acceptance is not only a medical issue; it is also dependent upon the rationalization of the socio-institutional context. Implications for the promotion of vaccination acceptance are discussed.

Use of a semiotic-cultural perspective for identifying patterns in students’ drawings about seasonal changes

ABSTRACT In this study, we propose to analyse students’ drawings using the Semiotic Cultural Psychological Theory (SCPT), a socio-cultural psychological model that integrates semiotics with dynamic systems theory. According to the SCPT framework, students-generated drawings can be analysed in terms of generalised meanings, i.e., implicit assumptions about the represented content. We applied SCPT to identify a set of generalised meanings about seasonal changes and to investigate whether they depend on students’ grade level. We used a draw-and-explain task to collect drawings and written explanations about seasonal changes produced by 495 Italian 8th grade (N = 196) and 9th grade (N = 299) students. The analysis was based on Multiple Correspondence Analysis and Cluster Analysis. Five generalised meanings about seasonal changes were identified: 1) Climate; 2) Static Earth – Sun; 3) Moving Earth – Sun; 4) Rays – Earth; 5) Moving Earth–Orbit– Sun. The emerging generalised meanings were significantly associated with students’ written explanations and grade level. Moreover, generalised meanings were informed by the cultural conventions adopted in textbook representations about seasonal changes. Findings suggest that the SCPT framework can be productively used to analyse students-generated drawings about natural phenomena and to detect specific features of textbook representations that can impair the development of appropriate scientific knowledge.

Geo-societal More-than-Humanness

Abstract Natural sciences paradigms guide this essay’s perspectives. Given the complex-adaptive dynamics of the Earth System, cultures are drivers and prompts of human and natural (sub)systems, respectively. The essay combines geo-philosophical thought and Semiotic Cultural Psychological Theory to depict an ideal-typic narrative of people’s sensemaking culture as an intrinsic part of the Earth System. Generic characteristics of marine operations (e.g., mining at the seabed) illustrate the description. The essay claims that human culture is an attribute of the Earth System, i.e., the nexus that ties human socio-cultural domains and planetary technosphere, biosphere and geosphere, and that more-than-humanness is one of the nexus’ attributes.

Longing for interdependence, aspiring to independence: a qualitative study on parenting in Germany

This article presents interpretative analysis of 25 qualitative interviews with parents of preschool children in Germany, which focused on starting daycare and centred on topics of closeness and distance in the parent–child relationships. The article draws on sociological studies on intensive parenting, and cultural psychological theories of parenting. The analysis reveals that parents discuss starting daycare within the cultural framework of intensive parenting: they stress the benefits for their child’s social and cognitive development. As cultural psychological theories suggest, parents in Germany emphasise autonomy and independence, while also arguing that young children need interdependence. In addition, parents articulate a longing for interdependence themselves: they yearn for closeness with their children, but are also aware that their children are on a path towards autonomy. The article theoretically elaborates on these ambivalences and suggests that adding the dimension of parents’ longing enriches both the concept of intensive parenting and cultural psychological accounts.

Relationship between view of context, psychosocial malaise and problematic internet use: mediation analysis using partial least squares structural equation modelling.

According to more recent approaches on problematic internet use (PIU), using the internet can be seen as a way of compensating for psychosocial malaise. Taking semiotic cultural psychology theory as its theoretical framework, this study examines the role of affect-laden assumptions concerning the world, known as latent dimensions of sense (LDSs), in promoting (or not) adaptive responses, including internet use as a maladaptive strategy against problems and difficulties. To test a theoretical model in which PIU is predicted by LDSs through the mediation of high levels of psychosocial malaise. We measured PIU (using the Generalized Problematic Internet Use Scale 2), LDSs (View of Context questionnaire), negative affect (Positive and Negative Affect Schedule), social anxiety (Interaction Anxiousness Scale) and loneliness (Italian Loneliness Scale) in 764 Italian adolescents (mean age 15.05 years, s.d. = 1.152 years). LDSs were detected using a multiple correspondence analysis; after confirmatory composite analysis, partial least squares structural equation modelling with higher-order components was performed to test the mediation model. The results show a relationship between LDSs corresponding to an extreme negative evaluation of the sociocultural context, experienced as absolutely unreliable, and PIU through the mediation of psychosocial malaise (95% CI 0.101- 0.171; P = 0.000). Overall, the findings suggest that PIU might be a way of compensating for unpleasant states in a context perceived in an extremely negative and homogenising way, i.e. as totally lacking resources and trustworthy people.

Creativity of Creativity Researchers: Invention of Problems and Experimental Objects to Study Thinking.

Invention of problem situations and experimental objects to study others' thinking is a special kind of creativity worthy of scientific interest. The objects are considered in terms of Latour's actor network theory (as nonhuman actants), cultural psychology (as cultural tools), and Gibson's theory of affordances (as meta-affordances). A fundamental problem of validity in studies of curiosity and exploration is discussed. The author's experience of inventions of exploratory objects to be experimented with is analyzed. An inter(trans)-disciplinary insight penetrating and integrating all levels of the work on an exploratory object is described. An example of participants' revealing of an object's unexpected faculties ("serendipities") undesirable from the experimenter's point of view is given. It is shown that an object designed to study thinking in one sample can be used in another sample with unexpected results. It is argued that automatic generation of problem posing-and-solving situations and exploratory objects, beginning from some levels of their novelty and complexity, is hardly possible because of fundamental limitations of "standard means to generate or score non-standard ends".

A semiotic cultural psychology theory analysis of the signs ‘We’, ‘Us’, ‘I’ and ‘Me’

Relevant to the emerging field of semiotic cultural psychology theory (SCPT), the present paper considers ‘We’, ‘Us’, ‘I’ and ‘Me’ as semiotic and cultural psychology phenomena. Drawing on the semiotics of Saussure, Peirce, Jakobson, and Cousins, a semiotic dynamic ‘double-dyadic’ model of the signifier and the referent is proposed. For each ‘We’, ‘Us’, ‘I’ and ‘Me’, the COVID-19 global pandemic related cases are used to analyse and illustrate the signifier-referent model. Implications are drawn from the new model for the complex systems entailed in organizing self and culture. Finally, suggestions are made for testing the model.

‘Intelligence is not just good grades’: re-examining the mindset revolution in Indian classrooms

ABSTRACT The present study examines how middle school students attending private schools in a major urban centre in India understand intelligence. The study focuses on mindset theory, which is a major framework in the literature on children’s understandings of intelligence. Mindset theories distinguish individuals based on beliefs about the malleability of personal characteristics. The present study used a mixed-methods approach to study mindsets and conceptualised mindsets as social representations. Interviews indicate that the malleability of intelligence, the fundamental core of the mindset meaning system, is not an important distinction for students. Instead, distinctions based on definitions of intelligence, as academic or social, are more pertinent. Focus groups highlight how definitions are constructed in peer cultures and classroom contexts. The study contributes to the growing critiques of mindset theory. The study proposes cultural psychology and social representations theory as theoretical tools to address existing controversies within the mindset literature.

The decay of signs’ semiotic value: A cultural psychology interpretation of the contemporary social scenario

The article provides an analysis of the affective polarization of the public sphere, namely, the increasing momentum gained by affective sensemaking in the current socio-institutional scenario (e.g. raise of populism, distrust in democracy and spreading xenophobia). To this end, the Semiotic Cultural Psychology Theory (SCPT) is outlined. The SCPT focuses on the embodied micro-mechanisms bridging the intra- and inter-psychological levels of analysis of the semiotic dynamics. The article is composed of two parts. First, the SCPT is outlined in terms of its nine underlying tenets. Then, SCPT is used to frame an interpretation of the psycho-social dynamics underpinning the current socio-political scenario. Based on the SCPT model, the spread of affective sensemaking in current societal dynamics is interpreted as being due to the capacity of affects to work as semiotic stabilizers, enabling people to face the deep uncertainty fostered by the economic and political turmoil associated with globalization.

An Overview of Co-Design: Advantages, Challenges and Perspectives of Users’ Involvement in the Design Process

Co-design is currently one of the most emergent approaches within design practices. Building on participatory design tradition and User-Centered approach, this approach affirmed in the literature's headlines as well as got adopted in a wide range of practices. Being described as capable toincrease general processes’ effectiveness by ensuring compatibility between users’ needs and products/services’ features scholars emphasize the advantages of replacing traditional top-down design approaches with a co-design one. While highlighting the advantages the field literature alsoindicates several challenges stemming from the adoption of co-design, generally revolving around the need to root the approach into a theoretical framework. According to an analysis of some main contributions developed in the literature, this paper aims to point out potential developments for the field, building on the analysis of the development of the approach throughout decades and analysing the challenges that practitioners and scholars are currently facing. A constructivist approach built on cultural psychology theory is finally argued as a theoretical framework capable to provide an advancement for the field.

Patterns of Italian high school and university students’ attitudes towards physics: an analysis based on semiotic-cultural perspective

The purpose of this study was to analyse Italian high school and university students’ attitudes towards physics using the Semiotic Cultural Psychological Theory (SCPT). In the SCPT framework, attitudes represent how individuals interpret their experience through the mediation of generalized meaning with which they are identified. A view-of-physics questionnaire was used as an instrument to collect data with 1603 high school and university students. Data were analysed through multiple correspondence analysis and cluster analysis. We identified four generalized meanings of physics: (a) interesting and important for society; (b) a quite interesting, but badly taught subject at school and not completely useful for society; (c) difficult to study and irrelevant for society; and (d) a fascinating and protective niche from society. The identified generalized meanings are significantly correlated to the choice to study physics at undergraduate level and to the choice of attending physics-related activities in high school. Implications for research are discussed.

Driving into Danger: Perception and Communication of Flash-Flood Risk

AbstractFloods, particularly urban flash floods, frequently disrupt traffic, constraining mobility and exposing motorists to danger. Flood risk managers educate the public on the dangers of driving through flooded roadways, yet losses to life and property continue to occur. This study integrates cultural psychology and risk perception theory to explore how cultural and situational factors influence motorists’ behavior during flash floods. Flood risk managers in Tucson, Arizona, collaborated in the development of a questionnaire mailed to local residents in 2007. Self-reported levels of trust, self-efficacy, social incorporation, and situational factors were analyzed with respect to whether respondents stated that they have or have not driven through a flooded roadway. Respondents demonstrate complex reasoning when confronted with flooded roadways, rather than simple or consistent risk-taking or risk-avoidance behaviors. Participants indicate high levels of trust in official warning messages and share information about floods within their social networks, highlighting the success of education campaigns. However, flood conditions are not always clear, so motorists seek additional sources of information and weigh the dangers against other situational factors on a case-by-case basis. Factors that influence respondents’ decisions include the prior successful crossing of other vehicles, presence of signs and barricades, presence of passengers, risk of personal injury or damage to the vehicle, and the availability of flood-related information. The results also show that individuals who know how to avoid floods, including by asking others for advice, are less likely to enter flooded roadways, and thus communicating further instructions will empower more motorists to avoid danger.

From the manifestations of culture to the underlying sensemaking process. The contribution of semiotic cultural psychology theory to the interpretation of socio‐political scenario

AbstractSeveral explanations of the current syndrome affecting advanced democracies make reference to a process of cultural change that has been triggered by the complex and interrelated phenomena known as globalization. The rise of populist‐authoritarian parties, the advent of post‐truth politics and the increasing dissatisfaction with democracy are seen by many political scientists as rather direct consequences of social and economic transformations which had changed the context in which the democratic process takes place. The main limitation of this literature is that it treats culture as a black box receiving inputs from the social context and translate them into political consequences. By doing so it cannot explain why the same conditions produce different consequences in different contexts and it is silent on the criteria to develop anti‐crisis policies. This article argues that some of the insights offered by the Semiotic Cultural Psychology Theory, most notably the idea that cultural evolution is moved by the need to find affect‐laden, simplified interpretations of the reality to restore the capacity of making sense on an uncertain socio‐political context, can enhance the ability of political scientists to understand the current political phenomena and to develop methodological criteria to counteract the current scenario of democratic crisis.

Servant leadership

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to develop and validate an instrument intended to measure servant leadership behavior in the Chinese hospitality industry.Design/methodology/approachAfter reviewing the literature, a scale of nine dimensions with 81 items was generated and then subjected to exploratory factor analysis (EFA) using a sample of 600 participants from a polytechnic college and hospitality industry, resulting in 6-factor-33-item solution. The derived measure was then shortened to 24 items by using item response theory (IRT). Drawing on the data from 440 respondents in the hospitality industry, this 6-factor-24 item measure was subsequently validated with confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and the test of construct validity.FindingsDifference in factors has been found between this instrument and western-developed scales. This study resulted in 6-dimension-24-items scale. These dimensions were named integrity, self-sacrifice, building community, empowering people, emotional healing and visioning. This servant leadership scale was demonstrated to have good internal consistency reliability and strong construct validity.Originality/valueThis is the first study that used IRT as a statistic tool to shorten a servant leadership scale and also this study provided additional support to cultural psychology theory.

국가재난사고에 대한 동 · 서양 기자들의 기록과 해석방식 : 문화심리학적 이론을 바탕으로 살펴본 한국과 미국 기자들의 인지 비교

문화심리학자들은 그 사회 구성원들이 문화적 배경차이에 따라 사물을 다르게 인지한다는 점을 지속적으로 확인해 왔다. 하지만 저널리즘 규범에 따라 사회문제를 재구성하는 기자들의 경우 그들이 문화적 배경에 따라 사물을 어떻게 차별적으로 인지하는지에 대한 연구는 많지 않다. 이 연구는 한국과 미국 기자들이 유사한 국가적 재난사고를 어떻게 다른 인지방식으로 기록하고 해석하는지를 문화심리학적 이론을 적용해 비교분석했다. 분석결과, 양국 기자들은 재난사고를 인지하고 해석하는 방식에 있어 상당부분 서로 다른 문화적 사고 편향성을 보였다. 한국 기자들은 미국 기자들에 비해 실명 취재원보다는 익명 취재원을, 개인 취재원보다는 집단 취재원을 상대적으로 많이 사용했다. 재난사고에 따른 피해자 또는 가해자에 대한 강조 방식에서도 한국 기자들은 피해자 입장에 보다 주목한 반면에, 미국 기자들은 가해자 입장에 보다 비중을 두고 보도하는 경향을 보였다. 재난사고를 접근하는 방식에 있어서는 한국 기자들은 기자 자신이 아닌 관찰 대상을 중심에 두고 사고내용을 기록하는 아웃사이더 관점을 보인 데 반해, 미국 기자들은 기록 주체자인 기자 자신의 관점에서 재난사고를 관찰하고 기록하는 인사이더 관점을 상대적으로 많이 보였다. 하지만 양국 기자들은 재난사고 유형에 따라 서로 같거나, 또는 반대의 인지방식으로 사고를 기록하고 해석함으로써 문화심리학적 이론이 일관되게 증명되지는 않았다. 이 연구는 사안의 성격이나 속성을 다차원적으로 고려하지 않은 채 사람들의 사고습관을 단순히 동양의 종합적 사고와 서양의 분석적 사고로 비교하는 문화심리학적 이론은 재검토할 필요성이 있다는 점을 제언했다.

Spinoza in the history of cultural psychology and activity theory

ABSTRACTThis review of the place of Spinoza in the history of cultural-historical activity theory begins with a synopsis of Ilyenkov’s influential essay “Spinoza—Thought as an Attribute of Substance” and adds further points. I go on to look at the historical context of Spinoza’s work, the mixed character of his legacy, and the need to see Spinoza as one moment in an entire historical development.