A Primer on the Measurement of Cross-Societal Cultural Differences

Abstract The argument against innatism at the heart of Cognitive Gadgets is provocative but premature, and is vitiated by dichotomous thinking, interpretive double standards, and evidence cherry-picking. I illustrate my criticism by addressing the heritability of imitation and mindreading, the relevance of twin studies, and the meaning of cross-cultural differences in theory of mind development. Reaching an integrative understanding of genetic inheritance, plasticity, and learning is a formidable task that demands a more nuanced evolutionary approach.

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Murphy-Berman, V., & Berman, J.J. (Eds.): Cross-cultural differences in perspectives on the self (Nebraska Symposium on Motivation Series, vol. 49)

European Psychologist ◽

10.1027/1016-9040.9.4.283 ◽

2004 ◽

Vol 9 (4) ◽

pp. 283-284

Author(s):

John W. Berry

Keyword(s):

Cultural Differences ◽

Cross Cultural ◽

The Self ◽

Cross Cultural Differences

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The Cross-Cultural Equivalence of Parental Rearing Measure: EMBU-C

European Journal of Psychological Assessment ◽

10.1027/1015-5759.22.2.85 ◽

2006 ◽

Vol 22 (2) ◽

pp. 85-91 ◽

Cited By ~ 34

Author(s):

Maja Deković ◽

Margreet ten Have ◽

Wilma A.M. Vollebergh ◽

Trees Pels ◽

Annerieke Oosterwegel ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Factor Analysis ◽

Cultural Differences ◽

Cross Cultural ◽

Child Rearing ◽

Latent Factors ◽

Immigrant Adolescents ◽

Confirmatory Factor ◽

Parental Rearing ◽

The Cross ◽

Multigroup Confirmatory Factor Analysis

We examined the cross-cultural equivalence of a widely used instrument that assesses perceived parental rearing, the EMBU-C, among native Dutch and immigrant adolescents living in The Netherlands. The results of a multigroup confirmatory factor analysis indicated that the factor structure of the EMBU-C, consisting of three latent factors (Warmth, Rejection, and Overprotection), and reliabilities of these scales are similar in both samples. These findings lend further support for the factorial and construct validity of this instrument. The comparison of perceived child rearing between native Dutch and immigrant adolescents showed cultural differences in only one of the assessed dimensions: Immigrant adolescents perceive their parents as more overprotective than do Dutch adolescents.

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What’s Next?

Journal of Media Psychology Theories Methods and Applications ◽

10.1027/1864-1105/a000034 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 23 (1) ◽

pp. 60-63 ◽

Cited By ~ 32

Author(s):

Peter Vorderer

Keyword(s):

Cultural Differences ◽

Factor Model ◽

New Developments ◽

Theoretical Concepts ◽

Open Questions ◽

Entertainment Products ◽

Entertainment Theory

This paper points to new developments in the context of entertainment theory. Starting from a background of well-established theories that have been proposed and elaborated mainly by Zillmann and his collaborators since the 1980s, a new two-factor model of entertainment is introduced. This model encompasses “enjoyment” and “appreciation” as two independent factors. In addition, several open questions regarding cultural differences in humans’ responses to entertainment products or the usefulness of various theoretical concepts like “presence,” “identification,” or “transportation” are also discussed. Finally, the question of why media users are seeking entertainment is brought to the forefront, and a possibly relevant need such as the “search for meaningfulness” is mentioned as a possible major candidate for such an explanation.

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