Cultural Change: The How and the Why

2017 ◽  
Vol 12 (6) ◽  
pp. 956-972 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael E. W. Varnum ◽  
Igor Grossmann
Keyword(s):  
Cultural Change ◽  
Cross Cultural ◽  
Neural Responses ◽  
Cultural Changes ◽  
Future Directions ◽  
Environmental Pressures ◽  
Transmission Mechanisms ◽  
Cultural Research ◽  
Cross Cultural Research ◽  
Cultural Evolutionary

More than half a century of cross-cultural research has demonstrated group-level differences in psychological and behavioral phenomena, from values to attention to neural responses. However, cultures are not static, with several specific changes documented for cultural products, practices, and values. How and why do societies change? Here we juxtapose theory and insights from cultural evolution and social ecology. Evolutionary approaches enable an understanding of the how of cultural change, suggesting transmission mechanisms by which the contents of culture may change. Ecological approaches provide insights into the why of cultural change: They identify specific environmental pressures, which evoke shifts in psychology and thereby enable greater precision in predictions of specific cultural changes based on changes in ecological conditions. Complementary insights from the ecological and cultural evolutionary approaches can jointly clarify the process by which cultures change. We end by discussing the relevance of cultural change research for the contemporary societal shifts and by highlighting several critical challenges and future directions for the emerging field of cross-temporal research on culture and psychology.

Emotional Experiences in Moral Contexts

2020 ◽  
pp. 243-263
Author(s):  
Tina Malti ◽  
Joanna Peplak ◽  
Erinn Acland
Keyword(s):  
Moral Emotions ◽  
Two Dimensions ◽  
Cross Cultural ◽  
Antisocial Behaviors ◽  
Emotional Experiences ◽  
Future Directions ◽  
Self And Other ◽  
Cultural Research ◽  
Cross Cultural Research ◽  
Responsible Behaviors

Moral deeds often require sacrificing time, effort, and resources, yet we are still motivated to engage in such behaviors. What drives us to enact these positive, prosocial behaviors and to leave our selfish desires behind? Developmental scientists consider emotions in contexts of morality (i.e., moral emotions) important drivers behind other-oriented, fair, and responsible behaviors. In this chapter, the authors outline the core moral emotions, how they develop, and how they link to prosocial and antisocial behaviors across development. They begin by discussing their integrative theoretical framework for conceptualizing moral emotions. Afterwards, they introduce a taxonomy that distinguishes four key moral emotions based on two dimensions: valence (positive and negative) and orientation (self and other). Next, current cross-cultural research on the development of these emotions is discussed, followed by a review of research on how the four emotions are associated with prosocial and antisocial behaviors from infancy to adolescence. The authors then outline the fundamental components that are involved in emotional experiences and conclude by highlighting promising future directions for developmental research.

Cross-cultural research and positive organizational scholarship

2017 ◽  
Vol 24 (1) ◽  
pp. 13-32 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kim Cameron
Keyword(s):  
Cultural Distance ◽  
Empirical Studies ◽  
Cross Cultural ◽  
Social Scientists ◽  
Future Directions ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Cultural Research ◽  
Cross Cultural Research ◽  
Organizational Scholarship ◽  
Negative Factors

Purpose In view of the emphasis in cross-cultural research on negative factors such as cultural misfit, cultural distance, and the liability of foreignness, the purpose of this paper is to offer one explanation for why this is the case and highlight the advantages of giving at least equal emphasis to research on positive factors. Three propositions are offered to guide future cross-cultural research. Design/methodology/approach Summaries of empirical studies on the inherent inclinations of human systems toward the negative, as well as inclinations toward the positive, produce explanations for each of these biases and their implications for cross-cultural scholarship. Findings By prioritizing positive factors instead of negative factors, individuals and organizations perform at much higher levels than when the reverse is the case. Virtuous practices, in particular, are associated with positively deviant performance. Inasmuch as virtuousness is universally valued, its emphasis can address some of the liabilities of difference inherent in cross-cultural contexts. Originality/value The three propositions offered in the paper explain why negative biases exist, how positive biases provide an advantage to individuals and organizations, and highlight future directions for cross-cultural research. Social scientists have been challenged to help enable 51 percent of the world’s population to flourish by mid-century, and prioritizing positive cross-cultural phenomena is one prescription for achieving that objective.

Sociocultural memory development research drives new directions in gadgetry science

2019 ◽  
Vol 42 ◽  
Author(s):  
Penny Van Bergen ◽  
John Sutton
Keyword(s):  
Episodic Memory ◽  
Autobiographical Memory ◽  
Developmental Psychology ◽  
Cross Cultural ◽  
Memory Development ◽  
Development Research ◽  
Cultural Research ◽  
New Directions ◽  
Cross Cultural Research

Abstract Sociocultural developmental psychology can drive new directions in gadgetry science. We use autobiographical memory, a compound capacity incorporating episodic memory, as a case study. Autobiographical memory emerges late in development, supported by interactions with parents. Intervention research highlights the causal influence of these interactions, whereas cross-cultural research demonstrates culturally determined diversity. Different patterns of inheritance are discussed.

Alcohol-Related Cross-Cultural Research Rediscovered

1988 ◽  
Vol 33 (6) ◽  
pp. 543-543
Author(s):  
Kaye Middleton Fillmore
Keyword(s):  
Cross Cultural ◽  
Cultural Research ◽  
Cross Cultural Research
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