Cross-Cultural Psychology: Theories of Development (Research Paper Sample)

Cross-Cultural Psychology Assignment
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Cross-Cultural Psychology Assignment
Question 1
Erikson’s, Piaget’s, and Kohlberg’s theories of development have been criticized by psychologists for their cultural limitations. First, Erikson’s eight stages of development theory has been criticized for defining healthy development according to Western and Judeo-Christian ideals that are not applicable to many cultures around the world (Shiraev & Levy, 2021). Second, the predetermined sequence of development is not universal throughout all societies as Erikson assumed. Shiraev & Levy (2021) point out that societies face different circumstances, which determine the sequence of their psychosocial crises. In most cases, these sequences are not linear as Erikson theorized. Thus, Erickson’s theory has faced criticism for its insistence on Western and Judeo-Christian ideals as the basis of healthy development.
Piaget’s four stages of cognitive development theory has also been criticized for failure to accommodate all cultures. Although the four stages of development appear to be universal across different cultures, psychologists have disputed some assumptions made by Piaget. For instance, the idea of animism seems to be different across cultures (Shiraev & Levy, 2021). The theory also concentrates on biological maturation, but fails to consider the effects of culture and social setting on cognitive development (McLeod, 2022). Consequently, Piaget’s theory has cultural limitations since it does not acknowledge the role of social setting in molding a child’s behavior.
Psychologists have also criticized Kohlberg’s six stages of moral development for cross-cultural limitations. The theory’s developmental stages are influenced by Western principles of morality, which are not applicable to all cultures and peoples (Shiraev & Levy, 2021). According to Hofstede’s dimensions of cultures, masculine cultures prioritize assertiveness and competition whereas feminine cultures are modest and caring (Hofstede, 2011). Consequently, masculine Western cultures differ from feminine non-Western societies in regards to their interpretations of morality and justice. Carol Gilligan’s development theory that examined female subjects revealed that women had an alternative moral orientation to men, which was contrary to Kohlberg’s theory (Bian et al., 2019). Thus, Kohlberg’s theory has cross-cultural limitations because it assumes that moral justice is consistent in all genders and cultures which is not the case.
Question 2
Western and non-Western cultures differ in the way they express psychological distress. While Western cultures psychologize emotional distress, non-Western cultures use somatization to express their distress. Shiraev & Levy (2021) postulate that people interpret emotions according to the norms of their culture. Open expression of feelings and emotions is a regarded as a form of disengagement from society among non-Western cultures that rank high in societal interdependency. These cultures oppose individual beliefs and expressions because they violate and threaten the integrity of societal ideals of collectivism. As a result, any form of self-expression is discouraged and ignored including open expressions of distress. On the other hand, Western cultures encourage psychological expressions of distress because they value independence and self-expression.