Evidence that Non-Verbal Behaviour is Learned (AQA GCSE Psychology): Revision Note
Exam code: 8182
Cultural differences in non-verbal behaviour
Cultural differences in non-verbal behaviour are the opposite of innate non-verbal behaviours as they involve how people learn to behave using cultural norms which differ from culture to culture
Cultural non-verbal behaviour is undoubtedly the result of social learning:
a child observes adults (particularly parents and significant others) performing specific non-verbal behaviours and they are likely to imitate those behaviours, particularly if the child identifies with the adult e.g. a daughter identifying with her mother
Studying cultural differences necessarily involves comparing different cultures which is known as cross-cultural research
The level of formality in cultures such as Japan and China can be seen in adherence to maintaining more distance between each other, particularly if one person is of higher rank than the other
Edward Hall (1966) distinguished between contact cultures (e.g. Mediterranean and Latin American countries), where people are comfortable with smaller personal space, and non-contact cultures (e.g. the UK and USA), where people maintain greater distance
Sorokowska et al. (2017) found that climate may also play a role: people in warmer countries preferred closer distances to strangers, but greater distances from friends, compared to colder countries
Some Asian cultures find overt displays of emotion and extreme facial expressions embarrassing and upsetting, whereas some cultures (e.g. southern European, Latino, Arabic) may show more exaggerated forms of expression, particularly when communicating grief or sadness
Gestures
Gestures differ culturally and must be used with care:
Pointing with the index finger is considered rude in Hindu culture; people tend to point with their thumb instead
Using the 'beckoning' signal (to communicate 'come here') is fine in some cultures, but in the Philippines this is how people summon animals, so using it towards a person is seen as an insult
Showing the soles of your feet is offensive in Thailand, particularly inside a Buddhist temple, since the feet are considered the lowest and least respectful part of the body
Examiner Tips and Tricks
When writing about cultural differences in the exam, always be neutral and respectful: behaviours that may seem ‘odd’ or even ‘funny’ to you represent the way of life and belief systems of other people so be mindful of this in your responses.
Evaluation of evidence that non-verbal behaviour is learned
Strengths
Real-world experience and interaction with different cultures e.g. gained via overseas travel demonstrates the validity of the idea that non-verbal behaviour is learned rather than universal
The concept of contact and non-contact cultures (Hall, 1966) has been supported by further research, such as Sorokowska et al.'s (2017) large cross-cultural survey, which adds credibility to the idea that personal space norms are culturally learned
Weaknesses
The influence of culture is not necessarily a given: some people may not adopt the full range of non-verbal behaviours present in their culture, due to, for example, dislike/rejection of some aspects of their culture, a lack of awareness of some behaviours, or a desire to align themselves with another culture
Categorising entire nations as simply "contact" or "non-contact" cultures is a generalisation
Iindividuals within any culture vary considerably, so these broad categories may not accurately predict any one person's behaviour
Worked Example
Here is an example of a question you might be asked on this topic - for AO3.
AO1: You need to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of key concepts, ideas, theories and research.
AO2: You need to apply your knowledge and understanding, usually referring to the ‘stem’ in order to do so (the stem is the example given before the question)
AO3: You need to analyse and evaluate key concepts, ideas, theories and research.
After each featured question there is a ‘model’ answer i.e. one which would achieve top marks in the exam.
Question: Psychologists sometimes use natural experiments when they conduct cross-cultural research. Briefly evaluate the use of case studies in psychological research. [3]
AO3 = 3 marks
Model answer:
A natural experiment is one in which the IV has not been manipulated by the researchers (e.g. participants are either Japanese or American) which means that they have higher validity than lab experiments which is a strength.
Natural experiments lack the same level of control as lab experiments as the researcher is not able to control the IV which is a limitation as it may reduce the reliability of the experiment.
There is also the issue of individual differences to contend with: the participants may differ widely from each other on variables other than nationality or culture which is another limitation of natural experiments.
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