Cross‐cultural Psychology

Abstract

This article examines some of the limitations of social psychology and shows how they can be remedied by increased attention to cross‐cultural studies. For example, many of the key constructs of the discipline, such as self, conformity, control, intelligence, and well being, are culture bound. The author proposes directions in theory development and methodology that will incorporate cultural syndromes in social psychological theories. Also, the author gives examples of methodologies that can consider simultaneously attributes of the participants (including their culture), attributes of the actors and targets of action (including their culture), attributes of the setting and context of the study, the prior relationships of the actor and target, and the attributes of the behaviors under examination.