Blog #10

I’ve thoroughly been enjoying my experience in Cross-Cultural Psychology thus far. My initial expectations for the course were to challenge my own biases, improve my cultural competence, and integrate the knowledge gained into future research experiences. So far, I think I’ve accomplished this second aim fairly well, as I notice many theories I learned about in the developmental psychology context reappearing throughout this course. (I’ve noticed fewer addiction theories, but anticipate seeing these in the final modules and chapters.) I haven’t noticed the same achievement in the area of cultural competence and interpersonal interaction. I feel this likely has to do with the magnitude of new information I am absorbing both in this class and in other areas. I think it is a goal that will be accomplished in time as I have more time to synthesize and apply these concepts.

While learning cross-cultural psychology material, I’ve noticed the most change in my attitude and approach towards survey-style measures of psychological constructs. Despite my prior awareness that these measures have limitations, I’m even more cognizant of their limits involving language and lived experience.

Finally, as much as I’m personally not a fan of posting every course assignment to WordPress, I’m much faster in my utilization of the WordPress website. In just the last couple of weeks, I’ve presented posters at two different conferences where I utilized the increasingly popular QR code feature on my poster. For both posters, I created a WordPress site that presented viewers with a digital version of the poster, a references list, as well as my contact information. As I forgot to print handouts for the second conference, this was a particularly useful tool for conference attendees to access my project and take it home with them. I plan to implement this tool in future presentations if only to save printing costs and materials.

Blog #9

It’s hard to believe we are in the last leg of the Spring 2022 semester already. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed engaging with the course material in Cross-Cultural Psychology so far and am excited to see what more is to come. There are a few noteworthy concepts I’ve learned in the course so far, however. One of the most salient things we’ve touched on so far is how cultural differences in individualism aren’t necessarily what we’d expect. Matsumoto’s 1996 study that found 70% of Japanese students as individualists, when it was expected they would have interdependent self-construals and score low on individualism really surprised me. A second salient thing we’ve learned involves differences in visual perception, which have been studied using optical illusions. Not only did I have fun having a go at the illusions myself, but I was truly blown away by the ways our environment can shape our perception of such illusions. I’m still reflecting on carpentered world theory, and how living in industrialized environments may have played a huge role in shaping my visual perception. Finally, I also really enjoyed reviewing Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Systems theory. I believe I first studied this concept in Psychology of the Adolescent, where it was exclusively looked at from the developmental perspective without discussing its cross-cultural utility. I would argue it’s particularly applicable to cross-cultural research, however, as the entire ecosystem may vary depending on one’s culture. For example, in a highly collectivistic society, a child’s microsystem may serve as more of a ‘village,’ (as in, “it takes a village”).

All three of these concepts are crucial to one of my course goals – challenging my personal biases and stereotypes. I’m looking forward to the remaining modules and chapters in the course and am excited to make the most of the remainder of the semester.

Blog #8

Living through COVID-19 and wearing a mask these last few years has made me realize how reliant we are on using our mouths to express ourselves in the U.S. People often subtly grin and nod at a person when passing on the street – an expression that’s more recognizable through the mouth, not the eyes, at least to me. When wearing my mask, I frequently notice myself and others raising eyebrows to indicate happiness and attentiveness.

Reading the article on Emotion Perception across cultures, I was truly surprised to learn that some cultures place more weight on emotions communicated through the eyes rather than the mouth. It’s honestly something I haven’t noticed before, but it likely explains differences in emoji preferences between myself and my Korean friends. I certainly can see the concept of universality of emotions at play; both I and my Korean friends, who I’m using for comparison in this example, have experienced the full spectrum of emotions including fear, joy, sadness, anger, and more. However, it may be that differences in our expression and perception of these emotions differ due to cultural display rules. I’m curious how these rules are taught and learned. Perhaps media subtly implies the importance of certain facial features when evaluating another person’s emotional state. Regardless, I will be certain to look for more instances of these cultural display rules moving forward.

Blog #7

I agree with McInerney’s notion that fairytales serve as a vehicle for sharing and communicating a culture’s values with younger generations. I think this is further evidenced by the malleability of fairytales throughout history. Before their Disney-fication, darker themes were more prevalent in these stories, and audiences weren’t always guaranteed a happy ending. Further, before fairytales were on the written record, they were passed on orally, which may have made these tales susceptible to changes with each retelling.

Based on my own experience, both children and adults mimic behaviors modeled to them by others who they look up to either in media or their personal lives. However, children might be more impressionable than adults. As the main character in children’s stories is usually likable, writers should explicitly imply that they hold egalitarian values in the plotline. This should be reflected in the main characters’ actions, thoughts, words, and whatever else is observable to the highly impressionable child viewer.

An example of a protagonist who demonstrates these qualities and left quite an impression on me is Matlida. Originally a literary character, my first exposure was through the 1996 film. For those unfamiliar, the plot follows a highly intelligent young girl who loves reading and learning. Her family does not approve of her interests, but she has a teacher who mentors her and facilitates opportunities to engage in activities that stimulate her prodigy-like mind. As a young child, I watched this film countless times and was fascinated with how Matilda stood up to her disapproving family and school principal. A young girl who values her intellect and comes to her own conclusions about right vs. wrong was exactly the kind of role model I needed as a child. Matilda prompted me to value my strong math skills and academic performance in a way that other protagonists from popular films during that time did not. Egalitarian role models for young children, especially minoritized groups should not be neglected.

Blog #6

Reflecting on how my academic performance fits into Ryan and Deci’s Self-Determination Theory, I kept coming back to my experiences as an undergraduate research assistant and soon-to-be graduate student in the BARS Lab at ODU. The relatedness domain is primarily satisfied by the other graduate students. During my time as an undergrad, they’ve all provided invaluable guidance and support related to research, the graduate school application process, and life in general. My mentor, Dr. Lau-Barraco, has also played a key role in this support system. I attribute much of my growth as a researcher to my time in her lab and the learning opportunities she’s provided. She knows what I’m capable of (even when I may not) and pushes me to reach those levels of competency.

Although I have a strong sense of relatedness in the lab, I would still say all of my actions are autonomous and intrinsically motivated. Even though I receive feedback and guidance on everything I do, I’m responsible for generating ideas and research questions that interest me. This is especially true as I begin early work on my masters’ thesis. I’m choosing to start brainstorming early and hopefully writing my proposal early (primarily to avoid being overwhelmed next Fall and Spring), but also so that I’m able to enjoy the process without having to worry about other grad school commitments.

Competence was the only domain I struggled to think of how I satisfy. Although I certainly get a boost in my self-efficacy whenever I have a poster presentation accepted, I’ve found that I reap the most benefits from positive feedback given by Dr. Lau-Barraco. I believe this is primarily because she’s able to see the evolution of a project, whereas a review board only gets to see my work at one point in time.

Blog #5

Reflecting on my “I am” statements, it’s a nearly even split between independent and interdependent construals of self. My answers to numbers two, three, four, five, six, and ten were more associated with independent construals of self, and my answers to numbers one, seven, eight, and nine were associated with more independent construals of self. With such an even split, it’s hard for me to say that I more closely identify with an independent or interdependent construal of self. However, because five of my first six statements were more interdependent, for the purpose of this assignment, I’ll say I lean more interdependent. My endorsement of being a research assistant in the BARS Lab elucidates the fact that even in the context of pursuing my own individual goals, I’m part of something larger, requiring collaboration and fulfillment of many roles. Although I’m excited about beginning to prepare my thesis proposal, I’m equally excited about my roles in the lab facilitating ongoing data collection and helping out on other lab members’ projects.

One of my more descriptive endorsements, “I am humorous,” leans more independent. However, I usually utilize this trait to connect with others and build relationships, especially when I find my social anxiety creating a barrier. Although I identify with independent self-construals in some ways and some contexts more than others, I don’t think they are more prominent for me.

A common proverb that I strongly identify with is “a chain is only as strong as its weakest link.” (I associate the example given in the text, “the squeaky wheel gets the grease,” more strongly with self-advocacy, as the only time I’ve heard it used was when my mom called my landlord for a very serious problem they would not fix upon my complaints.) I do firmly believe, however, that a chain is only as strong as its weakest link. This proverb emphasizes the value of collaboration, as well as in looking out for your fellow collaborators, both of which are highly important when working on a team.

Blog #4

My performance on Exam 1 was less than optimal. I attribute this primarily to my busy schedule the week of the exam, having to take the exam at an inopportune time (10:00 pm on Wednesday), and haphazard planning in the weeks leading up to the exam. I was even more disappointed when I discovered I ultimately could’ve taken the exam at 10:00 am on Saturday or Sunday, due to the deadline extension. Regardless, there were still things I could’ve done better in my preparation. I only had time to condense my notes into the study guides the weekend prior and read and reread the study guide – a very passive study method. My preferred study method is to create mock test questions based on the course material. I’ve found this helps me synthesize the material and put it into my own words – really putting it to memory a bit better.

Looking back at the questions I missed, I feel like they mostly cover material that I could’ve had a better grasp on had I been able to take a more methodical approach to exam prep. Many of my missed answers were easily found in my notes or the text, indicating that at some point, I had covered the material, just not sufficiently enough for it to stick. This emphasized that I need to make more time for efficient and effective revision. A bonus of reviewing these missed items is that I now know how Professor Muth approaches exam questions, which will inform my generation of mock test questions (my preferred studying method). I’m optimistic that I will perform better on future exams, especially now that I aim to set aside more time for exam preparation.

Blog #3

I thought the OCEAN scale activity was very thought-provoking. After scoring my OCEAN subscale totals, I was not surprised by where I fell in comparison to the average for women. Based on my score of 33, I’m above average on the measure of Neuroticism. Most people who I am friends with or work with would likely describe me as a worrier. Whether I’m googling my symptoms to figure out if I have a life-threatening illness, or trying to navigate heavy traffic, many of my daily activities can be characterized by worry. I also feel like I’m quick to cry at both joyful and upsetting provocations.

My score on the Extroversion subscale was 19, indicating that I tend to be introverted and reserved. As much as I enjoy spending time with a handful of close friends, I highly value my alone time. One of the terms that the NEO summary page used to characterize this type of person was “serious.” I must disagree with this to some extent. Although I am on the more introverted and reserved side, I still appreciate goofing off, and find that some of my closest friends are those that bring out my more lively side when we get together.

Scoring a 36 on the Openness subscale, I am above average in my openness to new experiences. I try to make a conscious effort to be open-minded and inclusive. Because I am very high-anxiety, I often must challenge some of those more unproductive thought processes when they might get in the way of open-minded approaches. However, as I’ve gotten better at being aware of my anxiety and challenging it, I’ve found that I’m able to learn more from experiences in which I keep an open mind. I also tend to enjoy myself much more, as well.

On Agreeableness, I scored 30, an average score, indicating a balance between warmth and agreeability, and stubbornness and competitivity. I agree that I try my best to be warm and certainly prefer collaboration over competition. However, I think many of those closest to me would characterize me as excruciatingly stubborn, a flaw that has led to plenty of arguments between my sister and me.

Finally, my score of 30 on the Conscientiousness subscale, indicating average dependability and moderate organization skills, seems right in line with my personality. I strive to maintain a balance between work and play. That said, I still place high importance on following through on commitments. I do think it can be easy to suffer from burnout, though, if you are exclusively goal-oriented. Overall, I enjoyed reflecting on my OCEAN scores, and am satisfied that I wasn’t particularly thrown off by any of my scores. Hopefully, that means I know a thing or two about myself!

Blog #2

The choice to pursue higher education was not entirely mine. Before I found my passion for psychology, I wasn’t excited about spending more time in school. Although I was a good high school student, I resented the ever-constant push from teachers and adults in my community to prepare for college. My parents never got on my case about my grades in high school, however, they did maintain the expectation that my sister and I would earn a minimum of a bachelor’s degree.

Early on, I struggled to connect with my college coursework. I performed well in many of my classes but was not enjoying anything about them. On more than one occasion, I tried to convince my parents to let me drop out, but they wouldn’t budge on their expectations. I would have to find a way to finish. After reflecting on how much I enjoyed AP psychology in high school, I decided to try some psychology coursework. I haven’t looked back since, and now I have plans to pursue graduate education.

Although I didn’t always want to be in college, my parents have gone out of their way to ensure that I finish school – even if that meant living at home and being a part-time student during my years in community college while I sorted out my plans. I am well aware that not all students have parents who are in a position to support them in this way, and I’m very grateful for everything my parents have done for me. Them allowing me to take my time and rediscover my passion for psychology has led me to have more empathy for non-traditional students, especially those who hold jobs and have to support families.

Though my primary career interest is research, it is important to maintain humanity in research with human subjects. The data of our participants still belongs to them; they are kindly sharing it with us. I think empathy is an important trait to have in any psychology-related career, and in retrospect, I’m glad to have lived experience as an indecisive student. It informs many of my interactions with students I tutor in PSYC 317. I hope that, whether I work in research, become a college professor, or do clinical work, I will be guided by the same principles.

Blog #1

Although I initially planned to take Social Psychology (PSYC 304) this semester, I opted for Cross-Cultural Psychology (PSYC 420) as a COVID-safe backup. Although I’m disappointed to be missing out on the material in PSYC 304, I’ve been pleasantly surprised by how much I’ve enjoyed Cross-Cultural Psychology up to this point. Although I won’t have time to take PSYC 304 ahead of graduation, I see PSYC 420 presenting unique learning opportunities that I wouldn’t have gotten had I not taken the course.

I’m particularly excited to see how I can implement the knowledge gained from Cross-Cultural Psychology when approaching research. I hope to be more conscious of the cultural implications of where a research study was conducted, as well as how an individual participant’s cultural background may affect their performance on certain assessments. Outside of research, I hope to improve intercultural interactions by deepening my awareness and understanding of other cultures. The course objectives concerning the material’s applicability to interpersonal interactions, as well as the development of a critical approach to academic literature will be particularly useful in many future endeavors.

I plan to implement the following techniques to ensure my success in the course:

• Maintain a monthly calendar of due dates: I keep a monthly calendar with upcoming deadlines in my bedroom above my mirror where I see it first thing in the morning and last thing at night.
• Set aside time weekly to complete course readings: I enjoy completing readings in Matsumoto’s text on Saturday mornings with a hot cup of coffee, as I’m very busy during the week.
• Find ways to connect with the material: Allowing myself to reflect and connect personal experiences with the course material helps sustain my interest, motivating me to stay engaged.

Even though I’m certain Cross-Cultural Psychology will be useful in various future endeavors, I’m most excited to challenge my own biases, stereotypes, and expectations. For example, already the chapter on enculturation has challenged my stereotype of the over-bearing, authoritarian Tiger Mom. I now see that the reality may not be as simple as I thought, with Asian mothers in many cases pushing their children to succeed out of love. I’m excited to see what other stereotypes and biases I can challenge in this course!