Fundamentals of Research on Culture and Psychology ─ Theory and Methods

Cross-cultural and cultural research is a hallmark of modern times: decolonized nations are seeking their place in the world, indigenous communities are searching for their identities, immigrants are on the move; and business people are moving to work in diverse socio-cultural environments. For those who are crossing the boundaries of their cultural communities, it is important to understand the forces that guide the processes of enculturation and the socio-cultural regulation of behavior. What are the difficulties and problems encountered? How do these transformations influence people’s development, well-being, and personal growth? This book helps readers answer such questions and teaches them how to conduct efficient cultural and cross-cultural research within various disciplines including psychology, anthropology, sociology, cultural studies, education, public health, business, communication, and social work.

This unique authored text covers both the core research methods as well as the philosophical assumptions that underlie various strategies, designs, and methodologies used when researching cultural issues. It teaches readers why and for what purpose one conducts research on cultural issues so as to give them a better sense of the thinking thatshould happen before they go out and collect data. It is much more than a "methods text"; rather, it is about all the steps that go into doing cross-cultural research. The book demonstrates how the formulation of the research problem, purpose, and questions determine which strategy and design to use, and how to select the most appropriate methods for data analysis. The use of quantitative and qualitative methods as well as mixed-methods are encouraged to help maximize results for a more complete understanding of the cultural domain of people’s functioning. In addition, the author emphasizes that studying the complexities of people’s functioning in cultural settings requires a multidisciplinary approach. Both experimental lab studies and ethnographic field work are reviewed.

Valery Chirkov is Professor of Psychology at the University of Saskatchewan, Canada.