Quiz 1 Psyc 425 prep

How do the activity and symbolic approaches differ?

Answer explanation

Activity: Entails psychological phenomenon are formed as people engage in socially organized activity. What people do shape their minds.

Symbolic: Defines culture as shared symbols, concepts, meanings, linguistic terms. These shared symbols will manifest themselves in how people act/behave.

Individualistic: Culture does not have the power to influence psychological phenomenon, but instead people uses their creativity to shape culture as they see fit.

Which developmental theorist is aligned with the symbolic approach and activity approach?

Answer explanation

Symbolic: Greetz, Lutz

Activity: Vygotsky, Dewey

Individualist: Wikan

How is language implicated in culture?

Answer explanation

According to Vygotsky language is the tool that allows for learning to occur. It also carries a semiotic influence as it allows for objects, concepts to be defined using shared understanding and context.

Name one strength and limitation to the symbolic approach.

Answer explanation

Strength: Gives a specific description of culture (as shared symbolic meaning)

Explains how culture enters our psyche and organizes psychological phenomena

Weakness: It is only mental view of culture (symbolic) and are seen to be independent of material and institutional considerations

Fails to specify the processes by which people socially construct symbols (said that processes are socially gained and not naturally present)

Name one strength and limitation to the Activity approach.

Answer explanation

Strength: Accounts for the material (action) and not simply the cognitive

Recognizes heterogeneity of psychological processes

Weakness: Unclear how activity organizes psychological processes

Doesn't underline how activity shapes psychological phenomenon

Minimizes individual agency

Name one strength and limitation to the individualistic approach.

Answer explanation

Strength: Notes that individuals actively construct culture and assimilate culture influences (culture isn't separate from the individual)

Observes individual variations in psychological phenomena (viewpoint are heterogenous rather than uniform)

Weakness: Overlooks practical activities, artifacts, and conditions which affect psychology

Overlooks organized social action necessary to alter cultural and psychological phenomena

What does "co-construct" means in term of the individualistic approach?

Answer explanation

It relates to the action of negotiating between the external cultural/social context of an individual and his internal state.