In psychology there are six different perspectives in the modern world. These include the following: the biological view, the cognitive view, the humanistic view, the psychodynamic view, the behavioral view, and the sociocultural view. All of these views offer important information, but they can also present weaknesses in the value and credibility of the information obtained.
The sociocultural view of psychology looks at an individual as a part of a group and identifies the views and actions of an individual as being influenced by the culture of the group surrounding them. Anthropologists study the cultures themselves, and record the social networking’s and the importance of the different roles in specific groups and societies. For psychologists this is a new approach. They are looking at how an individual’s behavior is influenced by their social and cultural context. This view is observing how individuals are influenced by the environment in which they are born and raised in. These influences are looked at to see how they influence an individuals views on life, personalities, and how receptive one is to new experiences and ideas.
Psychology is still primarily a North American and Western European endeavor; it is just beginning to take into account the effects of different culture on people’s behavior and their personal development. For example, some cultures (Asian and Latino cultures) are collectivist. They value cooperation rather than competition, and put the needs of the group ahead of the needs of the individual. Serving the needs of the group takes precedence over individual achievement and personal accomplishment. Persuasion takes a back seat to cooperation and humility. The emphasis is to accept people for what they are and not to try to change them. Individuals are expected to conduct themselves for the benefit of the group, whether that group is the family group or the work group. On the other hand, North American and Western...