PSYC1011: Introduction to Cultural Psychology

[ Module Resources on Blackboard ]
 

Module Leader      Dave Hiles      (Room: H0.22b)
Module Tutor   George Young    (Room: H0.18)
 

                                 Teaching Mode:-
                                                 Terms 1, 2 & 3 (24 Weeks Teaching i.e. Wks 1-12, 16-25, 29-30)
                                                 Lectures 24 hrs
                                                 Exams 2 hrs 
                                                Student centred learning 94 hrs

                    Module Aims:-

  1. to introduce students to the field of cultural psychology, and the idea of psychology as a human science;
  2. to examine the inter-relationship between communication, language and thought, and consider this in relation to the cultural processes and practices involved in the construction and representation of meanings;
  3. to place the study of human behaviour and experience within the context of social constructionist, discursive, semiotic, and linguistic approaches.

                    Module Learning Outcomes:-

  1. students will understand the scope of cultural psychology and the critical issues this area raises;
  2. students will appreciate the human science approach to psychology as distinct from the empirical-behavioural approach;
  3. students will have a grasp of such issues as:- the nature of human culture; the inter-relationship of communication, language and thought; social constructionism; cultural differences; transcultural psychology, etc.

                    Assessment:-
                    One two hour examination.
                    Coursework: Workshop participation/Blackboard Discussion Board.
                    The Examination:Coursework weighting is 80:20.
 

Module Rationale:-
This Level 1 module is offered to students studying on programmes such as the BSc(Hons) Human Psychology. A basic introduction to psychology (PSYC1001/1010, or A’level Psychology), and familiarity with the electronic campus is a prerequisite. The module introduces the importance of a cultural, social and communicative context for the understanding of human behaviour and experience. It examines the idea of culture as a set of signifying practices, i.e. rules, codes and institutions for the production of meaning. Emphasis is given to a range of human science approaches to psychology, including: semiotic, discursive, social constructionist, trans-cultural, cross-cultural, and the methods of qualitative research, etc. The module examines verbal and visual communication, narrative structure and discourse, and explores the relation between culture and mind, language and thought. This provides a foundation for the later study of social psychology, cognitive development, discursive psychology and cultural psychology.
 

Teaching and Learning Strategy:-
The main mode of delivery is a series of lectures, designed to explain basic concepts, define new terms, outline theories and research methodologies, and present critical issues. In addition, there is required reading of key texts and supplementary materials; small group exercises; practical student-based tasks, e.g. data collection, observations, inquiry groups exploring a critical issue; and a tutor-led workshop introducing the electronic campus. All lectures and workshops for the module take place in the Hawthorn Building.
 

KEY TEXT:       BRUNER, J. (1990) Acts of Meaning. Harvard University Press.

 

Lecture Series (2004-2005):

The 24 one-hour lectures take place on Thursdays (12.00 - 13.00) - in room H00.33 in the Hawthorn Building. There is also an induction to the VLE and Blackboard in Week 3. During the weeks following the Easter Break there will be revision lectures and a 2 hour exam.

  TERM 1:
Wk 1 Cultural psychology – Wundt; Dilthey; the tasks of cultural psychology; mind and culture.
Wk 2 Psychology as a human science – Giorgi; Bruner; Harré; qualitative research. Intro to Blackboard
Wk 3

Definitions of culture – models of culture; signifying practices; communication and meaning.
Wk 4 Introduction to Semiotics – Saussure; Peirce; the nature and types of signs; signifier/signified.
Wk 5

The Use of Signs: The communication process – the exchange of signs; sender/receiver models; codes.
Wk 6 Practical Workshop (1): Group exercise - Semiotics
Wk 7

The Use of Signs: Human thought – manipulation of signs; denotation/connotation; orders of signification.
Wk 8 Practical Workshop (2): Group exercise - Signs & Codes
Wk 9

Human language – What is language? What is linguistics? Chomsky: competence & performance.
Wk 10 Language variation and use – socio-linguistics; contextual, regional, stratificational; spoken, written.
Wk 11

Language acquisition – development of semiotic function; Vygotsky; Bruner’s entry into meaning.
Wk 12 The inter-relationship of language & thought – Sapir/Whorf; linguistic relativity.
  TERM 2:
Wk 16

Social constructionism – Mead; Harré; Gergen; symbolic interactionism; (post)structuralism.
Wk 17 Discourse, ideology and narrative – discourse; text; intertextuality; discursive and narrative psychology. 
Wk 18

Narrative and the self – Bruner; narrative thinking; autobiography and self.
Wk 19 Practical Workshop (3): Group exercise - Constructing Meanings 
Wk 20

Popular culture – the media; dominant ideology; media effects research.
Wk 21  Analysing visual narratives & visual codes (Berger).
Wk 22 Transcultural psychology & Cross-cultural psychology – Nancy Much.
Wk 23 Practical Workshop (4): Group exercise - Cross-cultural differences 
Wk 24 Qualitative approaches to psychological research – new paradigm psychology, grounded theory.
Wk 25

Revision - Semiotics, communication and language.
  TERM 3:
Wk 29 Rethinking psychology - Giorgi’s idea of a Human Science; Bruner's proper study of humankind.
Wk 30 Overview & Revision – Sample exam paper.


Supplementary Materials: (This is required reading for the module)
Berger, A.A. (1991) Semiological analysis. Chapter 1 in Media Analysis Techniques. Sage.
Giorgi, A. (1994) The idea of human science. Chapter 7 in F. Wertz (Ed), The Humanistic Movement: Recovering the person in psychology. Gardener Press.
Harré, R. The rediscovery of the human mind.  (Available here). 
 Hiles, D.R. (1996) Cultural Psychology and the Centre ground of Psychology. Paper presented at 26th International Congress of Psychology, Montreal, Canada.  (Available here).
 Much, N. (1995) Cultural psychology. Chapter 7 in J. Smith et al, Rethinking Psychology. Sage.


Useful Supplementary Texts:
 Fiske, J. (1990) Introduction to Communication Studies. 2nd. Ed. Routledge.
Fromkin, V. & RODMAN, R. (1993). An Introduction to Language. 5th Ed. Harcourt Brace Jovanovich.
Littlejohn, S.W. (1992) Theories of Human Communication. 4th Ed. Wadsworth.
 

Web Sites: (These are some useful websites, see also specific websites in the reading list)

 http://www.aber.ac.uk/media/Documents/S4B/semiotic.html               (A great website designed by Dr. Daniel Chandler)
http://www.chass.utoronto.ca:8080/epc/srb/cyber/cyber.html           (Website for the Cyber Semiotic Institute)
http://www.leeds.ac.uk/ics/david.htm               (A useful media theory site)
http://www.cudenver.edu/~mryder/itc_data/semiotics.html               (Useful links to semiotic resources on the internet)
http://www.marxists.org/reference/subject/philosophy/              (A major resource of many classic original texts)
http://psychclassics.yorku.ca/index.htm           (Classics in the history of psychology)
http://wnt.cc.utexas.edu/~wlh/index.cfm                           (World Lecture Hall - Browse for Psychology)
http://www.clas.ufl.edu/users/gthursby/psi/directs.htm              (World Wide Web Virtual Library - Psychology)
http://www.massey.ac.nz/~alock//virtual/welcome.htm         (Home of the Virtual Faculty - a major website for discourse)
Narrative Psychology: Internet and Resource Guide (Main Page)            (Narrative Psychology website)

n.b. Further links to useful websites can be found here.

Student Centred Learning (SCL)
The total hours for this module allocates 94 hrs for SCL. This is student managed time to cover required reading of set texts, written coursework (i.e. your contributions to the Blackboard Discussion Board), preparation and revision for exam, background reading, private study into particular areas of interest, etc. There is a full list of Required Reading, and a References and Background Reading List for the module on Blackboard and also at the module website: 

            Blackboard:                 https://www.blackboard.dmu.ac.uk/ 

Blackboard is a key resource for this module. If you are not familiar with the VLE and Blackboard, then you must attend the Computer Labs organised for Week 3, which will provide you with an introduction to using the Internet, Blackboard, and some useful websites.
 

Exam and Coursework Assessment
There is a 2hr unseen exam, at the end of the semester which is designed to assess your grasp of the area covered by the module, the pros and cons of the research methodologies used, and the issues raised by this approach. Copies of previous year’s exam papers are available at Examnet on the DMU Library website.

Coursework takes the form of (i) making at least one contribution to three of the topics on the Blackboard Module Discussion Board, and (ii) participation in the Practical Workshops, in Weeks 6, 8, 19 & 23. The emphasis here is on you exploring the scope and critical issues of the module for yourself, and presenting them in such a way as to exchange your insights and comments with others. Participation in the Lecture/Workshops in Weeks 6, 8, 19 & 23 is a requirement. Failure to participate in these without good reason will be reflected in your overall Coursework Assessment. 

The respective weightings of the components will require any student who does not participate and contribute through the coursework to achieve, in effect, a mark of 50% in the Summer Term exam, in order to pass the module. 

Reassessment for the module involves a 2hr resit examination paper only. There is no provision for reassessment of the CW component (as this would make no sense).
 

References & Background Reading, etc.
This fairly comprehensive list is provided as a resource for students to further their exploration of the issues and topics raised in the module, or simply to follow up references that are given in lectures.

Aitchison, J. (1989) The Articulate Mammal. 3rd Ed. Routledge.

Aitchison, J. (1995) Introducing Language and Mind. Penguin.

Barthes, R. (1973) Mythologies. Paladin.

Berger, A. A. (1992) Popular Culture Genres: Theories and texts. Sage.

Berger, A. A. (1995) Essentials of Mass Communication Theory. Sage.

Berry, J.W. (1992) Cross-cultural Psychology: Research and applications. CUP.

Bruner, J. (1986) Actual Minds, Possible Worlds. Harvard University Press.

Burr, V. (1995) An Introduction to Social Constructionism. Routledge.

Carroll, J.B. (Ed) (1964) Language, Thought and Reality: Selected writings of Benjamin Lee Whorf. MIT Press.

Chandler, D. (2001) Semiotics: The basics. Routledge.   

Cobley, P. & Jansz, L. (1997) Semiotics for Beginners. Icon Books.

Culler, J. (1976) Saussure. Fontana.

Cunningham, D.J. & Shank, G.D. Semiotics: An introduction. Available at: [here] 

Edgar, A. & Sedgwick, P. (Eds) (1999) Key Concepts in Cultural Theory. Routledge.

Gergen, K. (1985) The social constructionist movement in social psychology. American Psychologist, 40, 266-75.

Giorgi, A. (1970) Psychology as a Human Science. Harper & Row.

Griswold, W. (1994) Cultures and Societies in a Changing World. Pine Forge Press.

Gordon, (1996) Saussure for Beginners. Writers and Readers.

Hartland, J. (1991) Language & Thought. BPS Books.

Jahoda, G. (1992) Crossroads Between Culture and Mind: Continuities and change in theories of human nature. Harvester Wheatsheaf.

Jenks, C. (1993) Culture. Routledge.

Mead, G.H. (1934) Mind, Self and Society. Univ. of Chicago.

O'Sullivan, T., Hartley, J., Saunders, D., Montgomery, M. & Fiske, J. (1993) Key Concepts in Communication and Cultural Studies. 2nd Edition. Methuen.

Pinker, S. (1995) The Language Instinct: The new science of language and mind. Penguin.

Price, W.F. & Crapo, R.H. (1999) Cross-Cultural Perspectives in Introductory Psychology. Wadsworth.

Shweder, R.A. (1991) Thinking Through Cultures: Expeditions in cultural psychology. Harvard.

Shweder, R.A. & Sullivan, M.A. (1993) Cultural Psychology: Who needs it? Annual Review of Psychology, 4, 497-523.

Storey, J. (1993) An Introductory Guide to Cultural Theory and Popular Culture. Harvester Wheatsheaf.

Thwaites, T., Davis, L. & Mules, W. (1994) Tools for Cultural Studies: An introduction. Macmillan.

Trevarthen, C. (1995) The child's need to learn a culture. Children & Society, 9, 5-19.

Vygotsky, L.S. (1978) Mind in Society. Harvard.

Williams, R. (1981) Culture. Fontana.

 

Recent issues of the following journals (and many others) can be accessed on the internet:

American Journal of Psychology

Annual Review of Psychology

British Journal of Psychology

British Journal of Social Psychology

Communication Quarterly

Communication Research

Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology

Journal of General Psychology

Journal of Social Psychology
 

Other Background Reading:

Cultural Psychology and Human Science:

Blackmore, S. (1999) The Meme Machine. OUP.

Brentano, F. (1874) Psychology from an Empirical Standpoint. Which is available at:

      http://www.marxists.org/reference/subject/philosophy/works/ge/brentano.htm

Cole, M. (1996) Cultural Psychology. Harvard.

Dilthey, W. (1883) Introduction to the Human Sciences. Which is available at:

      http://www.marxists.org/reference/subject/philosophy/works/ge/dilthey1.htm

Goldberger, N.R. & Veroff, J.B. (eds) (1995) The Culture and Psychology Reader. New York University Press.

Harré, R. The rediscovery of the human mind. Available at:   http://www.massey.ac.nz/~alock//virtual/welcome.htm

Matsumoto, D. (1996) Culture and Psychology. Brooks/Cole.

Sapir, E. (1993) The Psychology of Culture: A course of lectures. (Reconstructed by J.T. Irvine). Mouton de Guyter.

Shore, B. (1996) Culture in Mind: Cognition, Culture, and the problem of meaning. OUP.

Stigler, J.W., Shweder, R.A. & Herdt, G. (Eds) (1990) Cultural Psychology: Essays in comparative human development. CUP.

Vygotsky, L. (1927) The Crisis in Psychology. Which is available at:

     http://www.marxists.org/archive/vygotsky/works/crisis/index.htm

Wundt, W. (1897) Outlines of Psychology. Available at:       http://psychclassics.yorku.ca/Wundt/Outlines/

 

Communication (Introductory): (See also Littlejohn)

Burton, G. (1990) More Than Meets the Eye. Arnold.

Cobley, P. (Ed.) (1996) The Communication Theory Reader. Routledge.

Corner, J. Hawthorn, J. (1990) Communication Studies: An Introductory Reader. 3rd. Ed. Arnold.

Dimbleby, R. & Burton, G. (1985) More than Words: An Introduction to Communication. Methuen.

Dyer, G. (1988) Advertising As Communication. Routledge.

Leiss, W., Kline, S. & Jhally, S. (1990) Social Communication in Advertising: Persons, products and images of well being. 2nd Ed. Routledge.

Jhally, S. (1991) The Codes of Advertising: Fetishism and the political economy of meaning in the consumer society. Routledge.

Morgan, J. & Welton, P. (1986) See What I Mean: An introduction to visual communication. Arnold.

Williamson, J. (1978) Decoding Advertisements: Ideology and Meaning in Advertising. Marion Boyars.

 

Semiotics & Structuralism: (See also Littlejohn, Chap 4)

Barthes, R. (1973) Mythologies. Paladin.

Culler, J. (1983) Barthes. Fontana.

Gordon, (1996) Saussure for Beginners. Writers and Readers.

Guiraud, P. (1975) Semiology. RKP.

Hawkes, T. (1977) Structuralism and Semiotics. Methuen.

Innes, R.E. (Ed.) (1986) Semiotics: An introductory reader. Hutchinson.

Rylance, R. (1994) Roland Barthes. Harvester Wheatsheaf.

Sturrock, J. (1993) Structuralism. (2nd Edition). Fontana.

Todorov, T. (1982 [1977]) Theories of the Symbol. (Trans. by C. Porter). Cornell University Press.

 

Social Constructionism, Discourse and Ideology: (See also Littlejohn, Chap 11)

Bennett, T., Martin, G., Mercer, C. & Woollacott, J. (Eds.) (1981) Culture, Ideology and Social Process. Batsford.

Berger, P. & Luckmann, T. (1967) The Social Construction of Reality. Penguin.

Burr, V. (1995) An Introduction to Social Constructionism. Routledge.

Gergen, K.J. (1999) An Invitation to Social Construction. Sage.

Gurevitch, M., Bennett, T., Curran, J., & Woolacott, J. (Eds.) (1982) Culture, Society and the Media. Methuen.

Harré, R. (1998) The Singular Self: An introduction to the psychology of personhood. Sage.

Potter, J. & Wetherell, M. (1987) Discourse and Social Psychology: Beyond attitudes and Behaviour. Sage.

 

Language & Linguistics:

Aitchison, J. (1991) Language Change, Progress or Decay? 2nd Ed. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Graddol, D., Cheshire, J. & Swann (1986) Describing Language, Milton Keynes: Open University.

Mey, J.L. (1993) Pragmatics: An Introduction. Oxford: Blackwell.

Saussure, F. de (1959 [1916]) A Course in General Linguistics. McGraw-Hill.

Trask, R.L. (1994) Language Change. Routledge.

Trask, R.L. (1994) A Dictionary of Grammatical Terms in Linguistics.  Routledge.

Yule, G. (1985). The Study of Language. Cambridge.

 

Narrative Structure & Story:

Bettelheim, B. (1975) The Uses of Enchantment. Penguin.

Campbell, J. (1989) The Power of Myth. Doubleday.

Dundes, A. (1965) The Study of Folklore. Prentice-Hall.

Sarbin, T.R. (Ed) (1986). Narrative Psychology: The storied nature of human conduct. Praeger.

 

Media, Television & Popular Culture: (See also Littlejohn, Chap 15)

Curran, J., et al. (Eds) (1986) Bending Reality: The state of the media. Pluto Press.

DeFleur, M.L. & Ball-Rokeach, S. (1989) Theories of Mass Communication. 5th Ed. Longman.

Fiske, J. & Hartley, J. (1978) Reading Television. Methuen.

McQuail, D. (1989) Mass Communication Theory. 2nd Ed. Sage.

Turner, G. (1999) Film as Social Practice. (3rd Ed.) Routledge.

 

© Dave Hiles 2002, 2003, 2004.

 

 

 

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