Fundamentals of Research on Culture and Psychology: Theory and Methods

by Valery Chirkov

Overview

This unique text covers the core research methods and 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 that should happen before they go out and collect data. More than a "methods text", it is about all the steps that go into doing cross-cultural research. It discusses how to select the most appropriate methods for data analysis and which approach to use, and details quantitative, qualitative, and mixed methods for experimental lab studies and ethnographic field work.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780415820325
Publisher:	Taylor & Francis
Publication date:	11/12/2015
Edition description:	New Edition
Pages:	344
Product dimensions:	7.00(w) x 10.00(h) x (d)

About the Author

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

Table of Contents

Part 1: Thinking and Reflecting 1. Disciplinary thinking: From anthropology to psychology 2. Theoretical thinking: Four perspectives in studying psychology in sociocultural contexts 3. Philosophical thinking: Induction, deduction, and positivism 4. Philosophical thinking: Abduction, retroduction, interpretivism, and realism Part 2: Planning Research 5. Research problem, purposes, and research questions 6. Working with concepts, terms, and theories 7. Research strategies and designs Part 3: Practical aspects of doing research 8. The types of studies on culture and psychology 9. Quantitative comparative studies: Equivalence, translation, and measurement invariance 10. Ethnography 11. Ethical concerns Conclusion: Final words of encouragement Index

Editorial Reviews

"An excellent educational source about how to think, plan, and conduct research on culture and psychology, the author aims at building confidence and effective thinking in those studying research methodology in psychology and social sciences. A fine source for upper division and graduate classes." - Eric Shiraev, George Mason University, USA

„Chirkov’s book brings a fresh breeze into a developing field of sophisticated psychological research in the multicultural societies of our globalized world. Very different from many outdated dogmatic stances, this open-minded author offers a fascinating panorama of paradigms, theories and methods. The clearly written textbook is full of theoretical challenges and practical recommendations for advanced researchers and inquisitive students."- Jurgen Straub, Ruhr-Universität Bochum, Germany

"A thoughtful exploration of fundamental issues arising in psychological research on cultural similarities and differences, the book encourages philosophical reflection and engages the much harder question of the "why" of research. This text should be indispensable to the beginning or seasoned researcher who studies psychological processes in cultural context." - Charles Helwig, University of Toronto, Canada

„If everybody ... would read this book before doing cross-cultural, cultural, or anthropological research, the body of research would be dramatically improved … because it teaches the reader why and for what purpose one conducts research on culture and psychology. ...This is much more than a methods text. … It is about all the steps that go into doing cross-cultural research." – David W. Shwalb, Southern Utah University, USA

"This has the potential of being the go-to book for the field of cultural and cross-cultural psychology. ...The coverage is solid and comprehensive. ...The learning tools are excellent! They are clever and interesting." - Catherine S. Tamis-LeMonda, New York University, USA

From the Publisher