Etic approach
Comprehensive study guide for IB Psychology
Study Notes
Mark Scheme
SECTION A MARK SCHEME (4 marks) Must Include: • Etic: outsider perspective, seeks universal patterns • Standardized tools, cross-cultural comparison • Contrast with emic (insider, culturally specific) approach • Imposed etic: applying etic framework inappropriately • Named example (e.g. intelligence testing, cross-cultural surveys) • Show both strength (universality) and limitation (imposed etic) • Explicit link to cross-cultural psychology
Link Formula: "The [etic tool/measure] assumes universality, but [emic meaning] in [culture] differs, showing [concept] is culturally constructed, not universal."
Watch Out: Don't present emic and etic as equally valid opposites—both are necessary. Show both the value and the limitation of the etic approach.
SECTION B MARK SCHEME (6 marks) 0 marks: No relevant knowledge. 1–2 marks: Basic definition; minimal application. 3–4 marks: Etic approach described; partial application. 5–6 marks: Etic approach correctly framed (outsider, standardized, universal); imposed etic limitation clearly explained; concrete example used; explicit application to scenario showing both the value and limitation of the etic approach.
Why Full Marks
Emic/etic distinction correctly framed (insider vs. outsider; culturally specific vs. universal); intelligence example contrasts Western IQ tests with indigenous definitions concretely; "imposed etic" is the exact required term for the methodological critique.
Model Answer
Section A Sample Answer
An Etic approach studies behavior from an outsider's perspective, seeking universals across cultures using standardized tools that allow cross-cultural comparison. While this enables broad, systematic research, it risks becoming an "imposed etic" when Western frameworks are applied to non-Western cultures without adaptation.
An example is the use of standardized IQ tests across cultures. While the etic approach allows researchers to compare cognitive performance globally, it imposes a Western definition of intelligence (abstract reasoning, speed) onto cultures where intelligence is emic-defined as social wisdom or practical knowledge. This demonstrates how the etic approach enables cross-cultural comparison but must be used carefully to avoid misrepresenting culturally specific meanings.
Section B Sample Answer
An etic approach studies behavior from an outsider's perspective to find universal rules, using standardized tasks across cultures. While this identifies the "20% increase," it ignores emic (culture-specific) factors. This demonstrates the etic approach because it allows for broad comparison of the hub's effectiveness, but it fails to capture emic factors—such as cultural norms around individual study or attitudes toward technology—that explain why certain groups find the environment culturally incongruent.