LINGUISTIC RELATIVISM -. Classical Sapir- Whorf hypothesis. Language (grammar and vocabulary) determines cognition. There is no cognition beyond the ...
Paweł Boski Katarzyna Iben Youssef Polish Academy of Sciences & Warsaw School of Social Sciences and Humanities
The aim of our presentation To show empirical evidence for linguistic relativism In the domain of values Among bilingual individuals (with the use of culture frame research paradigm)
Culture & Cross-cultural psychology
Culture is about:
Values; Symbolic meaning; Belief systems Cognitive styles Cross-cultural psychology studies these blocks of culture in a comparative manner, to discover their measurable differences. It also assumes equivalence, that is the meaning of concepts is the same across languages in which a study is done.
Comparing two separate cultures (Schwartz, 2004)
The values of the Arab-Muslim culture
The values of French culture
TRADITION
EQUALITY
CONFORMITY
FREEDOM
FAMILY
SUBJECTIVITY
HONOR
UNIVERSALISM AND REASON
GOODNESS
HEDONISM (life quality)
Universalist assumptions: Language is transparent for meaning; since the meaning is the same, objective measures can establish values of high and low importance in both cultures
LINGUISTIC RELATIVISM Classical Sapir- Whorf hypothesis Language (grammar and vocabulary) determines cognition. There is no cognition beyond the language and because languages differ so much, cognition of the speakers is also different.
Color perception and symbolism Universalism
Kay, & Berlin (1969) universal color naming of visual light spectrum
Heider – Rosch (70 s.) categories of prototypical colors better recognized and learned
Linguistic relativism
Roberson (2000) Failures in replication of Heider- Rosh studies Extensive influence of language on color categorization
Anna Wierzbicka (1999)semantic analysis niebieski ≠ blue
Relativist argument concerning culture’s central concepts
If there are qualitative cross cultural differences in language driven color perception, similar phenomena should occur even more in the domains of values, beliefs and cognitive styles.
Family, Justice, Freedom, [etc.] should be of unequal importance (e.g. in France and in Tunisia) not only in terms of valuation but also because of differences in meaning.
Bilingualism and U vs. R
As a consequence of globalization: Number of spoken languages is shrinking , while Numbers of individuals speaking two languages or more is on rise Bilingualism helps social coordination – a theme of this conference
It creates interesting questions for psychology: such as one or two conceptual / memory stores? Personality integration With bilingual individuals we can address crucial for C-C Psych. problems of universalism – relativism.
Field of our interest
Bilingualism linguistic competence and communication skills in any two languages
Bicultural identity explicit responding cognitively and affectively to symbols of any two cultural systems
Biculturalism implicit cognitive (epistemological) and/or value-oriented (axiological) functioning typical of any two cultures
Bilingualism: Comparing cultures intraindividually Bilingual individuals create new research opportunities for cross-cultural psychology, and a challenge for its universalistic stance.
If languages are transparent for psychological processes (= assumption of equivalence), then a switch from L1 to L2 should have no consequence for cognition or valuation.
If languages are not mutually translatable (= nonequivalent), then we can expect a cultural lobotomy, and same individuals will function differently depending on language of communication (or research).
A universal hypothesis: Language transparency L1
L2
C_I1
C_I2
Ψ
A relativist hypothesis: Language transparency L1
L2
C_I1
C_I2
Ψ1
Ψ2
Culture Frame Switching research paradigm among bilingual/bicultural individuals: Will the switch of language / symbolic identity bring about corresponding changes in psychological make-up?
Cultural identity switchable
Hoffman, Lau, Johnson (1986) Chinese-English bilingualism and the assumptions of implicit personality theory
Hong & others, (2000) Cognitive consequences of cultural and/or linguistic frame switching on cognitive functioning in bicultural Chinese – Americans
Causal attributions depending on cultural identity and language
Language and values If the language / cultural identity determine cognition... ... It should also have impact on values declared by bilinguals
Symbols POL:
What/whom do these photos represent?
Do I care for them?
American symbols:
•What/whom do these photos represent?
Do I care for them?
Polish - American values (in English or in Polish)
In Ann’s home, the grandparents, parents and children live together very closely and offer each other support. Peter feels good about his home. Tom has very close friends with whom he goes through good times and bad times. He deeply cares about friendship and believes it is something very important in ones life.
Peter believes in tolerance of different ways of being and sexual preferences. He recently participated in gay and lesbian demonstration. Monika’s grand-parents just moved from their apartment to a Senior Citizen Home. They do not want to be a burden for the family. Mathew thinks that this is the right way.
The study was performed in American School of Warsaw, with high school bilingual students as participants
Tunisia Why?
Bilinguals: Tunesiens – Français
Tunisia- cultural hybrid
Arab culture
French culture
Legacy of colonialismbilingualism ARABIC LANGUAGE - literature - public life - religion
FRENCH LANGUAGE - education and business - public life - Tourism
TUNISIAN DIALECT
Daily and Family Life
Bilingualism two generations Older
generation ( 40-55 )
Younger
generation (19-25 )
o
The first generation that is fluent in two languages
o
People that speak fluently in two languages
o
bilingualism is related with universal access to education
o
brought up by the first generation of bilingual Tunisian
Participants (83 Tunisians)
Students (19-25 ) from University of Monastir (Universite de Monastir)
Adults (40-55) residents of Monastir and Sousse contacted in homes.
Independent variables 1.
generation ( 2: students vs adults) -
2.
sex (2: women vs men)
3.
Language of communication (2: Arabic vs French)
Dependent variables. 4.
Readiness to act according with intrinsic motivations
5.
Conflict between readiness to act according with environmental pressures and intrinsic motivations
TOOLS and Dependent Variables
The values contained in the questionnaire The values of the Arab-Muslim culture
The values of French culture
TRADITION
EQUALITY
CONFORMITY
FREEDOM
FAMILY
SUBJECTIVITY
HONOR
UNIVERSALISM AND REASON
GOODNESS
HEDONISM (life quality)
Sources for Value Survey
Values of the Arab-Muslim culture - Quran - Hadith (tradition of the Prophet)
Values of French culture - French Constitution (1958) - Universal Declaration of Human Rights - France top levels in cultural values of egalitarianism, intellectual and affective autonomy (Shwartz, 2004)
Author's Value Survey
consists
of 39 statements framed as imperatives.
Values as imperatives
Do not thrust yourself to the front and do not try to be in the focus of others’ attention! Always stay as a humble person .
Nie wysuwaj się do przodu i nie skupiaj na sobie uwagi. Pozostań skromną osobą.
N` attirer pas l'attention sur vous et ne soyez pas au centre des événements! Soyez toujours une personne humble.
كه.ال تجلب لىفسك األوظبر و ال تكه في مركز األحذاث دائمب شخصب متواضع
Contd. …
Enjoy your life! Have much fun and unforgettable moments.
Ciesz się życiem! Staraj się mieć w życiu dużo radości i wiele niezapomnianych chwil. Vie ta vie! -Essayez d'avoir beaucoup de joie et de nombreux moments inoubliables.
حبول أن تكون حيبتك مليئة.إستمتع بحيبتك .ببلفرح و لحظبت ال تىسى
Dependent variables: social milieu & personal values; external and intrinsic motivation; conflict 1.
Values of immediate social milieu
2.
Personal values
3.
External motivational potential (Ryan, Deci, 2000)
4.
Intrinsic motivational potential (Ryan, Deci, 2000)
5.
Conflict
Remember that the main role of a woman is taking care of her family, and not pursuing her job or career a) This opinion is typical for my family environment. I have heard it many times in my life
b)
c)
1
2
3
4
5
This opinion is a reflection of my own beliefs. I strongly believe it.
1
2
3
4
5
If I follow this principle, it’s because others
1
2
3
4
5
1
2
3
4
5
1
2
3
4
5
expect it from me d)
If I follow this rule, it’s because, that these are my personal beliefs
e) When I follow this rule I feel conflict between duty to family environment, and my own lack of desire to do it.
Normative motivation to comply Social milieu values (product)
External motivation potential to follow these values Readiness to comply with social values
Normative autonomous motivation Personal values (product)
Intrinsic motivation potential to follow these values
Readiness for self-direction /autonomous motivation
Wyniki
RESULTS...
Dependent variables: Effects of
1. External motivation 1. Language and 2. Generation
2. Autonomous motivation 3. Conflict
Language/generation and external motivation Language effect F(1, 81) = 14,19***; Generation effect F(1, 81) = 9,92**
Language/generation and autonomy
Language effect: F(1, 81)= 8,14** Generation effect: F(1, 81)= 5, 93*
Language and external motivation vs. autonomycomparison interactions Language * motivation, F(1, 81)= 3,71;
Cultural motiivation stronger in Arabic F(1,81)=16.51***; Autonomous motivation stronger than external F(1,81)=21.06***.
Autonomous > extrinsic motivation only in French (F=20.49***).
The main effect of language on the conflict
F(1, 81) = 7,48**;
Discussion
Linguistic frame switching mechanism works well with bilingual Tunisiens-Français;
By manipulating with language of the study, we demonstrated that traditional values of local Muslim culture were more endorsed in Arabic than in French and extrinsic motivation was stronger;
Interestingly, autonomous normative motivation was also stronger in Arabic, than in French, though it was largely due to traditional values being personalized (internalized).
Discussion- contd.
Normative conflict between community’s pressure and personal desires was more pronounced in French, than in Arabic, suggesting that French acts as an alienating cultural factor , disintegrating individual and his/her social milieu.
These results we find more interesting than what would be obtained from monolingual samples from both countries. It is not that individuals in {T} and in {F} endorse different values but these opposite normative rules may be held at the same time by the same individual, randomly activated by one linguistic prime or another.
Bibliografia Boski, P. (2009) Schwartza kulturowa mapa świata oparta na badaniach wartości. Tożsamość kulturowa przełączana, czyli podwójne funkcjonowanie poznawcze u osób dwukulturowych [w: ] Kulturowe ramy zachowań społecznych Shwartz, S.H (1999). A theory of cultural values and some implications for work. Applied Psychology: An international Review, 48 (1), 23-47
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