Social psychology is the scientific study of people’s feelings, beliefs, and behaviors in social contexts. Understanding the mechanics behind the human connection is crucial because it helps develop measures that solve social issues (Gopalkrishnan, 2019). Social and cultural competency is inevitable skills in sociological research since they enhance interactions expanding the scope of the research. Therefore the relevance of social and cultural competency, an example of a social psychological concept from cross-cultural perspectives, and the consequences of neglecting the multicultural principles in research are addressed.
Social competence is the skills that allow an individual to effectively interact and handle situations in social contexts. This skill enables an individual to maintain close relationships, interact well with people from diverse backgrounds, and maintain values that appreciate inclusivity (Gopalkrishnan, 2019). On the other hand, cultural competence involves understanding different cultural beliefs and values, how they compare with one another, and respect for the differences. Social and cultural competence helps improve awareness, attitude, comprehension, and skills that support better relations and understanding of sociological concepts. Social competence is integral because it promotes the relationship between people from diverse cultures.
Social psychological concepts can also be understood in different dynamics, especially from cross-cultural perspectives. For instance, emotions are understood better using the interactionism theory, which explains that interactions are based on the meaning attributed to a specific action of thought. Emotions can only be portrayed when an environment is created to accommodate authentic feelings (Gopalkrishnan, 2019). Such rationales indicate that socialization can be supported by understanding how social psychological concepts align with various actions and responses.
Cultural competency helps understand how people express their emotions differently. Every individual is unique, and they react to specific situations in a distinct way, and this rationale can be used to justify a specific phenomenon (Villagran, 2022). Understanding how specific ethnic groups react is part of realizing emotions and creating a platform for them to express their feelings. The skill is also important for social psychologists because it enhances emotional intelligence, enabling them to regulate emotions and help clients manage stress. Therefore, cultural competency helps eradicate misconceptions about people and structure effective interaction mechanisms.
Cross-cultural perspectives are integral in research because they promote the ethics of interactions for the parties involved. Therefore, there are consequences for neglecting cross-cultural perspectives considering that they promote bias (Villagran, 2022). For instance, the assumption that women are emotional is made based on a biased demographic, which is difficult to determine that the findings will generalize a larger population empirically. A multicultural approach enables the researcher to focus on different dimensions of a topic which provides a greater understanding. Additionally, neglecting the cross-cultural perspective limits traditional research approaches, including interactivity issues that affect the efficacy of research. The cross-cultural perspective helps understand behavior, considering that they clarify the difference between the different aspects intertwined with the human condition and those that respond to variation.
Accurate sociological research relies on a multidisciplinary approach that ensures that different dimensions of research are considered. Social and cultural competencies are examples of skills that ensure that inclusive strategies such as impartiality and miscommunication are eradicated to validate the research approaches (Villagran, 2022). The social psychological concepts are intertwined and can be used to explain certain behaviors or reactions. Therefore ignoring a multicultural approach can have detrimental consequences on the research findings, including bias and structural authenticity.
References
Gopalkrishnan, N. (2019). Cultural competence and beyond: Working across cultures in culturally dynamic partnerships. The International Journal of Community and Social Development, 1(1), 28-41.
Villagran, M. A. (2022). Cultural Competence in Research. School of Information Student Research Journal, 12(1), 3.