Introduction
Culture is a broad term that depends on the subject of study; however, it generally includes a range of issues such as religion, race, nationality, gender, class, and language. People from different cultures have varying psychological perspectives, which explain the differences in their behavior. In addition, multicultural people are likely to respond to different scenarios differently. This research will analyze a case study by Szabo and Marian (2017) titled “Stressors and reactions to stress: A cross-cultural case-study in two educational programmes.” The paper will evaluate the different psychological perspectives between the Romania and USA cultures, provide explanations for various behavior and evaluate their significance. There are major differences in the psychological perspectives, behaviors and experiences within a multicultural setting.
Case Study Analysis
One of the most notable features of this study is that there is a distinct difference between the stressors of students from the USA and Romanian cultures. According to the multicultural theory of abnormality, all psychology occurs within society, and each community has its strengths and weaknesses (Gopalkrishnan, 2018). Students from different cultures experienced varying stressors depending on their strengths and weaknesses. Those from Romania experienced more stressors from conflict and self-imposed, unlike American students (Szabo & Marian, 2017). The Romanian education system presents more competition than the US system, and students have more pressure to perform well to continue their education. Thus, the Romanian students in the senior level classes reported more stressors than those in the junior classes because they were heading to the final exams, which are essential. The strength of the USA culture is that the students have good educational and financial capabilities, so they do not have to stress themselves too hard to pass exams. On the other hand, Romanian students do not have that privilege, so they must work hard to secure their scholarships.
The behaviorist theory explains why Romanian students had more stressors from conflict or self-imposed. It states that individuals are controlled by their environment (Graves et al., 2021). The theory is divided into two perspectives: operant conditioning and classical conditioning. Classical conditioning is whereby students learn from an association, while operant conditioning is through the consequences of behavior (Gopalkrishnan, 2018). In this case, Romanian students experienced different stressors from US students because of operant conditioning. Certain behaviour is shaped by the technique of positive reinforcement, negative reinforcement, or punishment. Thus, Romanian students are more stressed by conflict and self-imposed because they want to achieve the positive reinforcement which comes with passing exams. When they pass exams, they know they will be rewarded with more scholarships and better jobs, giving them a better life.
Another notable difference was how the students from various cultures responded to these stressors. This section will be divided into two, whereby it will first analyze the students from the two cultures in general and then evaluate them from a gender perspective. Romanian students had higher physiological and behavioral reactions to stressors (Szabo & Marian, 2017). Romanian male students developed aggressive behavior, such as slamming doors, which indicated their inability to manage stress. On the contrary, the US students were less aggressive, and their behavior included getting upset for no specific reason. The US male students seemed to be aware of the behavioral and health impacts compared to their Romanian counterparts. According to the Lazarus theory of stress, students are likely to experience this level of stress when an exam is approaching because they experience an abundance of demands and scarcity of resources (Gopalkrishnan, 2018). Hence students are most stressed when they are about to take exams because they feel what they have read is not enough to cover the demanded content in exams.
The groups’ physiological and behavioral reactions to stressors differed because of their cultural context. People from different cultures are likely to respond to stress differently due to their personal beliefs, identity and culture (Graves et al., 2021). For instance, it is easier for American students to share their stress with psychologists than Romanian students due to cultural differences. This is because psychological services are more easily accessible and highly valued by society than in Romania. It indicates that the students in the two countries will react to stress differently.
It is worth noting that girls had more physiological and behavioral reactions than their male counterparts. This can be attributed to the different coping mechanisms between males and females. According to Graves et al. (2021), females are more likely to experience higher levels of frustration, depression, and anxiety when reacting to stress than their male counterparts. In addition, females are more prone to emotional weakness during stress than men. This can be notably seen in the response of the USA focus groups, where the researchers note that females experience mood swings and self-imposing pressures when exposed to stress. One student stated, “When is exams times, it is like no one can talk with me, I yell at everyone and eat junk food and ice cream. Then I panic and feel like I will fail all my exams. Sometimes I cry” (Szabo & Marian, 2017, pg. 96). This shows that women are more emotionally drained by stress than their male counterparts.
This study is very significant in the academic field, especially during this era of globalization. Many students have left their countries to live in foreign countries, which require adequate intercultural knowledge and experience to ensure they complete their education. In addition, the study would be beneficial in structuring the courses and lessons students take. For instance, some of the common units considered problematic by the students should be offered each semester to ensure they can take these courses when they are less busy. This study is critical because it highlights some of the unique stressors experienced by students in the two separate countries. A crucial factor among Romanian students is financial stability to fund their education. It implies that the government should intervene and pay fees for students or ask universities to lower their fees to affordable levels. This will play a significant role in helping to reduce the stressors of university students.
Analysis of the Methodology and Ethical Considerations in this Case Study
Concerning the study’s reliability and validity, this study has achieved thresholds that should make it reliable and valid. It has achieved consistent results with other previous research which have been conducted (Tobi & Kampen, 2017). Past studies by other researchers have revealed similar correlations between culture and stress. This shows that the research has passed the interrater test. In addition, this paper is valid because it has used the appropriate methods to collect and analyze the data. The data collected has covered the two main aspects the researchers wanted to find out; hence it is valid.
The research used a qualitative design to find a relationship between stressors in different cultures. The method is effective because it allows the researcher to gather information and understand certain phenomena (Tobi & Kampen, 2017). Qualitative research was the most effective for this study because it allowed the researchers to classify, summarize and analyze data. The explanatory research design was used to explore phenomena that have not been fully researched (Tobi & Kampen, 2017). It aims at seeking gaps in a certain phenomenon and exploring deeper to find more bits of information. The researchers in this study have identified a gap in studying the relations between stress and its impacts on students in a multicultural society. This shows that the research design has been carefully selected to fit the context of the researchers.
The main data collection methods are focus groups and questionnaires. This implies that the researchers have used primary data in collecting data. The main benefit of using primary data is that it is tailored to meet the study’s specific needs (Tobi & Kampen, 2017). In addition, primary data ensures that the researchers get first-hand information about a study. For instance, in a study like this one, where the researchers were looking to explain a phenomenon, primary data was helpful in ensuring that they got first-hand information from the students. In addition, it helped them to get additional information that may reveal new insights. For example, females showed that their physical appearance is a common source of stress. The researchers have used special considerations to collect the data, targeting one school in the US and the other in Romania. The sample chosen is not enough to represent the whole population; however, it gives a general insight. This study sample and representation may be biased because it came from only two colleges.
The study followed ethical guidelines by ensuring that all respondents participated in the research freely and voluntarily. In addition, all the respondents gave their consent for the data to be used in the study. By approaching the school’s administration in both institutions, the researchers ensured that they had received permission and that the administration had approved their study. Finally, the study did not harm the respondents mentally or physically, implying that it was conducted ethically.
This study successfully tested the two theories, which include comparing student-reported stressors and reports on reactions to stressors across two cultures. The studies highlight the main stressors, which include conflicting schedules, lack of choice in curriculum, and overload of exams (Szabo & Marian, 2017). In addition, the study found the common reaction to stressors: unhealthy diet, lack of exercise, tiredness, sweating of palms, and hunger. One notable thing this study adds to the theory is the difference in behavior for stressors between male and female respondents.
Conclusion
The knowledge learned in this study can be used widely by both students and institutions to reduce stress. The students can adopt new methods of avoiding stress in college. In addition, students can engage in activities that help them to overcome stress while in school, such as being active in sports and seeking therapy. The study can be applied in real-life institutions to reduce stressors for students so that they can gain better academic outcomes. Academic institutions can follow the student’s recommendations to make learning a more stress-free activity for them.
References
Gopalkrishnan, N. (2018). Cultural diversity and mental health: Considerations for policy and practice. Frontiers in Public Health, 6(179).
Graves, B. S., Hall, M. E., Dias-Karch, C., Haischer, M. H., & Apter, C. (2021). Gender differences in perceived stress and coping among college students. PLOS ONE, 16(8), e0255634.
Szabo, Z. and Marian, M. (2017). Stressors and reactions to stress: A cross-cultural case-study in two educational programmes. Journal of Evidence-based Psychotherapies, 17(1) 89-103.
Tobi, H., & Kampen, J. K. (2017). Research design: the methodology for interdisciplinary research framework. Quality & Quantity, 52(3), 1209–1225.