When Susan learned that infants in Mayan families in Guatemala often sleep in their mother's bed until the child is two or three years old, she expressed her surprise that the Mayan culture was so "backward" compared with American culture. Susan's views are a good example of _____ in action.
A) comparative psychology
B) demand characteristics
C) ethnocentrism
D) expectancy effects

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Susan's views show ethnocentrism, which is the belief in the superiority of one's own culture and the tendency to judge other cultures by the standards of one's own. She is judging the Mayan culture as "backward" without considering the cultural context within which they operate. Option A (comparative psychology) refers to the study of behavior and mental processes across different species or populations, option B (demand characteristics) refers to cues that influence participants to respond or behave in a certain way in research studies, and option D (expectancy effects) refer to how a researcher's expectations or biases can influence the interpretation of research results.

When Susan Learned That Infants in Mayan Families in Guatemala