To what extent does globalization influence behaviour?

Refer to the paper 1 section B assessment criteria when awarding marks. These can be found under the “Your tests” tab > supplemental materials.

The command term "to what extent" requires candidates to consider the influence of globalization on human behaviour.

Behaviour in this instance may include attitudes, identities or any other accepted behaviour.

Relevant research may include, but is not limited to:

• Adams (2003) on cultural values in the USA and Canada converging over time
• Buchan et al. (2009) on globalization and cooperation
• Gupta’s (2011) research on the effect of globalization in consumer behaviour
• Jensen, Arnett and McKenzie’s (2011) research on globalization and cultural identity, which explains that globalization has fostered the occurrence of a new period of life, emerging adulthood, related to issues of identity
• Ogihara and Uchida (2014) on the effects of globalization on subjective well-being
• Norasakkunkit and Uchida (2014); Becker et al. (2002) on the effects of globalization on mental health.

Candidates may discuss acculturation to the global culture or the role of contact with other cultures as a means of changing local culture; however, it is not relevant to discuss acculturation research based on immigrants moving to a new culture and the level to which one assimilates to the culture of a new country.

To address the “to what extent” command term, appropriate strategies may include, but are not limited to: 

• methodological difficulties in measuring and testing the effect of globalization.
• the inability to establish a cause and effect relationship
• studies of the effects of globalization are relatively recent and often have not been replicated
• the difficulty of generalizing the findings of globalization research
• the reliance on self-reported data is open to demand characteristics.

There were some impressive responses to this question and the command term "to what extent." Strong responses not only included relevant research, but also discussed the inherent difficulties of studying the effect of globalization on behaviour.

Some candidates confused globalization and acculturation. All globalization research is relevant in terms of one's acculturation to the global culture; however, not all acculturation is about globalization. Several candidates discussed research on acculturative stress in immigrants moving to a new country; this was not relevant to the question.