INTERNATIONAL ISLAMIC UNIVERSITY MALAYSIA

COURSE OUTLINE
1

Kulliyyah

Islamic Revealed Knowledge and Human Sciences

Department

Psychology

Programme

BHSc (Psychology)

Name of Course /
Module

Cross-Cultural Psychology

Course Code

PSYC 4080

8
9

Name(s) of Academic
staff / Instructor(s)
Rationale for the
inclusion of the
Knowledge of the content of this course is essential
course / module in the for the mastery of the field of psychology
programme
Semester and Year
Semesters 1 and/or 2 / Level 4
(Level) Offered
Course Status

Core

10 Level of Programme

Bachelor

11 Start Date

Semester 2, 2010/2011 (Start date for the use of the new

Batch of Students to
be Affected
13 Total Student
Learning Time (SLT)

Students with matric number starting with 102

onwards.
Assessme
Face to Face
nt-Related
Activities

Others

12.0

32.5

Independent Learning

ExaminationEnd-of-Sem

32.50

Others

Practical

Lecture /
Classroom
Instruction

12

course outline)

Total

44.00

121.0

14 Credit Value / Hours

15 Pre-requisites (if any)

PSYC 2999

16 Co-requisites (if any)

17 Course Objectives

18 Learning Outcomes

The objectives of this course are to:

1. Highlight the benefits and importance of
cross-cultural research,
2. Describe and analyse problems in crosscultural research and the various ways to
minimise them,
3. Examine the impact of culture on various
psychological processes and human
behaviour and
4. Integrate Islamization and indigenization
within the context of cross-cultural research.
At the end of this course, students are expected to
have the ability to:
1. Use of knowledge of cross-cultural
psychology, and the various ways to
minimise cross cultural research problems
(CS, CTPS3, LL2).
2. Follow the various ways to minimise the cross
cultural research problems in conducting a
research (P3, TS3).
3. Argue the strengths and weaknesses of crosscultural research done in the past (A3,
CTPS3).

Transferable Skills:
Skills and how they are
developed and
19 assessed. Project and
practical experience
and internship

Teaching-Learning
20 and Assessment
Strategy

21 Course Synopsis

Mode of Delivery
22 Lecture, Tutorial,
Workshop, Seminar etc.

Skills
(correspondi
ng to LOs)
CTPS3
CS

Skill
development
techniques
Video and
discussion
Discussion

Teaching-learning
strategy
Interactive teaching

Assessment
method
Essay/
Examination
Presentation

Assessment strategy
Combination of
coursework evaluation
and final written
examination

This course explores the problems in cross- cultural

research and the various ways to minimise them.
The course also examines the impact of culture on
psychological processes and human behaviour,
which include the following issues: human
Course
Method
development,
enculturation
and socialization, %
social
LOs
behaviour, ethnocentrism, gender stereotypes,
1,3
Mid Semester
30
personality,
and
physical examination
and mental health.
Throughout the course, special emphasis will be
1,2 to the importance
Course Project
30
given
of cross-cultural research
1, 3 the Islamic
End of semester
from
perspective, and to40 the
examination
indigenization of psychology in Malaysia.
TOTAL
100
Lecture

Assessment Methods
and Type / Course
23 Assessment
State weightage of each
type of assessment.

24

Mapping of the course

/ module to the
programme aims

Course
LOs
1
2
3

See endnote for

explanation.1

Programme Aims
Aim 1
Aim 2

Mapping of course / module to the Programme Learning Outcomes

25

26

Course
LOs
1
2
3

Programme Outcomes
4
5
6
7
8

10

Content outline of the course / module and the SLT per topic
Learning
Weeks
Topics
Task/Reading
Hours
Introduction to cross-cultural
Matsumoto &
psychology
Juang (2008):
History of cross-cultural
Chapter 1;
Wan Rafaei Abdul
psychology
Rahman (2004a),
Definition and goals of cross1- 17; (2005): 6cultural psychology
12
Relationships with other
1,2
11.00
Berry, Poortinga,
disciplines
Segall & Dasen
A general framework for cross(1995): Chapter
cultural psychology
1;
Advantages and disadvantages
of cross-cultural approach
3,4

Problems in cross-cultural
research.
In search of equivalence:
minimizing the problems
Review and critique
Types of cross-cultural research
methods
Cross-cultural research in
Malaysia
Indigenization of psychology in
4

14.00

Frijda & Jahoda

(1966): 109-127;
Wan Rafaei Abdul
Rahman (1980)
104 - 138
Matsumoto &
Juang (2008):
Chapter 2; Niblo
& Jackson (2004):
127-133;

Malaysia.

Wan Rafaei Abdul

Rahman (2004a):
1- 17; Sweeny
(2002): 89-118

Culture and religion

Religion as a cultural system
Islam: The concept of religion
The concept of Muslim Ummah
Contribution of Islam to crosscultural psychology

Culture and developmental

processes
Cross-cultural perspective on
physical development
Culture and developmental
processes
Islamic perspective of human
development
Enculturation and socialization
Child rearing and parenting
The role of parents, siblings,
extended families and peers
Variations in the socialization of
behaviours

Culture and social behaviour

Cultural context: Universals in
social behaviour
Culture and ingroup outgroup
relationships
Cross-cultural studies on
attractiveness
5

07.00

06.00

03.50

07.00

Al-Faruqi (1982):
Chapter 9
Badri (1997);
Darwish (2000):
513-537;
Wan Rafaei Abdul
Rahman (2006a):
1 20; (2006b):
1 - 20
Gardiner &
Kosmitzki (2008):
Chapter 4;
Adler & Gielen
(1994): 61-87
Matsumoto &
Juang (2008):
Chapter 6
Matsumoto &
Juang (2008):
Chapter 5;
Gardiner &
Kosmitzki (2008):
Chapter 3;
Wan Rafaei Abdul
Rahman (1980):
196 - 248
Wan Rafaei Abdul
Rahman (1983):
1-16
Matsumoto &
Juang (2008):
Chapter 14;
Berry et al.
(1992): Chapter
3;
Gardiner &

Cultural and interpersonal

attraction
Intercultural marriage.

Ethnocentrism, stereotypes and

prejudice
Ethnocentrism and inter-group
attitudes
Stereotypes, prejudice and
discrimination

Kosmitzki (2008):
Chapter 8

Matsumoto &
Juang (2008):
Chapter 3
07.00

Culture and gender

Culture, gender role and gender
stereotypes
Culture and gender socialization
10

11

12

07.00

Culture, self and personality

Context and concept of selfconcept
Culture and Big Five personality
Indigenous personality
Measurement of personality
across cultures.
Culture and physical health
Cultural differences in the
definition of health
Health in Islam
Culture and conceptions of the
body
Culture, physical health and
disease processes
Cultural influences on attitudes
and beliefs related to health and
disease

05.00

Matsumoto &
Juang (2008):
Chapter 7;
Berry et al.
(1997): Chapter
5;
Adler & Gielen
(1994): 89-101;
Gardiner &
Kosmitzki (2008):
Chapter 7
Matsumoto &
Juang (2008):
Chapter 11;
Gardiner &
Kosmitzki (2008):
Chapter 6;
Adler & Gielen
(1994): 125-138

03.00
Matsumoto &
Juang (2008):
Chapter 8;
Gardiner &
Kosmitzki (2008):
Chapter 10;
Berry et al.
(1997): Chapter
11

13

14

Culture and mental health

Defining abnormality
Culture and treatment of
abnormal behaviour
The Quranic concept of mental
health
Islamic approach to
psychotherapy
Culture and Organization
Organizational culture and
climate
Cultural differences in workrelated values, such as
organizational commitment, job
satisfaction, organizational
citizenship behaviour and
spirituality.

03.00

03.00

Matsumoto &
Juang (2008):
Chapter 12;
Berry et al.
(1997): Chapter
12;
Badri (1997)

Matsumoto &
Juang (2008):
Chapter 15;
Wan Rafaei Abdul
Rahman &
Che Su Mustaffa
(2005): 75-86;
Che Su Mustaffa
&
Wan Rafaei Abdul
Rahman (2006):
47-66

Main references supporting the course

Required
27

28

Matsumoto, D. & Juang, L. (2008). Culture and psychology. Belmont, CA:

Wadsworth/Thomson
Learning.
Additional references supporting the course
Recommended
Adler, L. L. & Gielen, U. P. (1994). Cross-cultural topics in Psychology.
Westport, CA:
Greenwood Publishing Group.
Al Faruqi, I. R. (1982). Al-Tawhid: Its implications for thought and life.
Herndon, VA:
International Institute of Islamic Thought.
Ali, A. H. (1995) The nature of human disposition: Al-Ghazalis contribution to
an Islamic
concept of personality. Intellectual Discourse, 3, 41-64.
Badri, M. B (1997). Are the contributions of early Muslim Scholars relevant to
7

modern Muslim
psychotherapists? Paper presented at the International Seminar on
Counselling and Psychotherapy: An Islamic Perspective. International
Islamic University Malaysia.
Berry, J. W., Poortinga Y. H., Segall, M. H. & Dasen, P. R (1995). Cross-cultural
psychology:
Research and applications. Cambridge, MA: Cambridge University
Press.
Berry, J. W., Segall, M. H. & Kagitcibasi, C. (1997). Handbook of cross-cultural
psychology:
Social behaviour and applications. (Volume 3). Needhams Height, MA:
Allyn & Bacon.
Che Su Mustaffa & Wan Rafaei Abdul Rahman (2006). The implication of
organizational
citizenship behaviour on job satisfaction and organizational
commitment. Bangladesh
Psychology Studies, 16, 47-66.
Che Su Mustaffa, Maznah Abu Hassan, Faizah Ahmad & Wan Rafaei Abdul
Rahman (2007).
Work culture and organizational citizenship behavior among Malaysian
employees. The
International Journal of Knowledge, Culture and Change Management,
7, 35-50.
Darwish, A.Y. (2000). Organizational Commitment as a mediator of the
relationship between
islamic work ethic and attitudes toward organizational change. Human
Relations, 53, 513-537.
Frijda, N. & Jahoda, G. (1966). On the scope and methods of cross-cultural
research.
International Journal of Psychology, 1, 109-127.
Gardiner, H.W., Mutter, J. D & Kosmitzki, C. (1998). Lives across cultures.
Cross-cultural
human development. Needham Heights, MA: Allyn & Bacon.
Niblo, D. M. & Jackson, M. S. (2004). Model for combining the qualitative
enrich approach with
the quantitative derived ethic approach. Australian Psychologist, 39,
127-133.
Shiraev, E. & Levy, D. (2007). Cross-cultural psychology: Critical thinking and
8

contemporary
applications. Boston, MA: Pearson.
Sweeney, B. (2002). Hofstedes model of national cultural differences and
consequences: A
triumph of faith, a failure of analysis. Human Relations, 55, 89-118.
The Holy Quran (1410H; 1989) English translation of the Meanings and
commentary. Medina:
King Fahd Holy Quran Printing Complex.
Triandis, H. C. & Berry, J. W. (1980). Handbook of cross-cultural psychology.
Methodology.
(Volume 2). Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon.
Wan Rafaei Abdul Rahman. (1980). Achievement motivation in school
children from Malaysia
and the United Kingdom. Unpublished PhD thesis. University of Wales
Institute of
Science and Technology.
Wan Rafaei Abdul Rahman (1983). Kegunaan alat/ujian psikologi dalam
konteks silang budaya:
Kesesuaian repertory grid di Malaysia. Nusantara, 10, 116.
Wan Rafaei Abdul Rahman (2004a). History of Psychology in Malaysia. In Z.A.
Ansari, M.N.
Noor, & A. Haque, (Eds.) Contemporary Issues in Malaysia Psychology.
Singapore:
Thomson.
Wan Rafaei Abdul Rahman (2004b) Cross-cultural research in Malaysia.
International Journal of
Management Studies, 11, 1-25.
Wan Rafaei Abdul Rahman (2004c). Uncovering a model of motivation from
the Malay
proverbs. Kesturi. 1-4.
Wan Rafaei Abdul Rahman. (2005). In search of equivalence in research: the
cross-cultural
approach. In Wan Rafaei Abdul Rahman (ed). The First International
Research Colloquium: Research in Malaysia & Thailand. Kuala Lumpur:
Department of Psychology, International Islamic University Malaysia.
Wan Rafaei Abdul Rahman and Che Su Mustaffa. (2005). Relationship
between work culture and
9

organizational staff work performance. Bangladesh Psychology Studies,

15, 75-96.
Wan Rafaei Abdul Rahman. (2006a). Looking at Motivation through the
Hadith. Unpublished
paper.
Wan Rafaei Abdul Rahman. (2006b). Islam and Psychology. Unpublished
paper.

29

Prepared by:

Checked by:

Approved by:

Assoc. Prof. Dr.

Shukran Abdul
Rahman
Coordinator,
Curriculum
Committee
Department of
Psychology
KIRKHS

Dr. Alizi Alias

Head, Department
of Psychology
KIRKHS

Dr. Badri Najib Zubir

Dean
KIRKHS

At the end of the programme, students are able to:

1. Knowledge: Demonstrate familiarity with established knowledge in
the field of psychology and awareness of current development
therein.
2. Practical Skills: Use relevant skills learnt in psychology for
professional and personal development.
3. Social Skills and Responsibilities: Cooperate with others and apply
knowledge in a socially responsible manner for the progress of the
nation and the ummah.
4. Values, Attitudes and Professionalism: Demonstrate commitment to
ethics, autonomy and professionalism in the workplace and
everyday life.
5. Communication, Leadership and Team Skills: Communicate with
people from a diverse range of backgrounds with empathy, show
leadership qualities, and act as team player.
6. Problem Solving and Scientific Skills: Analyze issues and
demonstrate skillfulness in planning, executing and evaluating
strategies and action plans.
7. Information Management and Lifelong Learning Skills: Use the
necessary learning skills in information management and apply
effective strategies for lifelong self-improvement.
10

8. Managerial and Entrepreneurial Skills: Apply basic managerial and

entrepreneurial skills in relevant fields.
9. Islamicization: Use Islamic principles to analyze and evaluate ideas
and theories in modern disciplines.
10.
Integration: Integrate Islamic teachings in the application of
the discipline for the purpose of improving their attitude and
behavior.
Sample wording of programme learning outcomes:
At the end of the programme, students are expected to have the ability
to:
1. apply the knowledge acquired in the field of ... for cognitive and
practical purposes. (Knowledge)
2. use relevant skills learnt in .... for professional and personal
development. (Practical Skills)
3. cooperate with others and apply knowledge in a socially responsible
manner for the progress of the nation and the ummah. (Social skills
and Responsibilities)
4. exhibit autonomy and professionalism at work and deal with various
life situations ethically. (Value, Attitudes and Professionalism)
5. communicate with people from a diverse range of backgrounds with
empathy, showing leadership qualities. (Communication, Leadership
and Team Skills)
6. analyse issues and demonstrate skilfulness in planning, executing
and evaluating strategies and action plans. (Problem Solving and
Scientific Skills)
7. use the necessary learning skills in information management and
apply effective strategies for lifelong self-improvement. (Information
Management and Lifelong Learning Skills)
8. apply basic managerial and entrepreneurial skills in relevant fields.
(Managerial and Entrepreneurial Skills)
9. use Islamic principles to analyse and evaluate ideas and theories in
modern disciplines. (Islamicization) OR
contribute ideas toward greater effectiveness in the implementation
of Islamic principles and guidance in contemporary settings.
(Relevantization)
10. combine divine revelation and human wisdom to deal with
contemporary issues and problems. (Integration)

ENDNOTE:

11

ENDNOTE:
1 The programme aims are developed from the statement of the purpose of the programme.
Purpose statement: To produce professional in the field of psychology who is competent and
competitive, having Islamic vision and orientation and are committed to its values. Designed
based on the rationale that the society needs psychology professional and researchers in
psychology who demonstrate the aforementioned characteristics. This programme therefore
aims to provide an alternative curriculum to achieve that purpose.
Aims: 1. To produce competent graduates for the workforce.
2. To produce balanced individuals characteristics by sufficient knowledge and skills as well
as positive values for their impending roles in society.

12