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Dr. Seward, a psychologist, writes about the effect of culture upon personality, and upon the difficulties which occur when an individual is confronted with a clash of cultural values, in particular because his own early acculturation has produced in him an adjustment with a certain degree of inflexibility. Dr. Seward illustrates his argument with extracts from the case histories of some of the patients of Dr. Judd Marmor. Psycho-analytic concepts are used.
The main thesis is that though there is a basic instinctual root to personality, its stem, flower, and fruit vary from culture to culture in accordance with the environmental atmosphere in which and by which that root has been nourished. Moreover, the norms which are deemed desirable vary from one ecological setting to another, so that what in one culture would be called paranoid, in another would pass for normal. Four interesting case studies are recounted. The areas of cultural conflict chosen for discussion are varied, and include 'color and conflict', 'Jews between two worlds', 'women as a minority', 'social class and personality'. These type situations are used in such a way that the reader can choose other examples for himself, can apply the technique of study of culture conflict, and reach an understanding of the particular problem in hand.
The authors bring convincing evidence that psychotherapy will at best be less effective than it should be, and at worst not effective at all, if cultural factors are not given due weight and consideration in the treatment of patients who are displaced from the cultural or social milieu in which they developed during their early years.