Final answer:
True, culture acts as a predictor and independent variable in cross-cultural psychology, significantly shaping psychological processes and behaviors as a linear model.
Step-by-step explanation:
The assertion that culture is a predictor and independent variable in cross-cultural psychology is indeed true. Culture significantly influences and shapes psychological processes and behavioral outcomes, serving as an antecedent in research models. In this perspective, culture is viewed as preceding and affecting psychological phenomena, thus making it a linear model where culture (as an independent variable) impacts dependent variables like psychological processes and behavior. Examples of how culture influences various aspects of psychology include the development of personality traits, which may vary universally or be specific to certain cultures, and the influence of culture on motivation, particularly in collectivistic versus individualistic societies.
It is well-established that Western, educated, industrialized, rich, and democratic (WEIRD) societies have been over-researched, and this has resulted in cultural biases in psychological research. Consequently, cross-cultural psychology aims to address these imbalances by studying diverse populations and comparing them across countries to understand the nuanced influences of culture on human behavior.