Multiculturalism as a Generic and Permanent Perspective of Global Psychology Paul B. Pedersen, UAB August 5, 2000 at the APA in Washington at the invitation of the APA International Relations Committee

It is widely asserted that we live in an era in which the greater part of social life is determined by global processes in which national cultures, national economies and national borders are dissolving. Central to this perception is the notion of a rapid and recent process of economic globalisation. A truly global economy is claimed to have emerged or to be in the process of emerging, in which distinct national economies and, therefore, domestic strategies of national economic management are increasingly irrelevant. The world economy has internationalized in its basic dynamics, it is dominated by uncontrollable market forces, and it has as its principal economic actors and major agents of change truly transnational corporations, that owe allegiance to no nation state and locate wherever in the globe market advantage dictates. P. Hirst & G. Thompson (1996) Globalisation in question: The international economy and the possibilities of governance, Oxford Polity, p.1

Contents 1.All behaviors are learned and displayed in a cultural context 2.If the worlds population were only 100 people 3.Oskamps review of Environmental psychology 4.Howard identifies Killer Thoughts 5.Miller identifies cultural bias 6.National Advisory Mental Health Council, NAMHC (1996) 7.Stanley Sue cites external validity issues 8.Lewis-Fernandez and Kleinman identify 3 culture-bound assumptions 9.Alternative and complementary therapies more popular

Contents (continued) 10.Many reasons why Alternative therapies are popular 11.Culture free or culture fair tests have failed 12.Global Changes are required 13.Conventional assumptions of textbook psychology 14.The Up-Side of a multicultural perspective 15.Multiculturalism as a Fourth Force 16.Resistance to Multiculturalism as a Fourth Force 17.The rise of Indigenous Psychologies 18.Yang has developed a list of Seven No 19.Yang has also developed a list of Ten Yes 20.Bingham summarizes the multicultural needs of psychology

1. All behaviors are learned and displayed in a cultural context Accurate assessment Meaningful understanding Appropriate intervention Making cultural context central strengthens psychology

If the worlds population were only 100 people: 57 Asians 21 Europeans 14 North and South Americans 8 Africans 52 are female 70 are non-White 59% of the wealth belongs to 6 people All six people are citizens of the US 80 live in sub-standard housing 70 are unable to read 50 suffer from malnutrition 1 has a college education.

3. Oskamps review of Environmental psychology Ecological disaster Psychologists can change attitudes We are at war Destructive lifestyles of the 19th and 20th century

4. Howard identifies Killer Thoughts Consumption produces happiness No need to worry about the future Short term rewards are more important Growth is good Get as many resources as you can Keep energy prices low If it aint broke, dont fix it Wait until there is scientific proof We will always find new solutions

5. Miller identifies cultural bias The self-interest motive is self confirming Self interest determines behavior The power of social norms Norms demonstrate cultural bias

6. National Advisory Mental Health Council, NAMHC (1996) Cultural beliefs influence diagnosis and treatment Diagnosis differs across cultures People express symptoms differently Diagnosis vary in each culture Most providers are from the majority cultures

7. Stanley Sue cites external validity issues Different research approaches are appropriate Ethno-cultural beliefs are important Much attention to internal validity Less emphasis on external validity Internal validity supports causal inferences External validity renders findings meaningless Internal validity leads to majority culture domination

8. Lewis-Fernandez and Kleinman identify 3 culture-bound assumptions The egocentricity of the self The mind-body dualism The view of culture as an arbitrary superimposition on biological reality

9. Alternative and complementary therapies more popular One third of the people in the US One half of those in Europe About 80% of people world-wide

10. Many reasons why Alternative therapies are popular Less expensive Third party payments Reverse technology transfer Patient is a participant in healing Patient is less helpless More low tech More gentle and natural Relies on self-healing capabilities Values subjective relationship

11. Culture free or culture fair tests have failed Content validity Semantic validity Technical equivalence Criterion validity Conceptual equivalence

12. Global Changes are required Textbooks incorporate international examples Introduce cross-cultural perspectives Theories culturally contextualized Psychology understood in its historical context Invite more international authors and editors Cite more psychological research from outside the US Co-authored publications across cultures Collaborative research

13. Conventional assumptions of textbook psychology Unimodal measure of normal behavior Individualism Specialized expertise Psychological abstractions Dependence usually undesirable Natural support systems ignored Linear thinking preferred Adapt and adjust to the status quo History is not very relevant Culturally learned assumptions already known

14. The Up-Side of a multicultural perspective Accuracy Conflict Management Identity A Healthy Society Encapsulation Protection Survival Social Justice Right-thinking Personalized Learning Spirituality Political Stability Strengthened Psychology

15. Multiculturalism as a Fourth Force Psychology seems to be going through a paradigm shift The movement is from a monocultural to multicultural perspectives Transpersonal psychology first claimed to be a fourth force The new rules emphasize tolerance of ambiguity rather than dissonance reduction Reality is more multidimensional than unidimensional Both subjective and objective data are valid Chaos Theory and Complexity Theory is self-organizing, dynamic and non-linear

16. Resistance to Multiculturalism as a Fourth Force Competes with established theories Affirmative action, quotas, and emotional controversy The arguments against post-modernism Universalists No accepted standard definition No acceptance of measurable competencies Unrealistic More research is needed Can not include all possible groups Multiculturalism is anti-White

17. The rise of Indigenous Psychologies Family orientation is central The Chinese generalize their familistic experience Rejects an individualistic perspective Individualism has dominated psychology Interconnectednes and synthesizing opposites

18. Yang has developed a list of Seven No Not to habitually adopt Western psychological concepts Not to overlook Western psychologists important expertise Not to reject useful indigenous ideas Not to adopt cross-cultural approaches that impose Western ideas Not to use concepts that are too broad or abstract Not to think out research problems exclusively in English Not to politicize research

19. Yang has also developed a list of Ten Yes To tolerate vague and ambiguous conditions To be a typical Chinese when functioning as a researcher To consider the cultural setting of psychological phenomenon To give priority to studying culturally unique behavior To begin any research with immersion into the natural setting To investigate both the process and the content factors To base research on the Chinese intellectual tradition To go beyond traditional aspects of understanding To go beyond psychological functioning in understanding

20. Bingham summarizes the multicultural needs of psychology Develop cultural competence All curriculum incorporates multiculturalism Minority representation Recognition of cultural bias A social support network An inclusive and positive campus climate Negating multiculturalism is stopped