Adopted as APA Policy by APA Council of Representatives in February 2017
WHEREAS the psychology produced and taught in the United States remains largely U.S.-mainstream oriented and European-heritage grounded in its traditions, theories and evidence base, and often does not incorporate perspectives, content, and data relevant to other U. S. perspectives (e.g. rural, minority, indigenous, immigrant) or generated in other countries, (Arnett, 2008; Castillo, 2001; Draguns, 2001; Heinrich, Heine, & Norenzayan, 2010 ; Legare & Harris, 2016; Nagai, 2007; Segal, Lonner & Berry, 1998); and
WHEREAS most research studies published in U.S. psychology journals, based on U.S. convenience samples (e.g., undergraduate students), are assumed to be representative of population demographics (Adair & Huynh, 2012; Arnett, 2008; Heinrich et al., 2010), and samples with data from outside the U.S. are often dismissed as non-representative (Canetto, Yang, Borrayo, & Timpson, 2003, Fine, 2012); and
WHEREAS psychologists outside the United States have generated frameworks, methods, practices, and research relevant in the United States and globally (Adair, 2006; Allwood & Berry, 2006; APA, 2004; Christopher, et al., 2014; Cheung, 2012; Kitayama & Cohen, 2010; Silbereisen, Ritchie & Panday, 2014; Van de Vijver, 2013); and
WHEREAS the majority of studies published in U.S. psychology journals utilize quantitative methods, although qualitative, participatory or community-based methods may be better suited for cross cultural research and although there is increased visibility of and attention to mixed methods research ( Den Hartog , & Dickson , 2004; Denzin & Lincoln, 2001; Karasz 2011; Psaki, 2016; Sparrow & Davis, 2000); and
WHEREAS assessment methods and interventions primarily developed and normed in English, with samples from high income countries, have often been used widely throughout the world without considering cultural differences that affect assessment and intervention validity and without the use of strategies to ensure fair use across groups ( Achenbach, et al., 2008; Braun, Fine, Greif & Devenny, 2010; Dana, 2000; Hambleton & Zenisky, 2011; Hill, Pace & Robbins, 2010; Mezzich, 2002; Nakane & Nakane, 2002); and
WHEREAS psychologists have an ethical responsibility to understand and consider the cultural values, mores, history, and policies of the societies and countries to which they apply U.S.-generated research, guidelines, or practices (American Psychological Association, 2002; Berry, 2013; Bernal, Jimenez-Chafey & Domenech, 2009; Dadlani, Overtree, & Perry-Jenkins, 2012); and
WHEREAS U.S. psychology would benefit from the expansion of its knowledge base through the inclusion of global perspectives, theories, research findings, and practices from outside the U.S. (Adair, Coelho, & Luna, 2002; Arnett, 2008; Brock, 2006; Heinrich, Heine & Norenzayan, 2010; Legare & Harris, 2016; Lutsky, et al, 2005; Marsella, 2009); and
WHEREAS it is important to recognize that a comprehensive global perspective combines worldwide, transnational and intercultural themes, encompassing societies, nations and countries; recognition of variety and diversity within and across societies, nations, and countries; and recognition of variety and diversity in individual and group experiences within those societies, nations and countries; and
WHEREAS high-income countries, including the U.S., are becoming increasingly global ( Banks, 2004; Fearon, 2003; Fisher, 2013 ; Hugo, 2005; Marsella & Pedersen, 2002; Woolf, Hulsizer & McCarthy, 2002); and
WHEREAS partnerships across countries, cultural groups, and disciplines have promise for reciprocal benefit and increased synergy in solving global problems and promoting new discoveries (Chin & Trimble, 2014; Chiu & Ying-Yi Hong, 2005; APA, 2011, Committee, 2014; National Research Council, 2014); and
WHEREAS many U.S. psychological organizations promote international engagement;
THEREFORE, be it resolved that the American Psychological Association will:
1. Promote inquiry that includes comprehensive global perspectives and content in psychological theory, practice, education, advocacy and policy.
2. Encourage critical reflection on the meaning and use of psychological constructs and definitions that are assumed to be universal and generalizable.
3. Encourage the development and dissemination of sound assessment and intervention methodologies and education that respect local communities and are grounded in ethical principles of psychology.
4. Acknowledge and consider research findings, publications, training programs, guidelines, and regulatory processes developed outside the United States.
5. Recommend language changes in APA communications and publications to avoid U.S.-centric perspectives and to include global and diversity perspectives. Examples of these language changes include:
a. Use “in the United States” for research, tests, training curricula, and practices that are developed and tested with U.S. samples;
b. Include “the global implications” of research findings, tests, and practices where relevant;
6. Encourage psychologists to use language that reflects awareness of global frameworks. For example:
a. Evaluate language in statements of research findings, opinions, policies and conclusions to ensure that these statements do not present U.S. perspectives as though they were universal and universally generalizable. Restrict the use of the term “Western” to geographical location. “Western” should not be used to refer to ideas or experiences from Europe or the United States (as in “western culture”).
b. Replace terms such as “exhaustive literature search” with a more precise description of which databases were searched. When databases in languages other than English are searched provide information for accessing those databases.
c. Be explicit about the national origin of the literature reviewed in literature summaries and note where the data were collected.
d. Be cautious of claims of universality or generalizability beyond the specific populations studied. Make statements about “people in general” only when theory or evidence are about a representative global population.
e. Be mindful of not assuming U.S. norms or U.S. readership when using terms such as “we” or “our” or “us.”
7. Recommend that APA boards and committees routinely and systematically incorporate comprehensive global perspectives in their work and develop criteria against which to evaluate this impact:
a. Strategies might include assessing whether a statement, policy or guideline is intended to refer to the U.S. only or to be generalizable, asking whether statements have referenced the international literature, or reflecting on whether U.S. definitions of populations of population dimensions (such as dimensions of diversity) are universally applicable to the issue at hand.
b. Evaluation criteria might include attention to language (as noted in #5), source of references, inclusion of examples from outside the U.S. context, and the like.
8. Promote collaborative international partnerships grounded in a comprehensive global perspective; initiatives that facilitate international partnerships; training in global competencies; and develop guidance and best practices for ethically sound, culturally responsive international collaborations.
9. Encourage psychologists to understand that international collaborations are often influenced by power hierarchies, and that dominant frameworks marginalize subordinate frameworks on global and local levels.
10. Encourage U.S. undergraduate and graduate psychology programs to promote opportunities for students to learn other languages and experience other cultures.
11. Encourage U. S. psychologists to learn and use local languages in conducting professional work in communities domestically and internationally.
12. Promote comprehensive global focused curricula for high school, undergraduate, and graduate psychology.
13. Promote comprehensive global perspectives across association activities including publication practices, public interest, science, education, and professional initiatives.
Suggested Citation
American Psychological Association. (2017). Resolution on Promoting Global Perspectives in U.S. Psychology. Retrieved from: http:://www.apa.org/about/policy/global-perspectives
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