Cultural Psychology: A Once and Future Discipline
Author Michael Cole informs us that experimental psychology is facing a cross-cultural crisis…the solution to which he offers us…
In noted psychologist Michael Cole’s Cultural Psychology: A Once and Future Discipline, the author gives us an account of what cultural psychology is, what is has been, and what it yet could be. The author examines the overlapping nature of psychology and culture, arguing that culture plays a significant role in the psychic life of human beings. To Cole, fish swim in water but do not see water any more than humans, who swim in culture, see culture. He attempts to demonstrate from a multifaceted perspective the interrelated nature of culture and psychology, a blending of nature versus nurture if you will. Cole argues that when psychology attempted to become a science, it abandoned culture, what he refers to as the “activity system” that gives psychology life.
In his introduction, Cole asks a few questions. First, he asks why psychologists are so remiss to include culture in their psychological worldview “Why do psychologists find it so difficult to keep culture in mind?” (Cole 1). He explores why culture has become a marginal at best consideration among psychologists. Cole’s next question is his most significant. The author asks that if psychologists accept culture as a foundation of human thought and behavior, what approaches or methods can be used that are scientifically acceptable to formulate a culture-inclusive psychology. His main purpose is to outline the way to create such a culture-inclusive psychology. In a world increasingly culturally diverse, Cole’s book is especially useful for those who work with individuals from non-dominant cultures. This is because they author argues that if culture is such a significant aspect of thought and behavior, psychologists must learn to test the cross-cultural generality of the...