The Global Need for Indigenous Psychology

Abstract

Our global village is fast changing with astronomical growth in virtual communication and physical movement of millions of people for leisure as well as work. The shrinking of the globe calls for a better understanding of each other, and we can do this by learning how each of us operates in our unique cultural space. In this chapter, I present three reasons for, or imperatives of, doing indigenous research. I posit that there are two ways of doing meaningful cultural research in large populous countries such as China, India, Indonesia, Brazil, Nigeria, Mexico, and so forth. First, we can start with the cross-cultural theories and test them in the context of these countries. This approach is better than the pseudoetic approach in which people invariably start with Western models developed in USA, Canada, and other European countries. Second, we can start with indigenous ideas to develop models and then examine the cross-cultural theories and Western ideas in light of these indigenous models (Bhawuk, 2008a, b). I present examples of both these approaches. It is hoped that researchers will pause to reflect on the mindless copying of Western ideas and start paying attention to indigenous ideas in psychology, for at best, the borrowed Western models of psychology can confuse rather than help in understanding social and organizational behavior in these populous countries. I propose that researchers put a moratorium on pseudoetic research that leads to the mindless copying of Western ideas and start paying attention to indigenous ideas in psychology that can be found in many of these non-Western countries. Psychological research in India is used to exemplify the general ideas presented in the chapter.