Psychology, like many other fields, has a rich history dating back to the 19th century, a time that did not always reflect inclusivity and often presented systematic and structural barriers towards vulnerable and marginalized groups. As such, historically, a large number of people have been excluded in the research processes and development of our understanding of psychology. Specifically, a majority of the study of psychology has been based on a white, educated, industrialized, rich and democratic (WEIRD) sample of individuals that were granted the ability to participate in research.
In return, this has created gaps in perspectives and treatments in psychology. While the current world progressively expands in its diversity and celebration of multicultural identity, it becomes even more important to consider the ways in which culture intersects with an individual’s life in the creation of psychological research and treatment.
Therapy that places the individuals at the center of treatment must first aim to understand the individual. To do this, clinicians explore their patients’ lives, which often involves developing an understanding of their culture, language, ethnicity and other important identity factors. Through achieving a better comprehension of an individual’s cultural backgrounds, clinicians can tailor their treatment towards their patients to achieve better results. Additionally, placing a focus on culture in psychology research allows researchers to gain the ability to create more culturally-sensitive interventions aimed at helping individuals from various different backgrounds.
Ultimately, applying an intercultural perspective in psychology allows researchers and clinicians to understand the best ways to create culturally-relevant treatments for individuals. Tailoring research and treatment towards specific cultural groups facilitates practitioners’ precision and understanding of how treatments may differentially affect individuals due to their cultural backgrounds.
Thus, the role of interculturality in psychology is essential; it is embedded within psychology. To meet the needs of today’s cultural mosaic, clinicians and researchers must integrate a wide range of perspectives and lived realities into both the study and application of psychology.
