The Study of Human Thought & Behaviour: Looking Back & Looking Forward
Mark H.B. Radford
Abstract
This lecture presents some thoughts of someone who spent a number of years in an academic environment, before moving out into a predominantly applied environment.
It is suggested that social psychology, and to some extent cross-cultural psychology, too often gets caught up in what is popular and trendy without thinking about why we choose the research topics we do, and what relevance or importance they have to advancing our understanding of human behaviour. Further, the study of psychological phenomena is often discipline based, failing to look at other theoretical and methodological approaches that do not fit with our immediate area of specialisation or knowledge. It is argued that without this inclusiveness we fail to see the true picture of life ? of how behaviour and thought is tied in with our genetics and biology, our environment ? physical, social and cultural. We fail to see how our behaviour and thought can be modified by where we have come from ? our history and experiences, and where we are going ? perceived and real.
Several issues facing social and cross-cultural psychology are identified and include a need to: (1) consider psychological phenomena in their context (taking into account, the social, cultural, biological, ecological and temporal environments in which they occur); (2) understand that culture is not a static, unchanging variable; (3) use a combination of qualitative and quantitative measures (using subjects as both the source of data, as well as in the interpretation of that data); and (4) apply psychological knowledge to real-life settings.
Two examples based on current research interests are presented ? the impact of culture on depression and anxiety; and the field of work attitudes and behaviour.