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Developmental Psychology in Non-Western Settings

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Thoughts about the applicability of American/Western developmental psychology to non-Western countries and cultures. Explain why developmental psychology has shifted from a Western approach to include diverse settings and groups.

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Solution Summary

The solution provides information, assistance and advise in discussing the topic of the applicability of Western/US developmental psychology to non-Western countries and cultures. The shift of developmental psychology and its applicability in non-Western settings is also discussed. The solution provides guidance on how the problem can be discussed and tackled in an essay format, suggesting an outline. This outline is then utilized to show how it can be done. Resources are listed for further exploration of the topic.

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Hi and thank you for using Brainmass. This is a very interesting topic as this is a question of cross-cultural adaptability. What you are being asked here is to produce an essay that discusses applicability of western ideas to non-western situations. There are many ways this can be answered but to provide focus, you ought to have an outline. I suggest the following:

1. Introduction - what is this essay about? 100 words.
2. Western developmental Psychology - here discuss what it is and the issues associated with its applicability in non-western settings. 300 words.
3. Example of Issues - here, find a culture or a set of cultures where applicability is an issue and discuss them. 300 words.
4. The need for applicability - here discuss the need for applicability as well as current approaches or strategies done for the purpose of applicability. 300 words.

Introduction:

The question of the applicability of Western ideas to non-western cultures have always been in place but most especially in our increasingly globalized world where cultures outside of the West are feeling the pressure to innovate and to 'modernize' to catch up with the developing world. Western ideas are not always met with open arms primarily because of the question of compatibility to local cultures, traditions, beliefs and sensibilities. Knowledge is very much anchored in culture, specifically, in the culture that produced that set knowledge because the production of that knowledge follows rules and methods only understood when viewed from that particular culture. In terms of the social sciences, humanities and applied psychology, there is no such thing as assured universal applicability because the social sciences is an open science and humanities is very much subjective to cultural demands and sensibilities. But knowledge can be taught, elements of certain knowledge systems can be beneficial to the rest of humanity outside of the culture that developed it. Consider for example healing and treatment systems or belief systems that allow for the creation of social order. This essay will discuss the applicability of developmental psychology outside of the West.

Developmental Psychology:

What is developmental psychology? It is a psychological field of study that is also known as the study of human development because it charts and looks into the psychological, social, emotional, cognitive, behavioral ...

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