Acronym Absurdity Constrains Psychological Science

Syed, Moin

doi:10.31234/osf.io/293wx

Cited by 2 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 18 publications

(22 reference statements)

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“…Given this sociopolitical and historical context, we refer to Black people and Blackness specifically in our writing (ross, 2020) and use the term people of color, as well as the acronym BIPOC (Black Indigenous People of Color), to refer more broadly to the minority (non-white) experience in the United States (Garcia, 2020;Syed, 2020). Additionally, we intentionally capitalize Black to recognize the collective sensibilities that characterize the socio-political identities represented by people who are racialized as Black in the United States.…”

Section: Terminology: Naming Race and Racial Groupsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…One of the enduring ways that psychology, and specifically developmental research, contributes to racism in science and society is via the assumption that there is a normal and universal path of human development. In psychological theory and research, normativity was fashioned around the experiences of WEIRD (Western, Educated, Industrialized, Rich, Democratic) populations with a focus on white and middle-class people (Henrich et al, 2010;Syed, 2020). Thus, it is not only that people of color have been largely excluded from research, but more critically, that the standard of human -the most evolved and ideal endpoint -has been constructed and held constant as white (cisgender male, middle-class, heterosexual; Henrich et al, 2010;Lesko, 1996).…”

Section: Psychology's Story Of Racism and Human Developmentmentioning

confidence: 99%

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M(ai)cro: Centering the Macrosystem in Human Development

et al. 2021

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Both society and psychological science are deeply grounded in (and often perpetuate) white supremacy and anti-Blackness. While human development is inextricable from macro-level structural racism and hierarchies of oppression, developmental research often locates processes in the micro-level of individuals and relationships, ultimately obscuring how intimately macro-level forces shape developmental processes. The current paper aims to shift the starting point of the story of human development by centering the macrosystem, and specifically racism (and its partnering ideologies of sexism, heteronormativity, classism, and capitalism) in ecological systems theory and developmental psychology broadly. Through the lens of racial socialization research, we present an empirical example to illustrate how the sociopolitical context of racism is itself a source of socialization. Finally, we propose new language, <i>m(ai)cro</i>, to conceptualize the simultaneous and transactional macro-as-micro processes in development. We conclude with guiding principles for how to work toward equity and justice in human development.

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Section: Terminology: Naming Race and Racial Groupsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Psychology's Story Of Racism and Human Developmentmentioning

confidence: 99%

M(ai)cro: Centering the Macrosystem in Human Development

et al. 2021

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“…As we have discussed multiple times before, it is notable--but rarely recognized--that the WEIRD paper has almost nothing to say about race and ethnicity. We all know there is nothing so practical as a good acronym (Syed, 2020a), but we should always be skeptical of convenient acronyms and how they can perpetuate inequalities. WEIRD is almost too good, which also means it is also almost certainly leaving out other important facets of diversity that should be giving equal attention.…”

Section: Representation Of Samplesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Cultural Psychology, Diversity, and Representation in Open Science

Syed¹,

Kathawalla²

2020

Preprint

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The current moment in psychology is one of great challenges and great opportunities. The open science movement--the move towards more transparent, credible, and reproducible science--has led to a redefinition of what constitutes “normal science.” However, the field of cultural psychology, broadly construed, has by and large not engaged with the open science movement, and likewise, the open science movement has by and large not engaged with cultural psychology. The purpose of the present chapter is to bring open science and cultural psychology closer together, highlighting how they can benefit one another. In doing so, we focus our discussion on three types of representations regarding diversity in psychological research and how they intersect with open science: representation of researchers, or the diversity of the scientists actually doing the research, representation of samples, or who is included as participants in our research studies, and representation of perspectives, or the substantive conceptual and theoretical views we bring to our work. For each of these three types of representation we outline the problem, and then discuss how embracing the principles and behaviors of open science can help.

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Acronym Absurdity Constrains Psychological Science

Abstract:
This essay focuses on acronym absurdity, which is how a specific type of abbreviations—acronyms—can have the power to constrain discovery and advancement, thereby shaping science in undesirable ways.

Cited by 2 publications

References 18 publications

M(ai)cro: Centering the Macrosystem in Human Development

M(ai)cro: Centering the Macrosystem in Human Development

Cultural Psychology, Diversity, and Representation in Open Science

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Acronym Absurdity Constrains Psychological Science

Abstract: This essay focuses on acronym absurdity, which is how a specific type of abbreviations—acronyms—can have the power to constrain discovery and advancement, thereby shaping science in undesirable ways.

Cited by 2 publications

References 18 publications

M(ai)cro: Centering the Macrosystem in Human Development

M(ai)cro: Centering the Macrosystem in Human Development

Cultural Psychology, Diversity, and Representation in Open Science

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About

Abstract:
This essay focuses on acronym absurdity, which is how a specific type of abbreviations—acronyms—can have the power to constrain discovery and advancement, thereby shaping science in undesirable ways.