Looking within: Elevating Black scholarly contributions to empirical approaches in developmental science.

Abstract

Over the past century, Black American scholars have designed, applied, and promoted conceptual frameworks and research models that propose nuanced understandings of psychological development. This article highlights examples of their contributions to understanding the differential impact of diverse contextual and situational factors. Through examinations of the psychological effects of Blackness on the development of cognition, competence, identity, and social functioning, Black psychologists outline pathways and provide tools for ecological culturally rooted methodologies. These multidisciplinary approaches run in contrast to dominant trends in the field and thus broaden developmental science's reach and influence. In the 1950s, developmental research by Black psychologists was instrumental to the fight for civil rights. Today, it continues to provide a basis for advancing diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice. Public Significance StatementRecent calls for representation, discussions of systemic issues, and closer attention to the mental health of Black Americans highlight the need for renewed attention to the contributions Black scholars have made to our understanding of how culture and context impact lived experiences. This article outlines how Black scholars have designed, applied, and promoted nuanced approaches to the study of human growth and development. Research by Black scholars was foundational to the fight for civil rights and continues to provide a basis for advancing diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice.

Reclaiming the past and transforming our future: Introduction to the special issue on foundational contributions of Black scholars in psychology.

“…RECLAIMING THE PAST study and understand Black youth development, parenting, and family life. Elisha et al (2023) review critical conceptual and empirical contributions of Black scholars to developmental science in the past century, advancing our understanding of how diverse contexts and situations shape psychological development. This article summarizes research on the impact of Blackness on emotional, cognitive, social, and identity development across the life span, emphasizing how Black developmentalists have charted new theoretical directions and introduced innovative methods.…”