Outstanding women psychologists mainly from Europe – What helped and what limited them in their scientific careers? Guidelines for gender equity programs in academia

Abstract

The manuscript is based on a series of structured interviews with female scientists from around the world who have made significant contributions to psychology and have an impact on their cultural areas. The authors interviewed female scientists and researchers from a similar age group, but from different regions of the world, to capture the factors influencing careers of interlocutors from a similar period and enabling cultural inference. Both the universal and the cultural barriers faced by female scientists/researchers in career development and the factors that have contributed to success in psychology are discussed. Universal and cultural factors served in this manuscript as a guideline for gender equality programs in academia to overcome gender stereotypes, support early career development, support women in reaching leadership positions, and enhance women’s visibility.

Incorporating feminist practices into psychological science - the why, the what and the how

“…Applying such a feminist lens to scientific research is advantageous in many ways, as exemplified in geography (Liboiron, 2021), neuroscience (Choudhury et al, 2009;Hyde et al, 2019;van Anders et al, 2015), and science and technology studies (Faculty of Native Studies, University of Alberta, n.d.; Murphy, 2012). However, there is little knowledge among scientists not actively practicing feminist psychology or applying feminist practices in psychology regarding the general definition, implementation or impact of feminist approaches in the psychological sciences (see Wiggington & Lafrance, 2019 on how to conduct or teach critical feminist research; and Gruber et al, 2020;Matsick et al, 2021;McCormick-Huhn et al, 2019;Olos & Hoff, 2006;Pastwa-Wojciechowska & Chybicka, 2022 for more specific topics). This can lead early career researchers interested in feminist topics or approaches to be overwhelmed by the classic feminist literature.…”