Toward Culturally Sensitive Development Paradigms: New Shifts, Limitations, and the Role of (Cross-) Cultural Psychology

Abstract

In this paper, we tackle three central questions: (1) How is cultural sensitivity currently shaping development agendas? (2) How can collaborations between development agencies and (cross-) cultural psychologists ensure that development priorities are culturally sensitive and bottom-up, rather than culturally universal and top-down? And finally, (3) How can utopian thinking be used as a bottom-up research device to tap into the content of the social imaginary of people across cultures and contexts in a way that can inform and guide development paradigms? We review relevant literatures and research from development agencies, cultural, and cross-cultural psychology, highlight advancements in devising culturally sensitive development goals, and advocate for a bottom-up approach to prioritizing needs and goals of citizens across different cultures. To that end, we propose that utopian thinking could be leveraged as a culturally sensitive research tool that could illuminate culturally specific development needs and goals that have been left untapped by contemporary development approaches. We conclude by reiterating the importance of leveraging knowledge, research methods, and expertise from cultural and cross-cultural psychology to reach the ultimate development goal—the improvement of the human condition in a sustainable, equitable manner.

Is it okay to feel this way? Exploring the joint effect of emotional experiences and expectations on life satisfaction

“…The present sample, which comprises only of online participants from the United States, imposes limitations on the extent to which the findings can be generalized. In order to adequately address the variances in emotional norms and expectations across different cultures and in a culturally sensitive way (Badaan and Choucair, 2023 ; Thomas and Markus, 2023 ), it is crucial to incorporate multiple cultural contexts into the future research agenda.…”

Preference for modernization is universal, but expected modernization trajectories are culturally diversified: A nine‐country study of folk theories of societal development

“…Each post-economic society may discuss and formulate its own pathway of further modernization (Krys et al, 2020(Krys et al, , 2018. The culturally sensitive idea may also help poorer societies formulate their own indigenous pathway of development (Badaan & Choucair, 2022;Rappleye et al, 2020). Although the emphasis on creating a basis for modernization may still be high in less affluent societies (i.e., accumulating resources via economic development can still be a priority; see Nigeria on Figure 4), other aims may be harmonized with economic way in an indigenously defined way.…”