Bridging 50 Years of Theoretical and Applied Cross-Cultural Psychology: Contributions of IACCP and JCCP

Abstract

Over the course of 50 years, the International Association for Cross-Cultural Psychology (IACCP) and its flagship journal, Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology (JCCP), have been lynchpins in the relationship between theory and practice. We provide evidence that cross-cultural psychology, as practiced by members of the IACCP, performs an essential bridging function between theoretical psychology and applied psychology. Employing survey data of IACCP members, bibliometric analyses of core members’ publication history, and of the citation patterns of JCCP and other journals, we reveal the extent to which IACCP members contribute to applied psychology and how JCCP contributes to the research published in applied psychology journals. We further review strategies and controversies extant in teaching theoretical and applied cross-cultural psychology to university undergraduate and graduate students in the service of preparing them to live and work in a globalized world. Finally, we look at research traditions, issues, and prospects of a key applied field to which cross-cultural psychology contributes—cross-cultural training.