Confucian cultural psychology and its contextually creative intentionality

Abstract

This comparative project is carried out under the trend that both Eastern and Western psychological theories are engaging each other much more than ever before. Theoretically, Western cultural psychology might be strengthened by having a greater understanding of Confucian cultural psychology. Methodologically, Western psychological research has paid more attention to indigenous and cultural studies in order to understand people in cross-cultural context. Practically, understanding the Confucian idea of contextually creative intentionality will aid modern Western cultural psychology in a global era, as well as the growth of cognitive psychological theories. My arguments pertaining to the contextual, relational, engaged and co-created nature of human processes focuses on intentionality and the continuity of human experience and the world. This approach has the potential to enrich current discussions on human agency, especially in modern psychological theories.