Elements of a psychology of human diversity

Abstract

Despite new movements in psychology that are supportive of human diversity, there is no general framework for relating significant social-psychological markers like gender, race, age, sexual orientation, and other aspects of human diversity to theory, research, and action in community psychology. This article reviews four perspectives that can contribute to a general psychology of human diversity: the population-specific psychologies (e.g., Asian-American psychology, the psychology of women, African-American psychology), sociopolitical perspectives (emphasizing historical, economic, and systems analysis and the dynamics of oppression), cross-cultural psychology (emphasizing culture, and inter- as well as intragroup methods), and ecological psychology (emphasizing the dynamics of specific settings and the people in them). Using tenets of social constructionist philosophy and an emphasis on social equity and cultural relativism to create a value stance, the relevant concepts from each perspective are discussed. The implications of this emerging diversity-conscious worldview for research, action, and theory in community psychology are also considered.