Cross-cultural research for positive social change

Cross-cultural research can make significant and indeed truly extraordinary contributions to positive social change. Studies in multiple nations can examine issues of race, class, and gender and provide data and evidence that may be utilized to inform social policies and projects to move society towards more equity and fewer health disparities. Additionally, cross-cultural research can help inform discussions about best treatment and intervention practices, and how these treatments and practices are best adapted and modified to be most effective to diverse groups.

 Examine social issues related to cross-cultural research and positive social change. 

 Psychological research is more than an intellectual exercise. Data and evidence from cross-cultural work can be utilized to implement positive social change. For example, psychologists have worked on such social issues as global poverty, health disparities, and equality among groups. Other examples for positive social change one can consider how such research can be utilized to improve treatments and interventions for psychological disorders or for educational programs. For example, if research was only conducted in one culture, psychologists would not know whether the educational or therapy intervention that worked well in one culture works well or even works at all in another culture. Thus, conducting cross-cultural research can really lead to improved outcomes in many domains of relevance, such as in schools and in the counseling center. 

 Examine a social issue and explore ways that cross-cultural research can impact positive social change. 

 Post and briefly describe the social issue you selected and explain at least three ways that cross-cultural psychology research can inform policy change to improve society. 

 Note: Be sure to support your postings and responses with specific references to the Learning Resources and identify current relevant literature to support your work.