indigenous psychology

n. Indigenous psychology is a scientific approach that seeks to describe and explain culturally relevant psychological phenomena using theories, concepts, and methods that reflect local cultural contexts and perspectives. Indigenous psychology can also refer to the knowledge base or content that results from this approach. Indigenous psychologies are rooted in the specific ecological, historical, sociocultural, and language contexts of a given culture and reflect the experiences, perspectives, and premises of its members. The indigenous perspective is typically contrasted with an alternative approach to cross-cultural research, in which theories, concepts, and methods developed in other (typically Western) cultures are transported and applied in cultural contexts for which they may be less relevant. Thus, in indigenous psychology, the culture of interest is the source of psychological concepts, methods, and knowledge, rather than the target of concepts, methods, and knowledge developed in other cultures.

- ATC