ABSTRACT
The expression of globalization has been influenced by the evolution of postmodernism, which is thought by some as an attack on scientific inquiry promoting relativism. Greater movement toward a global psychology requires rigorous development of indigenous psychologies while at the same time synthesizing their integration. This chapter identifies the key economic and political events in the evolution of globalization to the present. It discusses the impact of some of the forces of globalization upon theories and the practice of psychology. The chapter addresses the fundamental reasons why Western psychology has been unable to come together with other indigenous psychologies to assist in economic and social development. Global psychology equally acknowledges each influence—global, cultural, and individual—that collectively shapes affective, behavioral, and cognitive systems. Global psychology prizes diverse psychologies, universal human rights, and democratic and participatory forms of globalization. The chapter also presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in this book.
