Walt Lonner
Bellingham, Washington
Welcome to a unique free textbook and website!
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| Walt Lonner, 2008 |
A brief history
The Online Readings in Psychology and Culture was conceptualized and developed by Walt Lonner and the Center for Cross-Cultural Research (Department of Psychology, Western Washington University) beginning in the early 2000s with the considerable assistance of Dale L. Dinnel, Susanna A. Hayes and David N. Sattler. The ORPC was launched in August, 2002. In 2008, the ORPC was transferred to the International Association for Cross-Cultural Psychology (IACCP) and acquired the status of an official publication of the Association.
What is it?
Consisting of short chapters relating to many aspects of the interface between psychology and culture, Online Readings in Psychology and Culture is designed to be used by professors to supplement lectures and textbooks in any psychology course, or as the primary readings for courses in psychology and culture. The project is based on the following assumptions that are combined with much collegial good faith and a generous supply of optimism:
- Students, professors, and researchers throughout the world will benefit from free and easily accessible readings dealing with the interaction between psychology and culture. If one has access to the internet, then s/he will have free use of the readings.
- Professors will welcome a free resource for their students, and supplement their psychology courses or psychology and culture courses with the readings.
- Many psychologists have a strong interest in, as well as much experience in, cross-cultural or cultural psychology. In the spirit of sharing their ideas and collective wisdom, they will unselfishly contribute one or more short chapter(s).
- We, the editors, would have the time, resources, and open-ended interest to do a respectable organizational and editorial job on this project, with no financial remuneration of any kind for anyone involved.
- Once Online Readings in Psychology and Culture became known, many others would be excited about using the readings in their courses, profession work, and writing a chapter for it. (See below concerning possible involvement in this project.)
These readings are meant to supplement and not replace, compete with, or diminish the importance of basic texts in the areas of cross-cultural psychology, cultural psychology, psychological anthropology and related academic areas. There are dozens of published works that cover a broad range of topics in the relevant culture-oriented areas, and instructors (especially) who log onto this website will be familiar with most of the fine texts, handbooks and other resources that are currently available. Indeed, several contributors to this project are authors or co-authors of basic books of the type we have in mind. And unlike conventional and commercial texts, the chapters in Online Readings in Psychology and Culture -- both individually and collectively -- are not intended to be fixed and unmodifiable. Each of them can be periodically revised and updated by the author(s), if they prefer to do so. Indeed, our plans include updating the readings on a periodic basis, perhaps annually, after we meet our initial goal of including 100 chapters at this website.
Also, please keep in mind that this is not a book in the classical sense, and it therefore should not be evaluated as such. We like to think of this as a "rolling" book -- a set of essays, reflections, and data-oriented reports -- gathering momentum and enthusiasm as it evolves and thrives on creative input by many scholars. The chapters are generally well written, but the presentations aren't as uniform or "standardized" as they may have been in a more traditional book. In fact, we chose to allow authors the liberty of addressing their topics in the manner they thought most appropriate and interesting.
Copyright and Use of the Chapters
It is important for readers of these chapters to know that all of the contributions to this project, present and future, are copyrighted by the author or authors. The present authors have signed an agreement that extends to us a license to use their work in this project; we have merely added each chapter to the collection. This agreement was written at the Center for Cross-Cultural Research of Western Washington University (seen here) and revised by the IACCP (here).
How to Use Online Readings in Psychology and Culture
Here are four examples of how they may be used:
- Supplemental material for one or more regularly published books chosen as the main focus in such courses as Cross-Cultural Psychology, Cultural Psychology, Human Diversity, or any other course that focuses on the interrelationships between psychology and culture.
- Supplemental readings in one or more courses not explicitly focusing on culture but one in which the instructor wants to infuse the course content with various perspectives concerning culture and human thought and behavior. For instance, courses in human development, social psychology, or personality would be enhanced by a careful selection of the readings.
- The nucleus of a particular course of study that is being designed at either the undergraduate or graduate level.
- Source material for term papers and projects that may be required in parts of one's field of study.
The Giving Away of Psychology
Finally, it is the user of this website who has full permission to use these readings in any way he or she wishes, so long as any effort to do so is consistent with the unselfish spirit of this project and the User Agreement. Years ago, as part of his presidential address to the American Psychological Association, George A. Miller said that psychologists should "give psychology away." By this he meant that psychologists, almost all of whom have much to offer by way of expertise, research findings, and acumen in plumbing the depths of the human mind, should freely and willingly give their discipline away to those who can use it best: the public, inquisitive students, and others who are trying to understand their life and times, often in desperate circumstances. This project is one sure way to "give psychology away" and through that action honor Miller's humanitarian intent. All the contributing authors are aware of this spirit, either explicitly or implicitly. By joining this effort they honor the memory of Miller, a remarkable and influential psychologist who himself had a profound interest in culture.
Your Potential Involvement is Important
The initial launching of this unique and energetic effort is just a start. The International Association for Cross-Cultural Psychology welcomes correspondence regarding the possible addition of new chapters (see below). We believe that all psychologists interested in the interface between psychology and culture have many good ideas, perspectives, and experiences that they would like to share with others. Similarly, we believe that there are thousands of individuals who will appreciate generous contributions such as the current chapters in this project and others that will be added in the near future. Unencumbered by editorial constraints (often stringent demands) of orthodox journal reviewing procedures and typical book chapters, we have found that those who have already contributed chapters appreciate the freedom they had in explaining some of their ideas and past or future research (summarizing previously unpublished data), and creatively suggesting different ways to consider the ways in which psychology and culture define each other. The amazing facility of the internet and the convenience it offers to many throughout the world has made this project possible; such an effort would have been difficult, at best, even ten or twelve years ago when the basic idea of a "modular" or "cafeteria-style" approach was developed by the founding editor of Online Readings in Psychology and Culture, Walt Lonner.
If you are interested in writing a chapter for this project (or if you know of someone whom you think would write an excellent and useful chapter), please get in touch with us. We welcome the opportunity to discuss possible future contributions. This should not, however, be taken as a blanket invitation to submit material for immediate consideration and swift insertion into the structure. Quality first, quantity second. Your initial inquiries should be addressed to the chair of the Communications and Publications Committee of IACCP, John Adamopoulos.
Acknowledgments
The strength and usefulness of this project rests squarely on the shoulders of the many authors who have contributed chapters. We want to acknowledge their important contributions and to thank them for enthusiastically accepting our invitation. It is gratifying that so many people have been willing to devote some of their precious time to this project. We also wish to thank in advance the many scholars who have indicated that they will write a chapter or two in the immediate future. The numerous authors who are involved in this project and we, the editors, hope that the considerable effort that this project has required will be beneficial to all students of culture throughout the world.
