Germán Gutiérrez, psychologist from the Universidad Nacional de Colombia (UNC), will give a lecture entitled “Between Global North and Global South: Psychology at the Intersection of the Minority and Majority Worlds” at 14:00-15:30 on April 27th.
Abstract: The scientific paradigms prevalent in the Global North during the twentieth century strongly influenced the early development of psychology. This led to an assumption that universal laws and principles could explain human behavior everywhere. However, this approach resulted in overgeneralizations and ignored essential nuances related to ecological and cultural contexts, especially in the Global South. There has been a growing interest in understanding these distinctions in recent decades, leading to a shift away from exclusively studying WEIRD (Western, Educated, Industrialized, Rich, and Democratic) populations. This shift has caused disagreements between researchers who favor overarching and culturally sensitive methodologies. Nonetheless, adopting an integrative approach to basic and applied psychology is essential. Bridging the gap between general and cultural perspectives is crucial to understanding behavior and cognition holistically. Therefore, inclusive research methodologies that incorporate diverse ecological and cultural influences are necessary to recognize the intersectionality of the minority and majority worlds within psychology. By integrating these perspectives, psychology can progress toward a more comprehensive and nuanced comprehension of human behavior across the globe.
Introduction: Germán Gutiérrez is a psychologist from the Universidad Nacional de Colombia (UNC). He holds a Ph.D. in Behavioral Neurosciences from the University of Texas at Austin, *, and is a professor and director of the Laboratory of Animal Learning and Behavior at UNC. Gutiérrez's research focuses on the evolution of learning mechanisms in reproduction and other behavioral systems using animal models. He has also researched the history and development of psychology, mainly in the Latin American region.
Gutiérrez has held numerous management positions in academic and professional contexts. He has served as the President of the Colombian Association of Psychology Departments and Faculties, Vice-President of the Colombian College of Psychologists, Associate Dean for Research, and Chair of the Department of Psychology at UNC. He was also President of the International Society for Comparative Psychology.
Gutiérrez founded the Observatory of Psychology in Latin America - an information platform that follows the discipline's development and the profession in the region. He is also a member of the Regional Focal Point of the International Science Council for Latin America and the Caribbean.
Gutiérrez is the current President of the International Union of Psychological Science, the leading global organization in psychology.
