African Psychology 144
4 African Psychologies
● Growth of African-centred psychology = obstructed by the view that it’s singular + static
instead of being composed of dynamic + manifold orientations
● African psych challenges the imperial + colonial foundations of psych
○ Goal is for psych to become less western and more transnational
○ Also to be taught in uni’s in Europe & North America
The Call for African Psychology, from, for & Within Africa
● African psych is being taught as an academic discipline in African uni’s - not v well tho
● There needs to be more counter attitudes towards hostility with learning abt the importance
abt African psych - as it is seen less than Western psych
○ To help break away from colonialism + white-centredness in psych (euro-american)
● African psych at 1st focused on: understanding the influences, struggles, conditions, costs +
achievements of African ppl in the U.S.
○ This opposed assumptions, theories + research concl. on black ppl’s behaviour,
feelings + thoughts
● African psych def by Cross: by black pp in the U.Sl, incl black ppl outside africa as
descendants of slaves + ppl that look black that look back to Africa for solutions to problems
● African psych isn’t the same as black/african indigenous psych
● African psych def by Nwoye: refers to the systematic + informed study of complexities of
human mental life, culture + experience in the pre + post colonial African world
A Caveat/Warning regarding “African Psychology” & Related Terms
● 2 issues involved with terms like African Psychology:
○ Figuring out the distinction between African psych and Africa(n)-centred psych - the
first being more broad and the latter being more focused
■ African psych = all psych in Africa, Africa(n)-centred psych = psych and
africa/ns
○ The distinction to be made about what african is - also the willingness to be open to
influences from other cultures is needed
2 Assertions & A Proposal
● African psych can be used as the umbrella term for psych conducted in africa but is split into
diff perspectives by 2 principles” psych AND Africa
○ It is not a single body of knowledge as it’s multicultural, pluriversal, etc.
○ Nwoye has anticipated the opposition to the research as not being able to research
singularly because it is so complex
● African psych isn’t just abt africa but also has a common worldview + paradigmatic scope
, ● 4 African psychologies: culturally, metaphysically or spiritually inclined african-centred
psych (aka cultural african psych) as a materially, politically/critically focused african psych,
AKA, psychological African Studies
Delineating The 4 African Psychologies
● African psych is not one in itself but different approaches of psych in africa - they are also
understood differently by different people
● It is an orientation of oneself to Africa + African objects/subjects of knowledge - whether an
identification/absence with it and they perceived identity of oneself with Africa
○ This all effects research, teaching + practice
● The 4 psychs are not subdisciplines like cognitive/developmental or professional associations
like educational/industrial but are found within subdisciplines, categories/divisions
○ 3 out of the 4 are transdisciplinary - due to having to go outside of received psych so
‘specialise’ with Africa and psych and are informed by other disciplines
● Psych in africa = psych in africa
● Cultural African Psych = culturally, metaphysically or spiritually inclined African psych
● Critical African Psych = materially, politically or critically inclined African psych
● Psychological African Studies = psychological african studies
African Psychology as Psychology in Africa
● Mainly understood as western psychology in Africa - dominates almost all theoretical
explanations, frame what’s taught, influences what’s published, research approaches +
analysis + underpins what the maj of therapists + counsellors apply in their work
● The orientation = formed by belief that psych is universal (+ scientific) - even tho historically
euro-american centric + supported dehumanisation of Africans
○ Making it objective, conservative, value-free + apolitical
● Advantages: fits perfectly with mainstream psych in U.S. Europe, etc. so it doesn’t have to be
changed there
● Criticisms: can be colonialist + supportive of the status quo & it’s not Africa(n)-centred but
seen as a setting/backdrop for q’s + theories generated elsewhere
○ Can become centred if situates itself within social, political + economic realities in
Africa + reformulating psych theories all together incl developing new approaches
Cultural African Psychology
● Nwoye’s conception of psych revolves around this as culture + spirituality is incl in his
research with africa + psych
● Def: the orientation for those who regard African psych as concerned with spiritual, cultural
or metaphysical phenomena, including interests in the importance of shared African
languages, values, beliefs, worldviews, philosophies and knowledge
4 African Psychologies
● Growth of African-centred psychology = obstructed by the view that it’s singular + static
instead of being composed of dynamic + manifold orientations
● African psych challenges the imperial + colonial foundations of psych
○ Goal is for psych to become less western and more transnational
○ Also to be taught in uni’s in Europe & North America
The Call for African Psychology, from, for & Within Africa
● African psych is being taught as an academic discipline in African uni’s - not v well tho
● There needs to be more counter attitudes towards hostility with learning abt the importance
abt African psych - as it is seen less than Western psych
○ To help break away from colonialism + white-centredness in psych (euro-american)
● African psych at 1st focused on: understanding the influences, struggles, conditions, costs +
achievements of African ppl in the U.S.
○ This opposed assumptions, theories + research concl. on black ppl’s behaviour,
feelings + thoughts
● African psych def by Cross: by black pp in the U.Sl, incl black ppl outside africa as
descendants of slaves + ppl that look black that look back to Africa for solutions to problems
● African psych isn’t the same as black/african indigenous psych
● African psych def by Nwoye: refers to the systematic + informed study of complexities of
human mental life, culture + experience in the pre + post colonial African world
A Caveat/Warning regarding “African Psychology” & Related Terms
● 2 issues involved with terms like African Psychology:
○ Figuring out the distinction between African psych and Africa(n)-centred psych - the
first being more broad and the latter being more focused
■ African psych = all psych in Africa, Africa(n)-centred psych = psych and
africa/ns
○ The distinction to be made about what african is - also the willingness to be open to
influences from other cultures is needed
2 Assertions & A Proposal
● African psych can be used as the umbrella term for psych conducted in africa but is split into
diff perspectives by 2 principles” psych AND Africa
○ It is not a single body of knowledge as it’s multicultural, pluriversal, etc.
○ Nwoye has anticipated the opposition to the research as not being able to research
singularly because it is so complex
● African psych isn’t just abt africa but also has a common worldview + paradigmatic scope
, ● 4 African psychologies: culturally, metaphysically or spiritually inclined african-centred
psych (aka cultural african psych) as a materially, politically/critically focused african psych,
AKA, psychological African Studies
Delineating The 4 African Psychologies
● African psych is not one in itself but different approaches of psych in africa - they are also
understood differently by different people
● It is an orientation of oneself to Africa + African objects/subjects of knowledge - whether an
identification/absence with it and they perceived identity of oneself with Africa
○ This all effects research, teaching + practice
● The 4 psychs are not subdisciplines like cognitive/developmental or professional associations
like educational/industrial but are found within subdisciplines, categories/divisions
○ 3 out of the 4 are transdisciplinary - due to having to go outside of received psych so
‘specialise’ with Africa and psych and are informed by other disciplines
● Psych in africa = psych in africa
● Cultural African Psych = culturally, metaphysically or spiritually inclined African psych
● Critical African Psych = materially, politically or critically inclined African psych
● Psychological African Studies = psychological african studies
African Psychology as Psychology in Africa
● Mainly understood as western psychology in Africa - dominates almost all theoretical
explanations, frame what’s taught, influences what’s published, research approaches +
analysis + underpins what the maj of therapists + counsellors apply in their work
● The orientation = formed by belief that psych is universal (+ scientific) - even tho historically
euro-american centric + supported dehumanisation of Africans
○ Making it objective, conservative, value-free + apolitical
● Advantages: fits perfectly with mainstream psych in U.S. Europe, etc. so it doesn’t have to be
changed there
● Criticisms: can be colonialist + supportive of the status quo & it’s not Africa(n)-centred but
seen as a setting/backdrop for q’s + theories generated elsewhere
○ Can become centred if situates itself within social, political + economic realities in
Africa + reformulating psych theories all together incl developing new approaches
Cultural African Psychology
● Nwoye’s conception of psych revolves around this as culture + spirituality is incl in his
research with africa + psych
● Def: the orientation for those who regard African psych as concerned with spiritual, cultural
or metaphysical phenomena, including interests in the importance of shared African
languages, values, beliefs, worldviews, philosophies and knowledge
