Closing Plenary Session: Future of Global Psychological Science

Thursday, October 24, 2024   

7:00 PM – 8:30 PM EDT (23:00 – 00:30 UTC) 

A global approach enriches the field by incorporating diverse perspectives. From behavioral dimensions of climate change to intergroup relations, psychological science provides insights into the complexity of human behavior. What are the cautionary tales and future challenges in psychological science?  

Truly Recognizing Climate Change as a Global Problem: What it Means for Psychological Research 

Kim-Pong Tam, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong, China 

In this talk, with reference to recent reviews and original studies, Tam will argue that to truly recognize the global dynamics of climate change, psychological research needs to expand its geographic representation and actively theorize how human responses to climate change are contingent on local contexts and actions by other countries. 

The Challenges and Opportunities of Social Psychologists in Studying Real World Problems 

Eran Halperin, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel  

In his talk, Halperin will argue that the future of global psychological science lies in addressing urgent real-world social problems through intervention-focused research. Shifting from descriptive to action-oriented approaches, psychological scientists must conduct large-scale, multinational studies and take greater social responsibility for the practical impact of their applied recommendations, driving meaningful societal change. 

Cognitive Science Outside the Lab 

Felipe De Brigard, Duke University, USA  

In the last decade, we have seen increased interest in expanding research in cognitive science to non-WEIRD populations. Most of these efforts involve extending lab-based techniques to other countries via online platforms that allow us to replicate studies typically conducted with WEIRD populations. In this talk, Brigard will suggest that, although welcomed, this strategy falls short of globalizing research in cognitive science—and in order to do so, researchers really need to learn to do cognitive science outside of the lab.