Psychology's "Crisis" and the Need for Reflection. A Plea for Modesty in Psychological Theorizing

This paper discusses the need for contextualization and reflection of psychological theorizing within its respective cultural and historical context. By acknowledging the anthropological assumptions which form a key part of every psychological theory and connect psychological thinking with broader cultural values, norms, ideals and meanings, psychologists can gain a deeper understanding of the limits of their own theories. It is argued that the prolonged debate within academic psychology concerning its status and methodology which became famous as "psychology's crisis" is an effect of the neglect of these implicit anthropological assumptions. Especially as cultural and cultural-historical psychologists, we should avoid the improper universalization of particular models of what defines a human being.