Perspectives of researchers engaging in majority world research to promote diverse and global psychological science.

Abstract

Journal analyses have documented the historical neglect of research pertaining to the Majority World in psychological science, and the need for inclusivity is clearly articulated to ensure a science that is comprehensive and globally applicable. However, no systematic efforts have explored the perspectives of researchers working with Majority World communities regarding the challenges they experience in conducting and disseminating research and ways to address them. Our aim was to explore these challenges from the perspective of these researchers using an embedded mixed-methods design. Based on responses of 232 researchers who engage in psychological research with Majority World communities (68.1% from Africa, Asia, or Latin America, remaining from the Minority World), we identified challenges in three areas: (a) stemming from an inherent bias against Majority World research, (b) experienced by all researchers, which nonetheless are heightened for those engaging in research with Majority World populations, and (c) specific to researchers affiliated with Majority World institutions. Based on the findings, we recommend journal editorial teams and funding agencies: (a) acknowledge and address the bias inherent in the publication and funding process, (b) recruit editorial team members, program officers, and reviewers from the Majority World, (c) train editorial team members, program officers, and reviewers from the Minority World to thoughtfully evaluate Majority World research, and (d) provide resources for researchers affiliated with Majority World institutions. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).