ON THE PLACE OF CULTURE IN PSYCHOLOGICAL SCIENCE

Based on a positivist-empiricist mode of inquiry, mainstream psycholog y has been vigorously engaged in characterizing human lives in terms o f mechanistic and individualistic constructions, with the aim of predi cting and controlling the behaviour of acultural and decontextualized others. Committed to a belief in psychological universals, this enterp rise is directed at verifying a peculiarly Western intelligibility. In doing so, it ignores the possibilities of other systems of understand ing grounded in different cultures and ''culture'' remains marginalize d in the psychological discourse. Viewed in terms of enablements and c onstraints, differing cultures may contribute a range of psychological intelligibilities, thus enriching the capacities for human relationsh ip. This position is explored by contrasting an Indian with a Western conception of human functioning, with respect to grounding assumptions , and implications of a culturally informed psychology are discussed.