Abstract

In the following paper we will discuss how the construction of Cultural Psychological theories is possible. In doing so we will critically analyse various approaches concerned with the relationship between culture and psychology, particularly Wundtian Völkerpsychologie, Cross-Cultural Psychology and Schweders version of Cultural Psychology. For an alternative construction of Cultural Psychological theory, the authors suggest the method of Defamiliarisation, which is related to the logic of Abduction in the sense of Peirce. Cultural phenomena are difficult to recognise as they ritualised and automated. Through the method of Defamiliarisation, Cultural Psychology will be able to conceptually grasp cultural phenomena and categorise them. The formation of concepts of the cultural is the first step in overcoming the Euro-centric point of view which lies at the heart of academic psychology. Whereby the " Wissenschaftlichkeit" (scientific-ness) of the Cultural psychological enterprise can not be easily judged by the standards and ideology of experimental psychology or quantitative methodology. The scientific integrity of psychological theories is themselves are a product of the cultural historical construction process.