Cultural Psychology: Theoretical and Historical Considerations

Cultural psychology represents an approach in which the cultural context is considered significant for experiencing and the interpretation of meaning. Unlike cross-cultural psychology, culture here does not function as an external variable, but forms an internal framework for the interpretation of individual and collective experiences. This chapter briefly presents and classifies the theoretical and historical traditions of cultural psychology. Culture (structure and meaning) and human lived experience are highlighted as important components of cultural psychology: Based on various theoretical contributions by Wilhelm Dilthey, William Stern, Susanne K. Langer, Michel Henry, and Aron Gurwitsch, a cultural psychology is outlined that wants to connect thinking and feeling with the concept of experiencing.