Psychology and Culture: Thinking, Feeling and Behaving in a Global Context, by Lisa M. Vaughn. New York: Psychology Press; 2010. 267 pages, $24.75 (paperback)

This book is part of the Psychology Focus series designed to provide students with a new focus on key topic areas in psychology. According to the publisher, each short, compact book presents clear, in-depth coverage of a discrete area with many applied examples; assumes no prior knowledge of psychology; has been written by an experienced teacher; and has chapter summaries, suggestions for further reading, and a glossary of key terms. As globalization increases, so too do the misunderstandings and miscommunication around social, linguistic, gender, racial, religious, and cultural factors. This book, using up-to-date overviews of psychology and culture, addresses the need for understanding the cultural dimensions of psychology and their relevance to everyday occurrences.

This book would be of great interest to anyone working in education, organizations, the military, health care, or personal and workplace cross-cultural relationships. All chapters have a parallel structure with an introduction, a concise overview and theoretical construct of the topic, practical applications using global examples, and a brief chapter summary. The book is intended for undergraduate and graduate students as well as for academics with an interest in culture and psychology. It includes illustrations, tables and charts, as well as chapters on introductory concepts; identity and culture; human development/socialization and culture; basic psychological processes and acculturation; relationships, sexuality, and culture; health and culture; intercultural communication and education; and work/organizations and culture and ends with references, glossary, and author and subject indices.

It seems to me that the book is really a massive review of the literature and a highly usable starting point. Huge amounts of information are presented in a disjointed staccato fashion but would give readers the option of delving much more deeply into topics of interest. For example, Chapter 7, Health and Culture, has an introduction, with sections on models of health and culture; cultural health beliefs; approaches to health and healing; immigrants and health; culture and mental health; culture-bound syndromes; culturally competent treatment and therapy; and global health disparities. The chapter is a mere 23 pages in length and any one of these topics would warrant a book by itself. The strength of the book is its broad global sweep and overview of many topics; its weakness is the same.

One quibble, but something to keep in mind: Page 149 discusses "culturally competent" treatment, language that seems to infuriate physicians, who tend to be highly competitive and prefer "culturally sensitive" treatment, a term that does not make them seem to be incompetent at anything. I also found typos and grammatical errors throughout (see p. 157, where "commiserate" should perhaps be "commensurate").

The book is highly accessible and easy-to-read, succinct, and clear, based on recent research and well-written. It is a fitting addition to the Psychology Focus series that, among many others, includes books on gender and social psychology and the psychobiology of human motivation. Vaughn has clearly fulfilled her task of making psychology and culture interesting and accessible to readers.

-Marcie Parker, PhD, CFLE

Private consultant in health care, cross-cultural health, aging, and geriatrics

President and CEO, Parker and Associates, Excelsior, Minnesota