Cultural and Ethnic Content of the 1977 to 1982 American Psychological Association Convention Programs

Abstract

The 1977 through 1982 annual convention programs of the American Psychological Association (APA) were analyzed for cultural and ethnic content. These years were of interest as they coincide with the emergence of APA policy statements in support of cultural awareness. The examination of these programs via presentation titles revealed that 5.6% of the total convention time was allotted to general cultural processes or to national, racial, or ethnic groups. Of the studies specifying nationalities, the Americans (the United States) received the largest percentage of time. All of the major racial and ethnic groups within the United States were represented. The amount of programming for cultural and ethnic topics remained at low levels and showed no consistent trends, suggesting that it was not influenced by the professional rhetoric. The implications for these findings are discussed with particular attention to counseling psychology.

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