IS PSYCHOLOGY RELEVANT TO GLOBAL HUMAN-DEVELOPMENT ISSUES - EXPERIENCE FROM TURKEY

Psychology has much to offer toward global human development efforts, To realize this potential, however, there needs to be a recognition of the relevance of psychology for the solution of human development problems and the assumption of an involved stance in addressing them. Examined within the more specific area of healthy human development, such a stance entails the use of comparative standards. These standards reflect societal aspirations toward development, in general, and their realization in optimizing human potential to fit with the demands of changing lifestyles, in particular. Schooling and school readiness of children assume importance in this context. A longitudinal intervention project is presented as a case in point to demonstrate how psychology can be relevant to human development issues.