Call for Papers: “Current and New Directions in Cross-Cultural Gender Research in Psychology”

[Dorrough Lübbers, Angela]

Call for Papers: “Current and New Directions in Cross-Cultural Gender Research in Psychology”

Guest editors: Sarah E. Martiny, Laura Froehlich, Elizabeth J. Parks-Stamm, and Angela R. Dorrough

Gender research has a long tradition in social psychology, but today’s political climate raises questions about its future. In addition, much of the existing gender research in psychology relies on WEIRD (Western, Educated, Industrialized, Rich, Democratic) samples and theories developed in Western countries, raising concerns about the generalizability of these findings. In a globalized world with increasingly diverse societies, understanding gender dynamics across cultural boundaries is more critical than ever. Cross-cultural gender research offers a broader and more inclusive approach to studying gender. By drawing on disciplines such as cross-cultural psychology, social psychology, behavioral economics, sociology, and political science, this research challenges existing assumptions and expands the scope of inquiry in psychology.

Cross-cultural gender research is deeply intertwined with contemporary political and societal debates, addressing issues such as the rise of conservative or antidemocratic movements and the resurgence of traditional gender roles. Moreover, social psychological research increasingly considers gender diversity beyond binary conceptions. The proposed special issue aims to address these issues by encouraging researchers to examine how cultural contexts influence gender knowledge production, gender norms and stereotypes, attitudes about gender roles and equality, and gender-typed behavior. It calls for a critical evaluation of theories and methodologies in diverse cultural settings.

Proposed topics to be pursued in this special issue (SI) may include, but are not limited to:

• Cross-cultural studies assessing the generalizability of theoretical propositions across countries
• Cultural moderators on well-established effects in the field of gender research
• Cross-cultural gender research that goes beyond the gender binary
• Cross-cultural studies assessing changes in norms and attitudes toward gender equality
• Cross-cultural gender research that uses new technologies (e.g., VR, AI)
• Replications of earlier findings with underrepresented, non-WEIRD samples
• Theory development with a focus on cultural aspects

We welcome proposals related to other topics not listed above, recognizing that the field may have insights and innovations not represented in this list. We invite contributions using diverse methodological approaches, including experimental designs, longitudinal designs, qualitative designs, daily diary studies, and reanalysis of existing data.

Expression of Interest

Please submit an abstract that includes a brief description of your planned contribution (i.e., an expression of interest of 400–600 words) by May 1, 2026, on the following website:

https://fernunihagen.questionpro.eu/t/AB3vAGxZB3wVhx.

The description should highlight the relevance to the special issue and include a summary of the research questions and methods (sample, including the country/countries of data collection; sample size; study design; if applicable manipulations, measures, preliminary results, and implications). Authors will be informed within 4 weeks after the submission deadline whether they will be invited to submit a full manuscript. The Guest Editors strongly encourage all interested authors to submit an expression of interest, but full manuscripts may also be submitted without it. An invitation to submit a full manuscript will not automatically result in publication in the special issue. All manuscripts will undergo external peer review. If you have any questions, for example, regarding the potential fit of a submission, please contact the Guest Editors via e-mail (sarah....@uit.no or laura.f...@fernuni-hagen.de).

For more information see: 

 

https://econtent.hogrefe.com/doi/10.1027/1864-9335/a000590