ABSTRACT
Psychology is a theoretical discipline so long as it answers the questions “What?” and “When?” and “Why?” It becomes an applied field when it starts searching for specific answers to questions such as “How to change?” or “How to modify?” or “How to use?” Cross-cultural psychology makes a contribution to health sciences by making suggestions about healthy lifestyles and prevention of illnesses in various cultural settings. Psychologists also provide counseling, or psychological direction of an individual’s course of thinking or action. Spirituality refers to a broad range of phenomena concerning nonmaterial matters related to faith, trust, and hope. It can be a significant source of motivation, reasoning, and comfort for many people living in traditional cultures, and many contemporary psychologists are only at the beginning stages of understanding spirituality. Contemporary cross-cultural psychology also makes contributions to organization development, to improve organizational and individual performance and well-being in a private business or government company. In working with immigrants, psychologists often help them to cope with new challenges and overcome acculturative stress, which is an initial reaction of adjustment to a new culture. Cross-cultural psychology also contributes to the global understanding of human rights and their implementation. Psychologists also are able to express their expert opinions regarding a wide range of legal issues related to the interactions between culture and behavior across ethnic, religious, and national lines.
