PSYCHOLOGY IN THE SERVICE OF PUBLIC POLICY AND DEVELOPMENT PLANNING: THE CASE OF GHANA

Generally, psychologists are not well known in public policy and development circles as experts whose contributions are invited. This has been attributed, at the very least, to the inability of psychologists to communicate what they can contribute to public policy. To address this issue of lack of involvement, it has become necessary for psychologists, therefore, to claim part of the intellectual space in development circles in order to showcase what contributions psychologists can make to public policy and development planning. Thus, this article seeks to examine the potential contributions that psychology as a discipline can make to public policy making and development, particularly in Ghana. It concludes that public policy and development will benefit from the application of psychological research and principles. However, it is suggested that further studies should be conducted to assess the perceived acceptance of the involvement of psychologists in public policy from the various stakeholders on the one hand and the readiness of psychologists to participate on the other.