Mexico

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=Psychology in Mexico =

· Enrique Aragon was significant in starting the study of psychology in Mexico. · H Cappella, A Cuevas, G Davila, R Diaz-Guerrero, F Garcia, L Lara Tapia, J Linaes, J McGregor, S Ramirez, and G Vazquez were responsible for the establishing the new curriculum at UNAM (Diaz-Guerrero, 1984). · Emmite studied Diaz Guerrero’s bio-psycho-socio cultural premise (Diaz-Guerrero, 1984). · Lichtszajn studied adolescent’s perception of death among their peers(Diaz-Guerrero, 1984). · Mecado conducted research in ecological psychology (Diaz-Guerrero, 1984).
 * Teaching:** The Mexican education system has not changed much since the turn of century, and is about the same in all Latin American countries. A professional degree in psychology can be completed between 4 to 5 years. Students in the program study several fields of psychology ranging from; general courses to physiological, educational, social, industrial, and practice courses. The University Council of the National University of Mexico (UNAM) approved three levels to its psychology program; a professional level that can be completed in 3 years and includes theoretical and methodological subjects, practical training, and a dissertation, a Master’s level which can be completed in 1 year, and a Doctor of psychology level that can be completed in 2 years and includes courses, seminars, and a dissertation. However these courses have become outdated and UNAM formed a new curriculum. Now students can complete a professional degree in 5 years. The new curriculum consisted of 6 semesters of science, math, and statistics, and the last 4 semesters were specialized classes. Some students were not able to follow a this curriculum though. An Open University Division allowed students to complete the same program over a longer period of time. A dissertation and 6 months of social service had to be completed before students could receive their diploma. Doctorate degrees are only granted to students completing another 2 years and a research dissertation. A growth in private schools and the granting of graduate level degrees threaten the lowering of the professional and scientific standards of the Mexican psychologist (Diaz-Guerrero, 1984).
 * Research:** A lot of research has be conducted in clinical psychology. Lara Tapia has been an active investigator in psychopathology and psychopharmacology, but he has not published much of his work. Emmite, a researcher, used the bio-psycho-socio-cultural premise to explain peoples self premises and coping premises. Emmite’s results reported a person orders the importance of cultural, self, and coping premises according the achievement. Lichtsajn explores the attitudes toward death among Mexican adolescents. Most of the adolescents perceived death to very bad, but no differences in the perception were found across socioeconomic class. Women reported death to be more potent than men reported. Research is a major part of psychology in Mexico and covers many subjects with psychology (Diaz-Guerrero, 1984).
 * Practice:** Psychology of labor has received the most criticism than other areas of psychology. There is an interest in special education and the effort was maintained until behavior modification was revitalized in the field. The profession provides for a lower to upper middle class income and only 33% of the psychologist working for the government has completed a their degree. Many psychologists work 2 jobs because of the low pay associated with being a psychologist. Most psychologist conduct research and evaluate behavior. Mexico fails to acknowledge the benefits from the many talents of psychologists (Diaz-Guerrero, 1984).
 * History:** Enrique O. Aragon was Mexican physician that was mostly responsible for the development of academic psychology. He founded the first psychology lab at the National University of Mexico. This led to a great interest in psychology within the university, and psychology eventually became an official program at the National University of Mexico. His laboratory was influential in the undergraduate program at the Preparatory school and the Master of Philosophy at the National University of Mexico. Aragon conducted many studies on the brain-hand relation, and developed concepts of soul in several cultures, such as Egyptians, Greeks, and Christian groups, to the recent trends of positivism and phrenology. In 1936 Aragon founded the Institute of Psychology and Psychiatry of the National University of Mexico. This institution was closed 2 years later, unfortunately. Jose Lui Curiel, a student of Aragon, later became professors of psychology at the University of Mexico. Aragon’s son Enrique Aragon created a 10 volume collection of his father’s writings. Aragon died in 1942 because of failing health. Mexican psychology would not be what it is today with out Aragon’s influence (Colotla & Jurado, 1983).
 * Prominent People:**

**References** Diaz-Guerrero, R. (1984). Contemporary psychology in Mexico. Annual Review of Psychology, 3583-112. doi:10.1146/annurev.ps.35.020184.000503. Colotla, V., & Jurado, S. (1983). Contributions to the history of psychology: XXXIV. Enrique O. Aragón, a pioneer in Mexican psychology. Perceptual and Motor Skills, 57(3, Pt 1), 1013-1014. Retrieved from PsycINFO database.