Structural Psychology

Structural psychology investigates the psychological and organismic processes associated with systems, institutions, and other collectives—and their impact on health and social outcomes. Providing a distinct and complementary perspective to current research and practice in this area, structural psychology details the collective psychological processes that co-produce structural patterns, causes, and consequences. The empirical, conceptual, and scientific bases of this field have been articulated in several publications, including articles appearing in American Psychologist, Clinical Psychological Science, Review of General Psychology, the American Journal of Community Psychology, as well as in various chapters and books. Please consult our publications list for these resources.

Within health science, structural psychology is positioned as a basic, eidetic science, as well as one with clinical, community, and population health applications. We refer to the latter domains as “structural health.” Community engagement and a focus on social, health, and racial equity are central to this work.

The field was formally launched in 2023 during Dr. Desai’s Michael Dinoff Memorial Lecture at the University of Alabama. Funding for the initial work to advance structural psychology was provided by a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Pioneering Ideas Award.