Incorporating Feminist Practices Into Psychological Science—The Why, the What and the How

Feminism is about all forms of challenging social, economic and political power taken by a dominant group. Applying a feminist lens to scientific research brings many advantages, such as broadening theoretical perspectives, encouraging collaboration with — and inclusion of — marginalized groups, and widening the scope of research methods. We aim for this perspective piece to provide an access point for why researchers should incorporate feminist approaches in psychological science, what feminist approaches could look like and how researchers can start incorporating them into their own work. In answering the why, what and how of feminist practices, we strive to make working in a feminist way more legible and accessible, with the ultimate aim of cultivating a more comprehensive understanding of human psychology from diverse perspectives. Based on the lived experiences from an anecdotal survey as part of a SIPS hackathon, which revealed a lack of clear conceptual understanding of feminist approaches and feminism, and on our unique viewpoints as eight feminist ECRs working in different domains of psychological science, we propose constructive approaches for integrating feminist values and practices into psychological science. We highlight what possible barriers exist to incorporating feminist practices into one’s own work and how future research can embrace feminist practices. We also provide a short glossary explaining terminology that can support the communication of feminist research as well as a curated checklist of feminist practices to start out with. This perspective piece warmly invites—and promotes—researchers from all backgrounds and experience levels to engage in and contribute to the exploration of feminist values and practices within the realm of psychological science.