Psychologists hold congress in Jakarta

JAKARTA: The first Congress of the Asian Council of Psychologists began on Monday, with topics ranging from traditional psychotherapy to wayang (traditional puppet) plays in psychological perspectives.

Steering committee chairman Sarlito Wirawan Sarwono said that the two-day congress would be aimed at developing indigenous Asian psychology instead of following the predominant American psychology.

"Asian psychology is definitely different from its western counterpart," he asserted in his opening speech.

Attending the forum are experts from Asian countries as well as others from Australia, the United States and Canada.

On the final day of the congress being held at the Borobudur Hotel in Central Jakarta, the participants will discuss various issues including teenage depression, psychology of problem-makers and politicizing psychology in Indonesia. -- JP