Insights and Inspirations from the 55th Reunião da Sociedade Brasileira de Psicologia: Innovations in Brazilian Psychology Research

I recently attended the 55th Reunião da Sociedade Brasileira de Psicologia in Natal, RN, Brazil, and I absolutely loved it! The experience left me with lots of impressions and inspirations about how psychology research is done in Brazil.

What really stood out to me was the creativity and energy fueled by so many passionate undergraduate and graduate students. The atmosphere was buzzing with innovative ideas and diverse ways of thinking. Compared to Europe, I noticed that researchers here lean much more on qualitative and mixed methods, which makes the data richer and more in-depth.It was also amazing to see how Brazilian psychologists don’t just adapt Eurocentric theories for their local context—they create new psychological approaches inspired by Brazil’s unique and diverse realities. That felt really inspiring.

One memorable presentation was by Helen Maia, who shared how the WHO-developed intervention Self Help Plus and its online equivalent Doing What Matters in Times of Stress have been successfully adapted across multiple Brazilian states. These interventions are making a real difference not only in mental health but also in educational attainment. You can learn more about this impactful work at actnasociedade.com.br.

Similarly, Pedro Paulo Pires gave a very impactful presentation on developing non-Eurocentric research methods and outcome measures. He highlighted that much of Brazilian research relies on small datasets from limited geographic regions, which poses a significant limitation. His work is helping to push toward more inclusive and representative research across Brazil.

Another presentation that really got me thinking was from Mariane Lima de Souza. Though it was a bit outside my usual area, her exploration of the line between reality and consciousness was fascinating. She argued that our experience is always relative to the objects around us and that there’s really no sharp boundary between reality and consciousness. Even watching TV, she suggested, could be seen as a kind of virtual reality—we get immersed, feel emotions, and perceive it as real. It was definitely a mind-bending idea that left me wondering: what really is the nature of our reality?

What touched me most was how connected researchers are with the people they study. Many psychologists here also see patients, which is quite different from my experience in Germany. This close link between research and everyday life makes their work so meaningful, as they truly care about the real impact on people's lives.

There were so many more interesting talks that I haven’t mentioned here for lack of space—perhaps I’ll write about them in future blog posts.

Overall, the conference showed me how innovation, cultural sensitivity, and a passion for making a difference come together in Brazilian psychology.