Background and research interests

The history of psychology, focusing on: historiography, historical developments in psychological interventions and practices, history of South African psychology, professionalisation, and asylum architecture.

Programme evaluation: programmes in drug and alcohol prevention, violence prevention in schools, and information technology in education.

Teaching responsibilities

Undergraduate: 

• Introduction to Psychology
• Personality Theories
• Life-span Development

Postgraduate: 

• Philosophical and Theoretical Issues in Psychology
• Introduction to Programme Evaluation

Selected publications

Louw, J. & Godsell, G. (2015). Multiple paths to success. In N. Cloete, J. Mouton, & C. Sheppard (Eds.), Doctoral education in South Africa (pp. 125-172). Cape Town: African Minds.

Louw, J. (2011). South Africa. In D. Baker, The Oxford Handbook of the History of Psychology (pp. 43-59). Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Bowles, S., Louw, J., & Myers, B. (2011). Perceptions of organizational functioning in substance abuse treatment facilities in South Africa. International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction, 9, 308-319.

Petersen, I., Louw, J., Dumont, K., & Malope, N. (2010). Adjustment to university and academic performance: Brief report of a follow-up study. Educational Psychology, 30, 369-375.

Skinner, K. & Louw, J. (2009). The feminization of psychology: data from South Africa. International Journal of Psychology, 44, 81-92.

Louw, J., Brown, C., Muller, J., & Soudien, C. (2009). Instructional technologies in social science instruction in South Africa. Computers & Education, 53, 234-242.

Dumont, K. & Louw, J. (2009). A citation analysis of Henri Tajfel’s work on intergroup relations. International Journal of Psychology, 44, 46-59.

Petersen, I., Louw, J., & Dumont, K. (2009). Adjustment to university and academic performance among disadvantaged students in South Africa. Educational Psychology, 29, 99-115.

Louw, J., Muller, J. and Tredoux, C. (2008). Time-on-task, technology and mathematics achievement. Evaluation and Program Planning, 31, pp 41-50.

Louw, J. and Danziger, K. (2007). Psychological practices and ideology: The South African case. Retrieved from http://www.kurtdanziger.com/Joahnn&Kurt.pdf.

Louw, J. (2006). Constructing subjectivity in unexpected places. In A. Brock (Ed.), Internationalizing the History of Psychology (pp. 16-33). New York: New York University Press. 

Louw, J. (2004). In search of method. In A. C. Brock, J. Louw and W. Van Hoorn (Eds.), Rediscovering the history of psychology: Essays inspired by the work of Kurt Danziger (pp. 33-52). London: Kluwer. 

Le Grange, D., Louw, J., Breen, A. and Katzman, M. (2004). The meaning of 'self-starvation' in impoverished black adolescents in South Africa. Culture, Medicine and Psychiatry, 28, 439-461. 

Muller, F.H. and Louw, J. (2004). Learning environment, motivation and interest: Perspectives on self-determination theory. South African Journal of Psychology, 34, 169-190. 

Louw, J. (2002). Psychology, history, and society. South African Journal of Psychology, 32, 1-8. 

Donald, D., Dawes, A. and Louw, J. (Eds.) (2000). Addressing Childhood Adversity. Cape Town: David Philip.

Louw, J. (2000). Improving practice through evaluation. In D. Donald, A. Dawes and J. Louw (Eds.), Addressing Childhood Adversity (pp. 60 - 73). Cape Town: David Philip. 

Dumont, K. and Louw, J. (2001). The International Union of Psychological Science and the Politics of Membership: Psychological Associations in South Africa and the German Democratic Republic. History of Psychology, 4, 388-404. 

Louw, J. and Swartz, S. (2001). An English asylum in Africa: Space and order in Valkenberg Asylum. History of Psychology, 4, 3-23. 

Louw, J. and Van Hoorn, W. (1997). Psychology, conflict and peace in South Africa: Historical notes. Peace and Conflict: Journal of Peace Psychology, 3, 233-243. 

Louw, J. (1995). Evaluation in South Africa: An introduction. Evaluation and Program Planning,18, 351-153.

Louw, J., Katzenellenbogen, J. and Carolissen, R.(1995). Community health needs, community participation, and evaluation research. Evaluation and Program Planning, 18, 365-369. 

Louw, J. and Foster, D. (1991). Historical perspective: Psychology and group relations in South Africa. In D. Foster and J. Louw-Potgieter (Eds), Social Psychology in South Africa .Johannesburg: Lexicon.