She was a university professor since 1969 and received the APA Award for Distinguished Contributions to the International Advancement of Psychology in 1993.
In 1959, she completed high school at American College for Girls in Istanbul before moving to the United States for her post-secondary studies.
In the US, Kağıtçıbaşı completed a bachelor's degree at Wellesley College in 1961 and a Doctor of Philosophy at the University of California, Berkeley in 1967 specializing in social psychology.
[4] As a social scientist, Kağıtçıbaşı participated in research focusing on determining the reasons why young adults want to start a family.
Other awards include a fellowship at the International Association of Applied Psychology and Netherlands Institute for Advanced Study.