Week 12 Critical Psychology

Question 1

Do psychologists intentionally have an negative impact?

Answer 1

Psychology’s negative impacts occur despite the good intentions of most psychologists.

Question 2

What are the central concerns of critical psychology?

Answer 2

Central concerns fall into several categories: individualism and meaninglessness; inequality and oppression; and unintended consequences.

Question 3

What are the central concepts in critical psychology?

Answer 3

Central concepts include level of analysis; the role of ideology; and the trap of neutrality.

Question 4

How do critical psychologists differ?

Answer 4

Criticial psychologists differ among themselves about a number of dilemmas, which we discuss here in two categories: those facing psychologists in general and related to the nature of human nature, and those facing critical psychologists most directly related to the scope of social change.

Question 5

What is critical psychology?

Answer 5

A variety of approaches that challenge assumptions, values and practices within mainstream psychology that help maintain an unjust and unsatisfying status quo.

Question 6

Define ideology

Answer 6

Generally , a worldview or set of assumptions about how a society works; more strictly, the set of ideas inculcated by dominant sectors of society to justify elite power and the society’s established institutions.

Question 7

Define level of analysis

Answer 7

The scope of generalization in thinking about relevant behaviours, from the narrowest (individual level) through the middle (interpersonal or situational level) to the broadest (structural or societal level).

Question 8

Define mainstream psychology

Answer 8

Psychology as practised by the field’s dominant professional institutions and its professionals.

Question 9

Define positivism

Answer 9

The philosophical position that progress comes only from logical, objective application of the formal scientific method.

Question 10

What is one of psychology’s roles?

Answer 10

To ‘adjust’ individuals to continue functioning, and assessment is part of this function that we fulfill.

Question 11

How does psychology give psychologists a lot of power as agents of institutions?

Answer 11

We often tend to follow the medical model, and promote individualism. Our theories and concepts reinforce this model, giving some of us a lot of power as agents of institutions.

Question 12

What are the central concerns and relevant core concepts of critical psychology?

Answer 12

1. By focussing on the individual rather than the group and larger society, mainstream psychology overemphasizes individualistic values, hinders the attainment of mutuality and community, and strengthens unjust institutions.
2. Mainstream psychology’s underlying assumptions and institutional allegiances disproportionately hurt members of powerless and marginalized groups by facilitating inequality and oppression
3. These unacceptable outcomes occur regardless of psychologist’s individual or collective intentions to the contrary.

Question 13

Define ethnocentrism

Answer 13

The tendency to view own cultural group standards as the right ones