Week 2.5

Question 1

Example of negative impact of psychology

Answer 1

Australian psychology [pre the year 2000] has been criticized for its research contribution in the area of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders

Question 2

Research underpinned by (2)

Answer 2

Research underpinned by:

1) A deficit model - with the assumptions that there is a negative difference in all aspect of aboriginal life when compared to the rest of Australia
2) Social Darwinism

Question 3

Deficit model

Answer 3

• Treat middle class white European males as the norm – and treat non-white non-European males using deficit models
• Looking for is there a difference - not surprising if there is a difference for Indigenous Australians when measuring something that white Europeans are good at
• Deficit model - showing that they have deficits compared to white Europeans

Question 4

Define Social Darwinism

Answer 4

A social evolutionary theory of human natural selection; Inspired by eugenics which involved social (selective) selection restricting the reproduction in groups considered inferior (including indigenous people, people with intellectual disability, people with mental illness etc)

Question 5

As a consequence of Social Darwinism, early social scientists… (3)

Answer 5

As a consequence of Social Darwinism, early social scientists:

• Perceived the 60,000 year isolation of indigenous Australians as an opportunity to study divergent in human evolution
• Perceived Aboriginal societies as “primitive” and an opportune time to study the “missing link” between humans and their ancestral past
• These academic notions supported racist and discriminatory research

Question 6

What were the ultimate consequences of this?

Answer 6

This research was so damaging to Indigenous people that the NH&MRC [National Health and Medical Research Council] has developed ethical guidelines for research involving Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders

• Banned from doing deficit research nowadays

Question 7

Issues with deficit model

Answer 7

• If using deficit model - nothing positive you are going to do from doing research
• Don’t know anything positive - know crime rates, death rates etc.

Question 8

What was another consequence of research in Indigenous Australian populations

Answer 8

These academic notions also supported the practice of racism and discrimination

Question 9

What did the science of eugenics do

Answer 9

The science of Eugenics was used to justify removal of mixed race [“half caste [sic]”] children from their parents with the sole aim to “breed the blackness” out – that is, to create racial purity within a “White Australia”

Question 10

What were the ultimate consequences of this?

Answer 10

Australian Psychological Society was one of the first professional bodies to make an apology to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders

Question 11

APS apology

Answer 11

The Australian Psychological Society has made a formal apology to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people for decades of mistreatment through exploitative and disrespectful practices that contributed to the erosion of Indigenous culture.

The apology, delivered by director of the society’s board, Tim Carey, acknowledged exploitation of Indigenous people by psychological researchers and “inappropriate use of assessment techniques and procedures that have conveyed misleading and inaccurate messages about the abilities and capacities of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people”.

Question 12

What was the apology for: (5)

Answer 12

• Between 1920s and 1970s psychologists were involved in case management associated with the removal [and placement] of children from their families
• Psychology did not use its disciplinary knowledge to speak out against the removal of indigenous children from their families
• Only after the Government report “Bringing them home” did Australian Psychology provide respectful support
• Even after the APS apology, current psychology professionals seem not to have a deep understanding of the impact of the traumatic history of the “stolen generations”
• There is still a need for psychologists to become culturally competent to work with aboriginal people in a culturally safe, respectful and appropriate manner

Question 13

Why do psychologists need to be culturally competent?

Answer 13

Without a deep understanding and becoming culturally competent, psychologists will never be able to assist in the healing and orienting Australia first people toward full and productive lives

Question 14

Which organisation is responsible for the development of standards for psychology education?

Answer 14

APAC - Australian Psychology Accreditation Council

Question 15

Which organisation is responsible for the publication of a national register of psychologist practitioners [publically available]?

Answer 15

PBA - Psychological Board of Australia