Summary Psychology 348 Student Summaries (Theory and Readings)
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Course
Psychology 348 (PSYCH348)
Institution
Stellenbosch University (SUN)
This Psychology 348 student summaries summarise the theory learned in class and the readings. At the end of the document, you will also find a past paper that will help you with your exam preparations. Good luck with exams, You've got this!
, Week 1
Reading: Yen, J. (2007). A history of community psychology in South Africa.
Intro to Psychological Interventions & Community Psychology
Community Psychology in South Africa is still a relatively young field of study and emerged out of
psychologists’ and other social health workers’ response to apartheid oppression and violence. It has
been able to combine the skills and theoretical perspectives of various disciplines and sectors of society
and to link with community organisations and members in its interventions.
Community: A social group to which we feel we belong, or to those to which we assume others belong.
Politicians, researchers, and community psychologists refer to it as the targets of their interventions and
assume that we know whom they are referring to. The term generally has positive connotations.
However, “community” was a key term in apartheid ideology of separate development:
The term was deliberately confused with legislated racial categories in ways that implied that these
‘racial communities’ were “obviously” different from each other, and each with their own distinct
culture.
Was also used interchangeably with race, ethnic group, nation, peoples. This led to the implication that
these communities existed naturally rather than as social constructs (and presently, many people still
speak of communities in this way). This kind of discourse was integral to the way that apartheid
government justified its insistence that each community should develop separately and therefore be
responsible for meeting its own needs. This notion was central to the government’s justification of the
inequalities in resources and power between group
In a South African context, the term “community’’ is problematic, as the former apartheid government
had purposefully used it interchangeably with other terms such as “race” and “ethnic groups”. This
manner of discourse created common unfortunate connotations, such as a community being assumed to
exist where it in fact did not; or having potentially alluded to apartheid terminology; or implying a
romanticised notion of unified communities.
Psychological terms do in fact have a socially constructed nature. Issues begin to arise when we examine
the historical use of the term “community” within the discourse of the former apartheid government,
which had implied that communities existed as natural categories of people that each possessed inherent
differences. As a result, “community” became a key term in apartheid ideology of separate
development.
Thus, community psychology developed in South Africa because of psychologists acknowledging the
exigency for oppressive political structures of former apartheid ideologies to be dismantled.
Approaches developed within the field aim at overcoming the existing theoretical dualisms within
traditional psychology - those that separate the individual from society.
Psychologists now understand that individuals and communities must be understood in relation to their
social and historical contexts. Unfortunately, this development has yet to play a significant role in
adjusting traditional psychology’s continuing emphasis on individualisation.
3
, Central tenets of the mental health model of community psychology thus complemented the discourses
of community that was employed in apartheid ideology. This model defines community in terms of
geographical location, and aims to prevent mental illness within ‘catchment area’ – the effects of the
history of the term community would be reproduced even when used with good intentions
‘Community’ was used by BCM to bolster sense of solidarity among those classified as African,
Coloured, and Indian. Other times referred to apartheid-imposed communities (such as townships –
which were created through forced removal). Emphasis on community empowerment and pride within
communities is created artificially through movements such as the Group Areas Act, which also tacitly
reproduced racial categories that such discourses were attempting to oppose
The sub-discipline has yet to show a major impact in terms of altering mainstream psychology’s
continuing emphasis on traditional clinical (i.e. individualising) paradigms and issues, and its neglect
of perspectives that theorise the individual within the socio-political context.
It has been argued that traditional psychology’s individualisation of pathology serves an ideological
purpose, therefore “obscuring the need for social and political change and locking those who deviated
from social norms into self-subjugating social narratives.” Therefore, community psychologists who
are wanting to provide alternatives to the ideology of individual-based pathology need to conceptualise
the ways in which social conditions, specific environments, and individuals interact.
Summarising why the term “community” is problematic
Is sometimes assumed to exist where it in fact does not
Has the potential to recall apartheid terminology and essentialist ideas of racial difference while
also implying a romanticised notion of homogenous/unified communities
Referring to the socially constructed nature of psychological terms and concepts we might take
for granted.
An historical context of the term can raise awareness of the possible ways our language may
play a role in legitimating/ reproducing oppressive relations in our practice of community
psychology.
Individuals and communities must be understood in relation to their social and historical
contexts.
Community Psychology does not exist outside the social and historical conditions out of which
it arose. Its methods and theories do not represent a timeless collection of scientific theories
and techniques – it is not a value-neutral discipline – we may re-evaluate the appropriateness
of trends in response to current social conditions.
The meanings and uses of concepts have changed over time.
An historical account allows us to see how certain ideas and trends in community psychology
have developed in response to social conditions (we therefore re-evaluate the appropriateness
of certain terms to current situations and problems).
4
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