Chapter 13 – Psychology and Society
Table of Contents
Influence of Society on Psychology………………………………………………………………2
Influence of Psychology on Society………………………………………………………………4
In Conclusion……………………………………………………………………………………...6
Naturalization & Demystification…………………………………………………………………7
Diagnostic Labels………………………………………………………………………………….8
Burnout
Scientifically based societal regulation: The Psychological Test…………………………………9
Psychology and society influence each other.
1
, Influence of Society on Psychology
• Science overtakes religion
Initially, strong connection between psychology and religion. Experimental psychologists
rapidly distance themselves from religion as it jeopardizes their scientific credentials.
Psychologists begin to replace pastors as less people feel comfortable with discussing
their mental health problems with religious authorities.
decline in religion contributes to the emergence of psychology
• Changes in society
Massive changes in the organization of Western society in the 19th and 20th century
generate ideas and research opportunities for psychologists. These include
industrialization, the Cold War, and the invention of computers and new statistical
techniques.
These changes also impact clinical practice: mental disorders show variation across
cultures and time (e.g., schizophrenia, multiple personality disorder, conversion
syndrome).
Shorter says that each culture has a symptom pool (collective notion of how to behave when ill), including
both ‘classical symptoms’ and symptoms that at the time are considered ‘indications of disease’. So, if
schizophrenia is seen as a common mental disorder among care takers, an increasing number of patients
will show symptoms in line with the diagnosis.
Society also provides new metaphors: analogies from another area to better understand a
concept by making a reference to a better understood phenomenon (e.g., the mind as a
computer): they transfer a complex knowledge system from a known to an unknown
topic. However, they are double-sided: they both aid and restrict understanding (since the
phenomenon to be explained is rarely exactly the same as the analogy used).
• Socio-Political biases
o in psychological theories
Scientific research is influenced by the culture of the researchers.
Socio-political biases influence psychological theories and research conclusions.
Even ‘objective’ findings can be distorted by the researchers’ expectations (see
Morton*).
2
Table of Contents
Influence of Society on Psychology………………………………………………………………2
Influence of Psychology on Society………………………………………………………………4
In Conclusion……………………………………………………………………………………...6
Naturalization & Demystification…………………………………………………………………7
Diagnostic Labels………………………………………………………………………………….8
Burnout
Scientifically based societal regulation: The Psychological Test…………………………………9
Psychology and society influence each other.
1
, Influence of Society on Psychology
• Science overtakes religion
Initially, strong connection between psychology and religion. Experimental psychologists
rapidly distance themselves from religion as it jeopardizes their scientific credentials.
Psychologists begin to replace pastors as less people feel comfortable with discussing
their mental health problems with religious authorities.
decline in religion contributes to the emergence of psychology
• Changes in society
Massive changes in the organization of Western society in the 19th and 20th century
generate ideas and research opportunities for psychologists. These include
industrialization, the Cold War, and the invention of computers and new statistical
techniques.
These changes also impact clinical practice: mental disorders show variation across
cultures and time (e.g., schizophrenia, multiple personality disorder, conversion
syndrome).
Shorter says that each culture has a symptom pool (collective notion of how to behave when ill), including
both ‘classical symptoms’ and symptoms that at the time are considered ‘indications of disease’. So, if
schizophrenia is seen as a common mental disorder among care takers, an increasing number of patients
will show symptoms in line with the diagnosis.
Society also provides new metaphors: analogies from another area to better understand a
concept by making a reference to a better understood phenomenon (e.g., the mind as a
computer): they transfer a complex knowledge system from a known to an unknown
topic. However, they are double-sided: they both aid and restrict understanding (since the
phenomenon to be explained is rarely exactly the same as the analogy used).
• Socio-Political biases
o in psychological theories
Scientific research is influenced by the culture of the researchers.
Socio-political biases influence psychological theories and research conclusions.
Even ‘objective’ findings can be distorted by the researchers’ expectations (see
Morton*).
2
