PYC2614 Summaries
A (critical) African perspective on Psychology
o Is an indigenisation of psychology based on the philosophies, languages and
worldviews through which Africans experience the world.
o Assumes that existence is concrete and particular (not universal) but takes into account
differences in people’s languages, philosophies and worldviews.
o Joins with cultural psychology – how cultural traditions and social practices regulate,
express and transform the human psyche.
o Sees the self as a collectivistic or interdependent self.
o Self is defined in terms of relationships with the other.
o Criticises acculturation and the marginalization of African and other knowledge
systems.
o Has an emancipatory aim: to address the needs of society: such as Aids, illiteracy,
poverty.
o Sees culture and worldview as a meaning system. Different worldviews can
interpenetrate.
o Components of a worldview include orientations to time, nature, human activity and
relational connections.
A critical approach to Psychology
o Is interested in values and meanings and how these influence knowledge.
o Locates human values, motivations and behaviours in their cultural and class contexts.
o Focuses on the ‘lived experiences’ of people.
o Focuses on marginalised people’s reflections on life.
o Addresses problems of illiteracy, disintegration of extended family systems, poverty,
alienation and other social issues.
o Challenges the view that communities have no influence or effect on the ‘realities’
regarding traditional psychology
o Questions the basic foundations of mainstream psychology
African Psychology
o The African worldview organizes the world in a hierarchy of beings.
o The ancestors play an important role in this hierarchy.
o The universe is seen as organic and ecological, and no or little distinction is made
between nature and culture.
o Causality is understood to be linked to the interaction of life forces.
o There is a holistic view of life as a cosmic unity.
o Knowledge is gained through participation and connecting, not so much through
separation and abstraction.
, o The observer (researcher and psychologist) is part of the system that is observed and
influences it profoundly.
o Life is communal and personhood is defined in relation to the community.
o Personhood is defined in terms of the community, not the self.
o Parental responsibilities reside not just with the father and mother, but also the extended
family and the community.
o Personhood is relationally defined (ubuntu).
o Individuals and communities are interdependent.
o Personhood is a process and is linked to ubuntu.
o Due to multiple influences and cultural cross-pollination the perspectives of an African
psychology is continuously changing.
Aisenberg and Herrenkohl (2008) highlight the following examples of community
strengths that a community can rely on in the context of violence and crime
Collective vigilance- which refers to forming social networks through which community
members can work together to achieve a particular goal
Collective strategies- this refers to using protective strategies together which ease the burden
of an individual
Collective enforcement- this is when a community acts collectively to reinforce norms of
preventing violence and crime, providing positive guidance and role modeling on how this can
be done.
Bio-medical Model
The biomedical model posits that mental disorders like Major depressive disorder, Attention
deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and substance use disorders are biologically based
brain diseases.
Core tenets of this model inter alia include:
o Mental disorders are caused by biological abnormalities principally located in the brain
o There is no meaningful distinction between mental diseases and physical diseases
o Biological treatment is emphasised
o The primary aim into the nature of mental disorders is to uncover their biological cause
(s)
o Treatment research seeks to develop somatic therapies that target underlying biological
dysfunction.
Focus of this model is placed on the individual as the unit of analysis. It relies on assumptions
of cause and effect and focuses on the cure of individuals who are already ill.
Blind spots as a “wicked” problem
Individuals, family systems, groups, organisations and other human systems have blind spots
that inhibit new learning for adaptation and self-correction. This explains why people
sometimes act in ways that appear irrational or thoughtless.
A (critical) African perspective on Psychology
o Is an indigenisation of psychology based on the philosophies, languages and
worldviews through which Africans experience the world.
o Assumes that existence is concrete and particular (not universal) but takes into account
differences in people’s languages, philosophies and worldviews.
o Joins with cultural psychology – how cultural traditions and social practices regulate,
express and transform the human psyche.
o Sees the self as a collectivistic or interdependent self.
o Self is defined in terms of relationships with the other.
o Criticises acculturation and the marginalization of African and other knowledge
systems.
o Has an emancipatory aim: to address the needs of society: such as Aids, illiteracy,
poverty.
o Sees culture and worldview as a meaning system. Different worldviews can
interpenetrate.
o Components of a worldview include orientations to time, nature, human activity and
relational connections.
A critical approach to Psychology
o Is interested in values and meanings and how these influence knowledge.
o Locates human values, motivations and behaviours in their cultural and class contexts.
o Focuses on the ‘lived experiences’ of people.
o Focuses on marginalised people’s reflections on life.
o Addresses problems of illiteracy, disintegration of extended family systems, poverty,
alienation and other social issues.
o Challenges the view that communities have no influence or effect on the ‘realities’
regarding traditional psychology
o Questions the basic foundations of mainstream psychology
African Psychology
o The African worldview organizes the world in a hierarchy of beings.
o The ancestors play an important role in this hierarchy.
o The universe is seen as organic and ecological, and no or little distinction is made
between nature and culture.
o Causality is understood to be linked to the interaction of life forces.
o There is a holistic view of life as a cosmic unity.
o Knowledge is gained through participation and connecting, not so much through
separation and abstraction.
, o The observer (researcher and psychologist) is part of the system that is observed and
influences it profoundly.
o Life is communal and personhood is defined in relation to the community.
o Personhood is defined in terms of the community, not the self.
o Parental responsibilities reside not just with the father and mother, but also the extended
family and the community.
o Personhood is relationally defined (ubuntu).
o Individuals and communities are interdependent.
o Personhood is a process and is linked to ubuntu.
o Due to multiple influences and cultural cross-pollination the perspectives of an African
psychology is continuously changing.
Aisenberg and Herrenkohl (2008) highlight the following examples of community
strengths that a community can rely on in the context of violence and crime
Collective vigilance- which refers to forming social networks through which community
members can work together to achieve a particular goal
Collective strategies- this refers to using protective strategies together which ease the burden
of an individual
Collective enforcement- this is when a community acts collectively to reinforce norms of
preventing violence and crime, providing positive guidance and role modeling on how this can
be done.
Bio-medical Model
The biomedical model posits that mental disorders like Major depressive disorder, Attention
deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and substance use disorders are biologically based
brain diseases.
Core tenets of this model inter alia include:
o Mental disorders are caused by biological abnormalities principally located in the brain
o There is no meaningful distinction between mental diseases and physical diseases
o Biological treatment is emphasised
o The primary aim into the nature of mental disorders is to uncover their biological cause
(s)
o Treatment research seeks to develop somatic therapies that target underlying biological
dysfunction.
Focus of this model is placed on the individual as the unit of analysis. It relies on assumptions
of cause and effect and focuses on the cure of individuals who are already ill.
Blind spots as a “wicked” problem
Individuals, family systems, groups, organisations and other human systems have blind spots
that inhibit new learning for adaptation and self-correction. This explains why people
sometimes act in ways that appear irrational or thoughtless.
