COMMUNITY PSYCHOLOGY
WHAT IS COMMUNITY PSYCHOLOGY?
‘Community’ and ‘Psychology’ seems contradictory- Integration of the two contradictory
concepts
➢ ‘Community’- People coming together
➢ ‘Psychology’- Concerned with the health of individuals
Two concepts are integrated to focus on the study of interaction between individuals at multiple
levels- Such as: Family, networks of friends, workplace, school, and any social contexts that
people live in
The individual must be understood within context of these relationships- Not isolated from
them
Community psychology is a specialized field that applies to and interacts with all basic areas of
psychological knowledge
Its practice draws on research, intervention principles, and skills sharpened during
psychological training
Definitions of community psychology
Difficulty with capturing a specific definition due to complexities built-in the theory and practice
of community psychology
Following definitions highlight important aspects of the field:
• Concerned with understanding people in context of their communities, using variety of
interventions to facilitate change and improved mental health and social conditions for
individuals, groups, organizations, and communities
• An approach to understanding and solving community, organizational, and societal
problems by applying well-established psychological principles and techniques to
improve wellbeing and effectiveness at the individual, organizational, and community
levels- Considering values of social justice, inclusiveness, participation, diversity,
collaboration, and focus on strengths
• Studies relationship of individuals with communities and societies- By integrating
research with action, it seeks to understand and enhance quality of life for individuals,
communities, and societies
• Is a value-driven, action-orientated field, focused on reducing oppression and
supporting individual, group, and collective wellbeing
,The importance of the concept of social “context” in Community Psychology:
➢ The social context in which people live can impact their lives
➢ Behaviour needs to be understood within that context
➢ It is the context that gives meaning to behaviours
➢ It is the canvas against which individual and collective behaviours can be understood
➢ It may lead to a broader understanding of individual functioning to provide a more
effective solutions or interventions to resolve problems
Key characteristics of community psychology
Social relevance: Refers to socially responsive psychological praxis/practice that deals with
real issues people experience
Ecological conceptualization: People’s behaviour can only be understood in terms of the
interactions of the systems they live in
Community psychology has holistic focus and studies structural factors and power
relationships in organizations, neighbourhoods, and communities that can affect lives of
individuals and families
Example (Their social and physical environments): Homelessness is not only result of
individual or family problems, but can also be the result of a lack of affordable housing
Action-orientated to promote health, quality of life, and wellbeing: Uses psychological
principles and techniques to prevent problems (rather than treating after they arise) and
promote healthy functioning for all members of community
Makes psychological knowledge useful to ordinary people for developing resources and
achieving social change
Value-driven: Promotes values of social justice and collaboration
Differences between community psychology and mainstream psychology
Community psychology can be differentiated from other fields of psychology
It focuses on the interaction between individual and community, as well as on community
characteristics, culture, and processes influencing lives of people
It aims to enhance quality of life through various intervention strategies
(In contrast)
Social psychology studies interaction of people but doesn’t have strong focus on interventions
aimed at improving conditions
Sociology focuses mainly on study of community processes without emphasis on individuals
and their complex interactions with the social structure
Social work focuses more on changing immediate conditions in which people live and on
supporting legal processes
2
,Definition of community
Concept of ‘community’ is viewed differently in community psychology
Depending on theoretical framework used- Community can refer to:
a) People in specific geographical area and time
b) A social system
c) A construction way of life
d) A sociopolitical organization
In history of South Africa- Concept of community was given to specific racial connotation
During apartheid era this concept was used to emphasize differences between various racial
groupings (Such as: Black, white, coloured) and that each group has its own distinct culture
Resulting from history- Concept of community has been problematic as it has potential to recall
apartheid terminology and can create notion of homogenous/unified communities
In community psychology- Community is defined beyond these limited views
Community as a location (a)
Traditionally- Community is defined as a group of people in a geographical and physical area
Interpersonal relationships in communities are often based on proximity and shared
experiences- Not necessarily by choice
Community defined in terms of geographical area can be described regarding:
• Demographic characteristics- Social characteristics of residents in the area
(Such as: Gender, social class, or family life cycle)
• Land use and quality of housing- Development in the area
(Such as: High-density housing, informal settlements, or large farms)
• Infrastructure or formal organizations- Planned development of organizations
(Such as: Schools, churches, or shops)
Community as a network of social relationships (b)
Community can be defined as a network of relationships where people share some common
characteristics or values and interests
People in social networks don’t need to live in the same geographical area but can work
together, belong to a social organization, or have virtual (online) contact
Person feels part of community to certain extent when characteristics are present:
• Membership- Feeling of belonging to a group (sense of community)
• Influence- Extent of mutual influence between the person and the group
• Fulfilment of needs- Sharing of values and resources in group to satisfy individual
needs
• Shared emotional connection- People feeling connected through shared emotional
experiences
3
, Community as a construction way of life (c)
When one works in community- One finds that the meaning people attach to reality is informed
by physical and social contexts in which people live
Communities can be defined as socially constructed, created, and evolving through interaction
These are spaces where crises and possibilities of interrelatedness of people, ideas, and
issues may be encountered
Shared experiences contribute to creation of a common character or way of life- Influenced by
sociohistorical context and the way people create meaning regarding certain situations
Examples: Religious communities, coloured fishing communities, Afrikaner agricultural
communities
Community as a sociopolitical organization (d)
Concept of community has a sociopolitical meaning that reflects the political histories and
beliefs of people in given context
Therefore- Community can form a collective power structure that promotes a specific cause
and influences decision making
Examples: Activist groups, social change group, pro-choice/pro-life movements
Development of community psychology in South Africa
Development of community psychology in South Africa is related to social and historical
contexts of the country
Many years- Psychology was practised with an individual-remedial focus that served needs of
minority of white population while majority of population was underserved (services were
inappropriate and inaccessible for black, poor people)
Emergence of community psychology in this context was deeply political in nature
Resistance to unjust state action coexisted with action to deal with mental health issues in
community, as well as implementing change in training and practice of psychology to make it
more relevant for the context
This developing community psychology movement aimed to:
• Extend the provision of mental health services to all citizens
• Transform the conceptualization of psychosocial problems
• Transform psychological service delivery into a contextually appropriate service
• Address interracial tensions, social class inequalities, public policy, and empowerment
• Redefine the role of psychologists to embrace advocacy, policy formation, mobilizing,
and networking
4
WHAT IS COMMUNITY PSYCHOLOGY?
‘Community’ and ‘Psychology’ seems contradictory- Integration of the two contradictory
concepts
➢ ‘Community’- People coming together
➢ ‘Psychology’- Concerned with the health of individuals
Two concepts are integrated to focus on the study of interaction between individuals at multiple
levels- Such as: Family, networks of friends, workplace, school, and any social contexts that
people live in
The individual must be understood within context of these relationships- Not isolated from
them
Community psychology is a specialized field that applies to and interacts with all basic areas of
psychological knowledge
Its practice draws on research, intervention principles, and skills sharpened during
psychological training
Definitions of community psychology
Difficulty with capturing a specific definition due to complexities built-in the theory and practice
of community psychology
Following definitions highlight important aspects of the field:
• Concerned with understanding people in context of their communities, using variety of
interventions to facilitate change and improved mental health and social conditions for
individuals, groups, organizations, and communities
• An approach to understanding and solving community, organizational, and societal
problems by applying well-established psychological principles and techniques to
improve wellbeing and effectiveness at the individual, organizational, and community
levels- Considering values of social justice, inclusiveness, participation, diversity,
collaboration, and focus on strengths
• Studies relationship of individuals with communities and societies- By integrating
research with action, it seeks to understand and enhance quality of life for individuals,
communities, and societies
• Is a value-driven, action-orientated field, focused on reducing oppression and
supporting individual, group, and collective wellbeing
,The importance of the concept of social “context” in Community Psychology:
➢ The social context in which people live can impact their lives
➢ Behaviour needs to be understood within that context
➢ It is the context that gives meaning to behaviours
➢ It is the canvas against which individual and collective behaviours can be understood
➢ It may lead to a broader understanding of individual functioning to provide a more
effective solutions or interventions to resolve problems
Key characteristics of community psychology
Social relevance: Refers to socially responsive psychological praxis/practice that deals with
real issues people experience
Ecological conceptualization: People’s behaviour can only be understood in terms of the
interactions of the systems they live in
Community psychology has holistic focus and studies structural factors and power
relationships in organizations, neighbourhoods, and communities that can affect lives of
individuals and families
Example (Their social and physical environments): Homelessness is not only result of
individual or family problems, but can also be the result of a lack of affordable housing
Action-orientated to promote health, quality of life, and wellbeing: Uses psychological
principles and techniques to prevent problems (rather than treating after they arise) and
promote healthy functioning for all members of community
Makes psychological knowledge useful to ordinary people for developing resources and
achieving social change
Value-driven: Promotes values of social justice and collaboration
Differences between community psychology and mainstream psychology
Community psychology can be differentiated from other fields of psychology
It focuses on the interaction between individual and community, as well as on community
characteristics, culture, and processes influencing lives of people
It aims to enhance quality of life through various intervention strategies
(In contrast)
Social psychology studies interaction of people but doesn’t have strong focus on interventions
aimed at improving conditions
Sociology focuses mainly on study of community processes without emphasis on individuals
and their complex interactions with the social structure
Social work focuses more on changing immediate conditions in which people live and on
supporting legal processes
2
,Definition of community
Concept of ‘community’ is viewed differently in community psychology
Depending on theoretical framework used- Community can refer to:
a) People in specific geographical area and time
b) A social system
c) A construction way of life
d) A sociopolitical organization
In history of South Africa- Concept of community was given to specific racial connotation
During apartheid era this concept was used to emphasize differences between various racial
groupings (Such as: Black, white, coloured) and that each group has its own distinct culture
Resulting from history- Concept of community has been problematic as it has potential to recall
apartheid terminology and can create notion of homogenous/unified communities
In community psychology- Community is defined beyond these limited views
Community as a location (a)
Traditionally- Community is defined as a group of people in a geographical and physical area
Interpersonal relationships in communities are often based on proximity and shared
experiences- Not necessarily by choice
Community defined in terms of geographical area can be described regarding:
• Demographic characteristics- Social characteristics of residents in the area
(Such as: Gender, social class, or family life cycle)
• Land use and quality of housing- Development in the area
(Such as: High-density housing, informal settlements, or large farms)
• Infrastructure or formal organizations- Planned development of organizations
(Such as: Schools, churches, or shops)
Community as a network of social relationships (b)
Community can be defined as a network of relationships where people share some common
characteristics or values and interests
People in social networks don’t need to live in the same geographical area but can work
together, belong to a social organization, or have virtual (online) contact
Person feels part of community to certain extent when characteristics are present:
• Membership- Feeling of belonging to a group (sense of community)
• Influence- Extent of mutual influence between the person and the group
• Fulfilment of needs- Sharing of values and resources in group to satisfy individual
needs
• Shared emotional connection- People feeling connected through shared emotional
experiences
3
, Community as a construction way of life (c)
When one works in community- One finds that the meaning people attach to reality is informed
by physical and social contexts in which people live
Communities can be defined as socially constructed, created, and evolving through interaction
These are spaces where crises and possibilities of interrelatedness of people, ideas, and
issues may be encountered
Shared experiences contribute to creation of a common character or way of life- Influenced by
sociohistorical context and the way people create meaning regarding certain situations
Examples: Religious communities, coloured fishing communities, Afrikaner agricultural
communities
Community as a sociopolitical organization (d)
Concept of community has a sociopolitical meaning that reflects the political histories and
beliefs of people in given context
Therefore- Community can form a collective power structure that promotes a specific cause
and influences decision making
Examples: Activist groups, social change group, pro-choice/pro-life movements
Development of community psychology in South Africa
Development of community psychology in South Africa is related to social and historical
contexts of the country
Many years- Psychology was practised with an individual-remedial focus that served needs of
minority of white population while majority of population was underserved (services were
inappropriate and inaccessible for black, poor people)
Emergence of community psychology in this context was deeply political in nature
Resistance to unjust state action coexisted with action to deal with mental health issues in
community, as well as implementing change in training and practice of psychology to make it
more relevant for the context
This developing community psychology movement aimed to:
• Extend the provision of mental health services to all citizens
• Transform the conceptualization of psychosocial problems
• Transform psychological service delivery into a contextually appropriate service
• Address interracial tensions, social class inequalities, public policy, and empowerment
• Redefine the role of psychologists to embrace advocacy, policy formation, mobilizing,
and networking
4
