Psychology and Society

Psychology as a formal discipline is still relatively new; of its many specializations,
some have found their way to maturity, while others are still in their
early stages. The development of diverse fields has been justified by the
changing nature of social and psychological problems as well as by changing
perceptions as to how best to approach those problems. For example, because
more people live closer together than ever before, they must interact
with one another to a greater degree; finding ways to deal with issues such as
aggression, racism, and prejudice therefore becomes crucial. Several divisions
of the American Psychological Association reflect the diverse groups that interest psychologists: the Society of Pediatric Psychology, the Society
for the Psychological Study of Ethnic Minority Issues, and the Society for the
Psychological Study of Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Issues.
Economic conditions require most parents to work—whether they are
single parents or parents in a two-parent family—thus depriving children of
time with their parents. This has created a need for day-care centers; the
care and nurturing of young people is being transferred, to a significant degree,
to external agents. Moreover, older children may be expected to assume
adult responsibilities before they are ready. All these issues point to an
increasing need for family counseling. Educational institutions demand
achievement from students; this can daunt students who have emotional or
family problems that interfere with their ability to learn. The availability of
school counselors or psychologists can make a difference in whether such
children succeed or fail. Businesses and organizations use psychologists and
psychological testing to avoid hiring employees who would be ineffective or
incompatible with the organization’s approach and to maximize employee
productivity on the job.
The specialized fields of psychology have played both a facilitative and a
reflective role. Therapists and counselors, for example, have enabled individuals
to look at what they have previously accomplished, to assess the present,
and to come to terms with themselves and the realities of the future.
The future of psychology itself will hold further developments both in the
refining of specializations that already exist and in the development of new
ones as inevitable societal changes require them.
Sources for Further Study
Butler, Gillian, and Freda McManus. Psychology: A Very Short Introduction. New
York: Oxford University Press, 2000. Provides an understanding of some
of psychology’s leading ideas and their practical relevance. The authors
answer some of the most frequently asked questions about psychology:
What is psychology? How do humans use what is in the mind? How does
psychology work? How do people influence one another? What can a psychologist
do to help?
Colman, Andrew M. What Is Psychology? 2d ed. New York: Routledge, 1999.
Extensively revised and updated, this introduction to psychology as a discipline
assumes no prior knowledge of the subject. Examples are used
throughout to illustrate fundamental ideas, with a self-assessment quiz focusing
readers on a number of intriguing psychological problems. The
book explains the differences between psychology, psychiatry, and psychoanalysis
and offers an exploration of the professions and careers associated
with psychology.
Koch, Sigmund, and David E. Leary, eds. A Century of Psychology as Science.
Washington, D.C.: APA Books, 1992. This reissued edition, originally
published in 1985, comprehensively accesses the accomplishments, status,
and prospects of psychology at the end of its first century as a science, while offering a new postscript. The forty-three contributors are among
psychology’s foremost authorities. Among the fields addressed are sensory
processes and perception, learning, motivation, emotion, cognition,
development, personality, and social psychology.
Rieber, Robert W., and Kurt Salzinger, eds. Psychology: Theoretical-Historical
Perspectives. 2d ed. Washington, D.C.: APA Books, 1998. The approach to
theory and history adapted by the contributors is to focus on some of the
central figures in the development of the discipline. Within this approach,
the authors offer analyses of three major theoretical currents in
psychology: psychoanalysis, behaviorism, and the Geneva school. Other
chapters focus on psychophysics (the oldest incarnation of experimental
psychology) and on Gestalt, cognitive, and evolutionary psychology. Provides
the reader with a broad overview of the development of a continually
evolving field.
Simonton, Dean Keith. Great Psychologists and Their Times: Scientific Insights
into Psychology’s History. Washington, D.C.: APA Books, 2002. Integrates
relevant research on the psychology of eminent psychologists, from the
pioneering work of Francis Galton to work published in the twenty-first
century. Of particular interest are chapters exploring what aspects of the
sociocultural context are most conducive to the emergence of illustrious
psychologists and how these sociocultural conditions—including political
events, economic disturbances, or cultural values—affect not only the
magnitude of achievement but also the nature of that achievement.
Denise S. St. Cyr; updated by Allyson Washburn
See also: Behaviorism; Cognitive Psychology; Development; Industrial and
Organizational Psychology; Neuropsychology; Psychoanalytic Psychology;
Psychology: Definition. 674