Minorities in Psychology

 Minorities in Psychology

            Within the field of psychology, the contributions of women and minorities should be duly noted.  Often times however, they have been neglected in an arena historically dominated by white males.  Yet in more recent years, the psychological field has become more diversified and inclusive of differing individuals regardless of gender or ethnicity (Goodwin, 2008).  Nevertheless, the purpose of the following is to analyze how certain omissions affected psychological practices.

            To begin with, women and minorities struggled in the early years to gain acceptance and credibility.  They were overlooked, not considered for various educational opportunities, research teams, or apprenticeships.  Prevailing religious and ethnic biases in university systems and the job market were discriminate against them (Kendler, 2003).  Women were excluded from the inner circles of psychology, while black Americans often had to prove their mental prowess and basic abilities (Goodwin, 2008).  Such conditions fostered an environment in which they were compelled to succeed in effort to be accepted and deemed relevant among not only their colleagues, but their sub-groups and culture as well.  “An Afrocentric scientist cannot rest on her or his scientific production but rather must somehow apply it toward the betterment of humankind before the scientific process can be considered complete or one's role as a scientist can be considered fulfilled” (Phillips, 2000).

Not allowing such individuals to pursue training, education, and experience, enter the field, or foster professional relationships hindered the science from being more effective or relative to clients which needed their perspective to be considered within treatment on a personal basis.  Often times prejudice and practitioners’ personal experience was so far removed from that of their patients, (albeit children or minorities), that a certain level of understanding and compassion was unattainable (Kendler, 2003).  Hence, limiting the contributions of women and minorities was detrimental to the progression of the field, cultural awareness, and human rights.   

 References:

Goodwin, C.J. (2008). A history of modern psychology (3rd ed.). Hoboken, NJ: Wiley.

Kendler, T.S. (2003). A woman's struggle in academic psychology (1936-2001).

History of Psychology, 6(3), 251-266.

Phillips, L. (2000). Recontextualizing Kenneth B. Clark: An afrocentric perspective on

the paradoxical legacy of a modern psychologist-activist. History of Psychology,

3(2), 142-167.