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.
