Lecture 1 Flashcards
What is community psychology?
The scientific study of community phenomena. Focuses on social settings, system sad institutions that influence groups and organizations and the individuals within them.
Who is the community psychologist?
A psychologist who applies scientific discoveries and interventions to the community.
What are the fundamental principles of community psychology?
- Diversity
How is diversity broken down?
- Race
- Ethnicity
- Gender
- Social class
- Culture
Race:
Race has provided an intellectual basis for assumptions of racial superiority. Psychologists have concluded that biological race differences are not meaningful in any way. Race remains important because racism makes it so.
Ethnicity:
A social identity, based on one’s ancestry or culture of origin, as modified by the culture in which one currently resides. Defined by language, customs, values and social ties.
Gender:
Understanding what it means to be female or male, and how these categories are interpreted and reflected in attitudes, social roles and organization of social institutions. Represents important psychological and social processes, including the distribution of resources and power.
Social class:
Level of income or material assets or where on belongs in society. Typically includes assumptions about a person’s prospects for the future, occupational aspirations, and even where one may live. Influences many psychological issues.
Culture:
Meanings and experiences shared by a group and communicated across generations. Often expressed in what adults seek to transmit to children through family socialization practices and formal schooling.
What are other aspects of diversity?
- Ability/disability
- Sexual orientation
- Age
- Spirituality and religion
- Immigrant status
According to Lewin, behaviour is a function of what?
B=f(PXE). Behaviour is a function of the interaction between the person and the environment.
What is overmanning?
Too many people in the environment, which allows for more competition to complete a task.
What is undermanning?
Too little number of people in the environment, which doesn’t allow for enough people to complete the task.
What is behavioural community psychology?
Discriminative stimuli guide (control) people’s behaviours - Bogat and Jason. Setting –> Behaviour. The expectation of reinforcement/punishment leads to increased or decreased behaviour. E.g., more signs to clean up your dogs poop at the park leads to more owners cleaning up the dog poop.
What is empowerment?
A value, a process and an outcome. Enhancing the possibility that people can more actively control their own lives and includes: respect, self-determination, self-efficacy and collective efficacy.
