W3- Confronting the truths of Psychology's power dynamics

Question 1

cultural biases built into psych

Answer 1

founded on punishment
used to torture, gaslight, and over-medicate people
used similarly to prison system to hold power over marginalised people- punish, pathologise and diminish collective power and rebellion

Question 2

power

Answer 2

person’s ability to exert influence and control
having access to resources
ability to influence others
access to decison makers
ability to define reality

Question 3

power dynamics

Answer 3

describes how power affects a relationship between two or more people

Question 4

privilege

Answer 4

special advantage enjoyed by individual or group not available to everyone

Question 5

privilege and power relationship

Answer 5

those with privilege hold more power

Question 6

power and privilege in medical profession

Answer 6

job positions demand high salary, high level of knowledge from advanced education, and medical professional has control over patient/client
certain level of privilege needed to gain these positions

Question 7

which groups of people might not have access to mental health care?

Answer 7

vulnerable, traumatised, experiencing emotional distress, lower SES, ethnic minorities, disabled and neurodiverse

Question 8

psych power dynamic

Answer 8

the dynamic is by design
client transfers power to therapist by being emotionally vulnerable- therapist uses this to assist client

Question 9

societal power dynamics

Answer 9

despite intentional patient-practitioner power dynamic, societal power dynamics are still at play
race, SES, sexual orientation, ability/disability, gender, class/caste, religion

Question 10

why is it important for therapists to acknowledge and explore power dynamics in client-therapist relationship?

Answer 10

learning about their own cultural identity and that of their client helps them be aware of and accepting of the client’s beliefs and perspectives
the power imbalance becomes exploitative when dismissing the client’s perspective
also important to acknowledge systems of oppression which add context to the therapist and client’s lives

Question 11

coercive power

Answer 11

ability to offer punishment to deter certain actions

Question 12

reward power

Answer 12

ability to give out rewards for desired behaviour

Question 13

formal power

Answer 13

power comes from having an official position, often legal
legitimate or titular power

Question 14

connection power

Answer 14

ability to offer access to certain people or resources

Question 15

referent power

Answer 15

influence comes from being liked by others
popularity, charisma

Question 16

informational power

Answer 16

influence that comes from knowledge and information

Question 17

expert power

Answer 17

influence comes from having exceptional skills

Question 18

what kind of power do psychologists have?

Answer 18

formal- power to detain clients
informational- psych knows more about client than client knows about psych

Question 19

oppression

Answer 19

when one group used unfair acts fo power to control another group
even when not causing physical harm, limits a person’s freedom to move through world, pursue goals, and obtain power

Question 20

overt oppression

Answer 20

openly practised
clear visible actions and outcomes that discriminate against and oppress a group of people

Question 21

covert oppression

Answer 21

more insidious
indirect, hidden mechanism
perpetuate inequalities and inequities
create exclusions
implicit bias
microaggressions
societal norms and practices

Question 22

oppression and intersectionality

Answer 22

individual can belong to advantage and disadvantaged groups at same time or multiple disadvantaged groups

Question 23

factors which impact power dynamics

Answer 23

dominant ideologies/systems
education/access to knowledge
money
attachment styles
privilege/marginalisation
boundaries
resources
trauma histories
communication
style
positions of authority

Question 24

colonialism

Answer 24

“control by one power over a dependent area or people”
subjugation of one population by another, conquering, exploiting, and forcing language and cultural values upon its people
non-indigenous people hold colonial power

Question 25

imperialism

Answer 25

policy or ethos of using power and influence to control another nation or people underlies colonialism

Question 26

systemic racism

Answer 26

when laws, policies and practices across agencies work together to produce discriminatory outcomes for racial or cultural groups may appear neutral but result in uneven or unfair outcomes

Question 27

dynamics of power structures

Answer 27

power operates within social, political and organisational contexts dynamics occur within these structrues, relfect how power in negotiated, contested, and exercised rarely static- flows, shifts and morphs according to context, relationships and other factors

Question 28

institutional power

Answer 28

when organisations determine control over people and their behaviours through rules, norms and resources, without considering equity and their power dynamic

Question 29

examples of institutional power

Answer 29

education- women, low SES, Indigenous Australian law and justice- overrepresentation of brown and black people- racial profiling government policy and institutions- removal of children through legislation media- media influences discourse

Question 30

institutional power in health

Answer 30

segregated wards, different treatment for AIDS patients... these power dynamics which have forced compliance and created fear over generations result in current distrust in institutions

Question 31

closing the gap- areas that still need to be greatly improved

Answer 31

incarceration, out of home care, suicide need for social and emotional wellbeing and mental health

Question 32

how to create more cultural awareness/acceptance/education?

Answer 32

more standards set by gov and orgs Indigenous-led frameworks APAC, APS, AHPRA- included cultural responsiveness to set of standards of teaching and accreditation for psychologists

Question 33

closing the gap

Answer 33

launched in 2008 and still no significant progress focused on life expectancy, child mortality, early childhood education, literacy, secondary education, employment, school attendance

Question 34

negative stereotypes about Indigenous Australians

Answer 34

substance abuse- dehumanisation misinformation about prevalence of sexual offenders in Aboriginal communities don't like to work- take gov handouts "real" Aboriginals live in desert/remote communities

Question 35

holistic vs reductionist

Answer 35

Indigenous conceptualisation more holistic- understand problem and how it exists within the whole Western reductionist perspective- understand problem and its role specifically, and how to remove or live with it

Question 36

disclosure

Answer 36

Western model prioritises privacy- confidentiality, informed consent, disclosure collectivist societies- benefit of multiple specialists/practitioners working together

Question 37

tactics to reduce power imbalance in psych

Answer 37

reduce use of jargon resolving misunderstandings- should not blame client, reword statement, apologising for mistakes adjusting atmosphere- should be culturally safe, feel comfortable, fidget toys avoiding personal relationships practicing self-reflexivity integrating cultural responsiveness- actively listen and validate cultural experiences, incorporate cultural knowledge, continuous education

Question 38

how to redistribute power

Answer 38

shared decision making Indigenous self-determination challenging standard practices client-led approaches empowerment- need to be careful- can be in context of one person/group empowering another- done from position of greater power- should involve dismantling hierachial structures and fostering environments where empowerment is shared and collaborative