Black Psychology Exam/ Due Monday by 6:00
Ojillius22
Ch.2PSYC3230.pptxChapter 2
Sankofa: History of and Aspirations for Black Psychology
As Sankofa means ”looking back in order to go forward”, the purpose of this chapter is to reflect on the experiences of prominent trailblazers of Black Psychology.
Elder Biographies: Dr. Janet Helms
Specializes in the areas of racial identity, psychological testing & assessment, & racial/cultural counseling
Well-known for her racial identity development theories
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Elder Biographies: Dr. Linda Myers
Focuses on traditional healing practices in psychotherapeutic processes
Studies moral & spiritual development
Best known for theory of Optimal Psychology
Elder Biographies: Dr. Joseph White
“Father of Black Psychology”
Clinical supervisor, practicing psychologist, consultant, writer
Elder Biographies: Dr. Daniel Williams
Only AA PHD level licensed psychologist in California during the 1965 race riot
Was often sought after to share his views
A cross was burned on his front lawn
These experiences led him to believe that “There was nowhere for me to go but to be Black”
Developed Montclair State University's 1st Affirmative Act Plan
Invited to the White House by President Jimmy Carter as the President signed the Mental Health Systems Act of 1980 into law
Elder Biographies: Dr. Robert Williams
Focuses on cultural bias in testing, Black language, & program evaluation
“10 point program”: outlined the need for & strategies to increase enrollment of Black student in graduate psychology programs
Contextual factors
During the 1960s, the primary models used for Black people were deficit or deficiency models
These models proposed deficiencies in intelligence, achievement, & social structure
The Association of Black Psychologists (ABPsi) was founded as a student-led rebellion
Optimal example of the influence of young people
Goals:
Racially integrate its own workforce
Facilitate the entry of more Blacks into graduate programs in psychology
Eliminate racist theory & research from journals
Establish a program w/in which concerns of psychologists of color could be expressed
1st task- bring attention to the use of biased tests
Dealing with adversity
Being the only one/lack of role models
Dealing with racism/oppression
Low scores on intelligence tests (biased data)
Double strikes
Lack of support
“It is one experience to be challenged, but it is even more daunting to be challenged w/out having support in the institutions & systems one is navigating in.”
Degrees of indifference or apathy
Lack of working relationships
As a consequence, most of support came from family, friends, networks outside of university
Dealing with adversity, cont.
Dealing with adversity, cont.
Lack of validation/acknowledgement of contributions
Helms’s Racial Identity Attitude Scale
Intended to measure identity for Black Americans
Response:
“We don’t understand why you study Black identity, you need to prove that there’s a difference between Black people & White people. Why don’t you study White people’s identity?”
Williams’ Ebonics
Coined the term in 1973
Not until White linguists repacked Ebonics as African American Vernacular English that the construct was accepted at large by the academy (1990s)
What is black psychology?
Toward a Black Psychology
Beginnings categorized as Traditional School of Black Psychology
Reactive, defensive, critical
Shift to propose culturally relevant & appropriate theories and modalities of treatment
Incorporation of historical, philosophical, & religious foundations of Africa
Defining black psychology
Theory development, research, & practice that recognize the importance of the Black cultural experience & seeks to enhance the mental state of Black people
Includes the axiology (values), concepts of self, time orientation, human goals, & epistemology (knowledge) grounded in the sociohistorical context of people of African descent
Emphasis on training
Creates “pipeline to bring younger people into the field”
How definitions have evolved
Historically we have been trying to prove to people that we exist, now we need to move forward to use what we know to make positive changes.
This begins NOW. What are you sharing on social media?
Black psychology is built on the principle the Black people have significant strengths.
What does this mean?
We should not be appropriating anyone else’s culture, rather finding out what defines us.
How does one “appropriate” another culture?
Significant milestones in black psychology
Black Psychology has impacted ethnic studies and the movement of multiculturalism
Dr. White noted that:
“We had to fight the profession to establish a legitimacy of [Black Psychology] and then what happened was while they were arguing with us, the Asian dude turned around and said that they didn’t like how they were being defined in psychology and they didn’t like the invisibility and they were going to write their own psychology and then the Chicano dude and the Chicano sister wanted to set up and do the same thing.”
Professionals within the field should strive to have an impact on others
Dr. Williams urges professionals to “roll up your sleeves and be a part of social change”.
This is a challenge for all to move beyond talk (or complaints) into action.
Dr. Williams reports that Black Psychology should “belong to the people”.
Where does black psychology go from here?
Shared focus on training future Black professionals to play pivotal roles in:
the academy,
Black communities,
a variety of mental health settings, and
other decision-making institutional positions
Integral belief that the creation & institutionalization of “think tanks” in Black psychology are imperative to the continuation of the field
Need for more coalition & integration
| Suggestions for Training | Suggestions for Practice | Suggestions for Research |
| Think tanks (opportunities for professionals to think & create) Mentorship: formal & informal Recruitment & retention Specific training programs Grant funding | Social activism Develop, implement, & evaluation community interventions through collaborative efforts Get & stay involved in local/national/international social & political movements Secure positions of power Empirically validated treatments | Intervention research Antecedent research |
