The American psychologist
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The American psychologist · Oct 2013
ReviewBuilding a peaceful society: origins, prevention, and reconciliation after genocide and other group violence.
The 20th century was a century of genocide and other great violence between groups within societies. Already at the beginning of the 21st century, there have been mass killings, civil wars, violent conflict, and terrorism. This article summarizes influences that tend to lead to intense group violence. ⋯ The article stresses the role of progressive change, that is, of psychological, behavioral, and social evolution, in both extreme violence and positive relations between groups; the role of passive bystanders in the unfolding of violence; and the role of active bystandership in the prevention of violence, in the promotion of reconciliation, and in the development of harmonious societies. It emphasizes psychological processes but notes the importance of creating societal institutions. The author cites findings from both laboratory research and case studies, reviews interventions and their evaluation in Rwanda, and points to the need for further research.
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The American psychologist · Oct 2013
ReviewBringing science to bear--on peace, not war: elaborating on psychology's potential to promote peace.
We argue that psychological and contextual factors play important roles in bringing about, facilitating, and escalating violent conflict. Yet rather than conclude that violent conflict is inevitable, we believe psychology's contributions can extend beyond understanding the origins and nature of violent conflict, to promote nonviolence and peace. In this article, we summarize psychological perspectives on the conditions and motivations underlying violent conflict. Drawing on this work, we then discuss psychological and contextual factors that can mitigate violence and war and promote nonviolence and peace.
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The American psychologist · Oct 2012
ReviewHealth and mental health policies' role in better understanding and closing African American-White American disparities in treatment access and quality of care.
Since publication of the U. S. Surgeon General's report Mental Health: Culture, Race and Ethnicity--A Supplement to Mental Health: A Report of the Surgeon General (U. ⋯ These initiatives include institutional commitments to (a) research by the National Center for Minority Health and Health Disparities; (b) disparities monitoring by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality; (c) new epidemiologic and service delivery information on African American populations from the National Survey of American Life sponsored by the National Institute of Mental Health; as well as (d) opportunities inherent in the World Health Organization's interest in disease burden for making it possible to view African Americans' likely greater disease burden from mental illness as a legitimate source of concern. The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act affords unprecedented opportunities for increasing African Americans' treatment access and quality of care nationwide. By familiarizing themselves with these initiatives, and taking advantage of possibilities they offer, those committed to reducing African American-White American disparities in mental illness, and treatment access and quality, can make inroads toward improving African Americans' mental health and facilitating their successful functioning in all spheres of community living.
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Most current ethical decision-making models provide a logical and reasoned process for making ethical judgments, but these models are empirically unproven and rely upon assumptions of rational, conscious, and quasilegal reasoning. Such models predominate despite the fact that many nonrational factors influence ethical thought and behavior, including context, perceptions, relationships, emotions, and heuristics. ⋯ Their influence represents an important but largely unrecognized component of ethical decision making. We selectively review this work; provide various illustrations; and make recommendations for scientists, trainers, and practitioners to aid them in integrating the understanding of nonrational processes with ethical decision making.
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The American psychologist · May 2007
ReviewRacial microaggressions in everyday life: implications for clinical practice.
Racial microaggressions are brief and commonplace daily verbal, behavioral, or environmental indignities, whether intentional or unintentional, that communicate hostile, derogatory, or negative racial slights and insults toward people of color. Perpetrators of microaggressions are often unaware that they engage in such communications when they interact with racial/ethnic minorities. ⋯ Almost all interracial encounters are prone to microaggressions; this article uses the White counselor--client of color counseling dyad to illustrate how they impair the development of a therapeutic alliance. Suggestions regarding education and training and research in the helping professions are discussed.