Week4_Afram_12_Afrocentric_Psychology_an

Week 4 & 5 : 

Week 4 & 5 Afrocentric Psychology and the Development of Family and Community

Week 4 & 5 : 

Week 4 & 5 Afrocentric Psychology and the Development of Family and Community

Why we need a new science? : 

Dr. Jarralynne Agee Merritt College Why we need a new science? Many of the mainstream theorists that developed the concept of Psychology were involved in the misclassification of the African American psyche. At the core of their approach to the science of understanding people of color was a PATERNALISTIC approach.

Paternalism in Psychology : 

Dr. Jarralynne Agee Merritt College Paternalism in Psychology Paternalism in Psychology refers to the concept of theorists feeling custodial over the people that are studying. Strengths of Paternalism Insures that all people are taken care of including youth, the poor, the disabled Provides services for people regardless of their ability to pay. Can arise out of philanthropic efforts to better society as a whole.

Paternalism in Psychology : 

Dr. Jarralynne Agee Merritt College Paternalism in Psychology Paternalism in Psychology refers to the concept of theorists feeling custodial over the people that are studying. Weaknesses of Paternalism Creates a class system of service the ‘haves and the have-nots” Considers researchers and Psychologists as experts and therefore superior to the people being studied. Infantilizes the people that are in need and disregards their own personal opinions about their status, needs or well-being. Diminishes the impendent thinking, will and power of families and individuals that are not part of the dominant culture.

Slavery and Psychology : 

Dr. Jarralynne Agee Merritt College Slavery and Psychology According to Afrocentric theorists the process of going through slavery had a long standing negative impact on the pysche of the African American. This was not done by chance. A famous letter by Willie Lynch, a slave owner from the south details the specific efforts to keep the slaves enslaved not only with shackles but also with psychological techniques

Slavery and Psychology : 

Dr. Jarralynne Agee Merritt College Slavery and Psychology The Willie Lynch letter: Suggested that slaveowners Encourage fighting between the slaves (light vs. dark; young vs. old; field negroes vs. house slaves) Strip them of their native communication (strict punishment for speaking in their African tongue) Forbid the right to read and to learn These efforts along with forcing slaves into close barely inhabitable quarters, making them dependent on the master for food and sustinance and making decisions that a father or mother would make on behalf of their family contributed to the psychologically negative impact of slavery.

Slavery and Psychology : 

Dr. Jarralynne Agee Merritt College Slavery and Psychology What did Psychological theorists do with this information? How did they respond to Africans who had been enslaved and African Americans who had been subjected to subpar conditions? Many major Psychological theorists ignored the impact of slavery and began to pathologize the results that slavery had created in Black families. They decided that the outcome of African Americans was not do to their conditions they were forced into but due to the nature of who they are.

Slavery and Psychology : 

Dr. Jarralynne Agee Merritt College Slavery and Psychology What did Psychological theorists do with this information? How did they respond to Africans who had been enslaved and African Americans who had been subjected to subpar conditions? Many major Psychological theorists ignored the impact of slavery and began to pathologize the results that slavery had created in Black families. They decided that the outcome of African Americans was not do to their conditions they were forced into but due to the nature of who they are.

Definitions and Diagnosis : 

Dr. Jarralynne Agee Merritt College Definitions and Diagnosis Due to a Partneralistic worldview mainstream theorists attempted to explain the Black human condition. Drapetomania – The propensity for a slave to irrationally want to run away. Dr. Samuel Cartwright Louisana physician authority on Negroe ‘care’.

Definitions and Diagnosis : 

Dr. Jarralynne Agee Merritt College Definitions and Diagnosis "negroidism" - a ‘hereditary illness’ where the only “cure” occurs when the skin color turned white. "Whites should not tyrannize over [blacks], for their disease should entitle them to a double portion of humanity. However, by the same token, whites should not intermarry with them, for this would tend to infect posterity with the 'disorder'... attempts must be made Definition offered founder of the American Philosophical Society, Dr. Benjamin Rush

Findings : 

Dr. Jarralynne Agee Merritt College Findings The Africans become insane, we are told, in some instances, soon after they enter upon the toils of perpetual slavery in the West Indies. – Dr. Benjamin Rush Alarming increase in insanity post-slavery. Hygienic life of slavery was protective. – Dr. T.O Powell

Definitions : 

Dr. Jarralynne Agee Merritt College Definitions BECAUSE OF THIS SCIENTIFIC MISLABLING PEOPLE WITHOUT PSYCHOLOGICAL INFIRMITIES WERE COMMITTED LOOK AT RESOURCES FOR THE STORY OF JUNIUS WILSON

Fathers of traditional Psychology : 

Dr. Jarralynne Agee Merritt College Fathers of traditional Psychology Ignored the issue of race as it related to the human psyche. Pathologized blackness. Anything non-white was wrong. Felt morally superior and therefore maintained a paternalistic relationship with people of color (Dr. Benjamin Rush was against slavery)

How paternalism impacts psychosocial findings. : 

Dr. Jarralynne Agee Merritt College How paternalism impacts psychosocial findings. Start from a position of moral and intellectual superiority. Collective consciousness defined by whites. Suggestions benefit whites and not people of color

Benefits of a paternalistic world view? : 

Dr. Jarralynne Agee Merritt College Benefits of a paternalistic world view? Economic Class Self -Preservation

Early Psychology founders : 

Dr. Jarralynne Agee Merritt College Early Psychology founders Carl Jung (student of Freud) American problems are caused by co-mingling with Blacks. Sir Francis Galton Science of Eugenics: racial improvement through selective sterilization. Herbert Spencer Social Darwinism: Poor people nature’s proof of racial superiority.

Early Psychology founders : 

Dr. Jarralynne Agee Merritt College Early Psychology founders R.S. Woodworth Conducted research at the world’s fair. Found Blacks to be best used for manual labor. Lewis Terman Tracking according to ability. Created racial segregation in Oakland. Overturned by Larry P. case

Early Psychology founders : 

Dr. Jarralynne Agee Merritt College Early Psychology founders G. Stanley Hall (APA founder) The dichotomy of Black and White. One must be good, the other bad. Adolescent races (Indian, Chinese and Black) Greatest adolescent was Black. G. Stanley Hall taught first African American Ph.d Psychologist

Practical use of Western Psychology : 

Dr. Jarralynne Agee Merritt College Practical use of Western Psychology Morally superior stance creates responsibility to ‘care’ for Blacks. Institutions were created to manage the Children, through special ed and testing Women through selective sterilization Men through incarceration Families through ghettoes

Responsibility : 

Dr. Jarralynne Agee Merritt College Responsibility Benefits of a paternalistic world view. Where do we have to have it? If a paternalistic world view is wrong, what’s right?

African American FamilyStructure and Function : 

Dr. Jarralynne Agee Merritt College African American FamilyStructure and Function Enslavement Harsh conditions of slavery Mother-child relationship not husband-wife Permanent union not possible Reconstruction Increase 2 parent families Migration Urbanization and single-parent homes

The two truths : 

Dr. Jarralynne Agee Merritt College The two truths The legacy of slavery and discrimination continues to influence social and economic standing. Resilience and forging of social ties have enabled many African Americans to overcome adversity and to maintain a high degree of mental health. (MORE NEXT WEEK)

Go to our forum : 

Dr. Jarralynne Agee Merritt College Go to our forum Respond to the posts in the forum Answer the questions from this week’s assignments Review online resources