Aylin Giron
Critical Psychology: “Problem from the societal point of view, rather than an individual’s perspective.” Critical Psychology argues that we don’t think, and act based on internal factors, but societal influences, such as culture, economics, power imbalances, and barriers that affect an individual’s behavior, and thinking. A need to understand these issues in society and understand the relationship between psychology and how it relates to these issues.
Critical and Community Psychology come hand in hand in studying society and ways to improve social conditions. Community focuses more on the individuals’ point of view in a community, where at Critical considers history, politics, and social issues
History of Critical Psychology: The word Critical Psychology first appeared in Germany in the 1960’s and adopted into the Frankfurt school or Critical Theory (Theories that aim to critique and/or transform society by analyzing its conflicts. The primary goal with this was to overcome social structures that oppress them) However it was then “inaugurated” by K. Holzkamp in the 70s. Holzkamp defined Critical Psychology as “a Marxist–Leninist psychology (Holzkamp 1983, p. 27)”, Marxist-Leninist psychology meaning, The study of the human mind in relation to social relations
References:
Gundlach, H. U. K., & The term ‘critical psychology’ has been applied to various approaches to psychology that share a resistance to mainstream psychology. (2001, November 2). Critical psychology. International Encyclopedia of the Social & Behavioral Sciences. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/B0080430767016557
Compass Hub – Wiley Online Library. (n.d.). https://compass.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1751-9004.2007.00051.x
