PYC3716 Community Psychology
PYC3716: COMMUNITY PSYCHOLOGY VERIFIED EXAM SOLUTIONS -
COMPREHENSIVE QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS - CURRENT VERSION
2026/2027
1. What is community psychology?
Community psychology is a field that focuses on the relationships between
individuals and their social environments, emphasizing prevention,
community-level interventions, and social justice to enhance well-being and
reduce problems in living.
2. When did community psychology emerge as a distinct discipline?
Community psychology emerged as a distinct discipline in 1965 at the
Swampscott Conference in Massachusetts, USA, which marked a shift
away from traditional clinical approaches toward community-based
interventions.
3. What is the Swampscott Conference and why is it significant?
The Swampscott Conference (1965) is significant because it marked the
formal birth of community psychology as a field, bringing together mental
health professionals who agreed that traditional clinical approaches were
insufficient and that psychologists needed to engage more directly with
communities and social systems.
4. How does community psychology differ from clinical psychology?
Unlike clinical psychology, which focuses on treating individuals with
diagnosable disorders, community psychology focuses on prevention,
social change, and enhancing well-being at the community and system
level. Community psychologists work to change environments and social
structures rather than solely treating individuals.
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,PYC3716 Community Psychology
5. What are the core values of community psychology?
Core values include individual and family wellness, sense of community,
respect for human diversity, social justice, empowerment and citizen
participation, collaboration and community strengths, empirical grounding,
and wellness promotion.
6. Define 'ecological perspective' in community psychology.
The ecological perspective views individuals within multiple nested
environmental contexts (microsystem, mesosystem, exosystem, and
macrosystem). It emphasizes the fit between person and environment and
how changing environments can promote well-being.
7. What is the concept of 'level of analysis' in community psychology?
Level of analysis refers to the different units at which psychological
phenomena can be examined — individual, microsystem (e.g., family,
classroom), organization, locality/community, and macrosystem (society).
Community psychology emphasizes multiple levels simultaneously.
8. What does 'person-environment fit' mean?
Person-environment fit refers to the degree to which an individual's needs,
values, and abilities match the demands and resources of their
environment. A good fit promotes well-being; a poor fit can lead to stress
and dysfunction.
9. Who are some founding figures of community psychology?
Key founding figures include Emory Cowen, George Albee, Julian
Rappaport, Seymour Sarason, James Kelly, and Edward Trickett. These
scholars helped define the field's values, theoretical frameworks, and
methods.
10. What is meant by 'psychological sense of community'?
Psychological sense of community refers to the feeling of belonging to a
group, sharing emotional connections with members, and believing that
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,PYC3716 Community Psychology
one's needs will be met through commitment to the group. It was
conceptualized by Sarason and later operationalized by McMillan and
Chavis.
11. Describe McMillan and Chavis's (1986) model of sense of community.
McMillan and Chavis identified four elements: (1) Membership — a feeling
of belonging; (2) Influence — a sense of mattering and having power; (3)
Integration and fulfillment of needs — members receive what they need
from the community; (4) Shared emotional connection — shared history
and participation.
12. What is prevention science in community psychology?
Prevention science is the application of scientific principles to reduce the
incidence and prevalence of problems (primary prevention), identify and
treat early-stage problems (secondary prevention), and minimize the
effects of established problems (tertiary prevention).
13. Distinguish between primary, secondary, and tertiary prevention.
Primary prevention targets the entire population to prevent problems before
they occur. Secondary prevention targets at-risk individuals to reduce
problem development. Tertiary prevention addresses existing problems to
minimize harm and promote recovery.
14. What is the role of empowerment in community psychology?
Empowerment is central to community psychology. It refers to processes
by which individuals and communities gain mastery over their lives and
environments. Community psychologists work to foster empowerment at
individual, organizational, and community levels.
15. Define 'social capital' and its relevance to community psychology.
Social capital refers to the networks, norms, and trust that facilitate
cooperation within and between groups. It is relevant because communities
with high social capital tend to have better health outcomes, lower crime,
and stronger collective action capacity.
Page
, PYC3716 Community Psychology
16. What is the 'action research' approach in community psychology?
Action research is a participatory, cyclical process in which researchers
and community members collaborate to identify problems, implement
interventions, evaluate outcomes, and use findings to guide further action.
It prioritizes practical change alongside knowledge generation.
17. What does 'social justice' mean in community psychology?
Social justice in community psychology refers to the equitable distribution
of resources, opportunities, and power across society. Community
psychologists advocate for marginalized groups and work to eliminate
oppressive social structures.
18. What is an 'alternative setting' in community psychology?
Alternative settings are community organizations or programs created to
provide services outside of traditional institutions (e.g., community health
centers, mutual aid groups, crisis hotlines). They emphasize accessibility,
empowerment, and community participation.
19. How does community psychology address mental health?
Community psychology addresses mental health through prevention
programs, strengthening community resources, reducing stigma, promoting
social support networks, and working to change social conditions (e.g.,
poverty, discrimination) that contribute to mental health problems.
20. What is the 'ecological analogy' proposed by James Kelly?
James Kelly proposed that communities function like ecosystems, with four
ecological principles: interdependence (all parts affect each other), cycling
of resources (how resources are distributed), adaptation (communities
change over time), and succession (settings evolve over time).
SECTION 2: THEORETICAL FRAMEWORKS
Page
PYC3716: COMMUNITY PSYCHOLOGY VERIFIED EXAM SOLUTIONS -
COMPREHENSIVE QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS - CURRENT VERSION
2026/2027
1. What is community psychology?
Community psychology is a field that focuses on the relationships between
individuals and their social environments, emphasizing prevention,
community-level interventions, and social justice to enhance well-being and
reduce problems in living.
2. When did community psychology emerge as a distinct discipline?
Community psychology emerged as a distinct discipline in 1965 at the
Swampscott Conference in Massachusetts, USA, which marked a shift
away from traditional clinical approaches toward community-based
interventions.
3. What is the Swampscott Conference and why is it significant?
The Swampscott Conference (1965) is significant because it marked the
formal birth of community psychology as a field, bringing together mental
health professionals who agreed that traditional clinical approaches were
insufficient and that psychologists needed to engage more directly with
communities and social systems.
4. How does community psychology differ from clinical psychology?
Unlike clinical psychology, which focuses on treating individuals with
diagnosable disorders, community psychology focuses on prevention,
social change, and enhancing well-being at the community and system
level. Community psychologists work to change environments and social
structures rather than solely treating individuals.
Page
,PYC3716 Community Psychology
5. What are the core values of community psychology?
Core values include individual and family wellness, sense of community,
respect for human diversity, social justice, empowerment and citizen
participation, collaboration and community strengths, empirical grounding,
and wellness promotion.
6. Define 'ecological perspective' in community psychology.
The ecological perspective views individuals within multiple nested
environmental contexts (microsystem, mesosystem, exosystem, and
macrosystem). It emphasizes the fit between person and environment and
how changing environments can promote well-being.
7. What is the concept of 'level of analysis' in community psychology?
Level of analysis refers to the different units at which psychological
phenomena can be examined — individual, microsystem (e.g., family,
classroom), organization, locality/community, and macrosystem (society).
Community psychology emphasizes multiple levels simultaneously.
8. What does 'person-environment fit' mean?
Person-environment fit refers to the degree to which an individual's needs,
values, and abilities match the demands and resources of their
environment. A good fit promotes well-being; a poor fit can lead to stress
and dysfunction.
9. Who are some founding figures of community psychology?
Key founding figures include Emory Cowen, George Albee, Julian
Rappaport, Seymour Sarason, James Kelly, and Edward Trickett. These
scholars helped define the field's values, theoretical frameworks, and
methods.
10. What is meant by 'psychological sense of community'?
Psychological sense of community refers to the feeling of belonging to a
group, sharing emotional connections with members, and believing that
Page
,PYC3716 Community Psychology
one's needs will be met through commitment to the group. It was
conceptualized by Sarason and later operationalized by McMillan and
Chavis.
11. Describe McMillan and Chavis's (1986) model of sense of community.
McMillan and Chavis identified four elements: (1) Membership — a feeling
of belonging; (2) Influence — a sense of mattering and having power; (3)
Integration and fulfillment of needs — members receive what they need
from the community; (4) Shared emotional connection — shared history
and participation.
12. What is prevention science in community psychology?
Prevention science is the application of scientific principles to reduce the
incidence and prevalence of problems (primary prevention), identify and
treat early-stage problems (secondary prevention), and minimize the
effects of established problems (tertiary prevention).
13. Distinguish between primary, secondary, and tertiary prevention.
Primary prevention targets the entire population to prevent problems before
they occur. Secondary prevention targets at-risk individuals to reduce
problem development. Tertiary prevention addresses existing problems to
minimize harm and promote recovery.
14. What is the role of empowerment in community psychology?
Empowerment is central to community psychology. It refers to processes
by which individuals and communities gain mastery over their lives and
environments. Community psychologists work to foster empowerment at
individual, organizational, and community levels.
15. Define 'social capital' and its relevance to community psychology.
Social capital refers to the networks, norms, and trust that facilitate
cooperation within and between groups. It is relevant because communities
with high social capital tend to have better health outcomes, lower crime,
and stronger collective action capacity.
Page
, PYC3716 Community Psychology
16. What is the 'action research' approach in community psychology?
Action research is a participatory, cyclical process in which researchers
and community members collaborate to identify problems, implement
interventions, evaluate outcomes, and use findings to guide further action.
It prioritizes practical change alongside knowledge generation.
17. What does 'social justice' mean in community psychology?
Social justice in community psychology refers to the equitable distribution
of resources, opportunities, and power across society. Community
psychologists advocate for marginalized groups and work to eliminate
oppressive social structures.
18. What is an 'alternative setting' in community psychology?
Alternative settings are community organizations or programs created to
provide services outside of traditional institutions (e.g., community health
centers, mutual aid groups, crisis hotlines). They emphasize accessibility,
empowerment, and community participation.
19. How does community psychology address mental health?
Community psychology addresses mental health through prevention
programs, strengthening community resources, reducing stigma, promoting
social support networks, and working to change social conditions (e.g.,
poverty, discrimination) that contribute to mental health problems.
20. What is the 'ecological analogy' proposed by James Kelly?
James Kelly proposed that communities function like ecosystems, with four
ecological principles: interdependence (all parts affect each other), cycling
of resources (how resources are distributed), adaptation (communities
change over time), and succession (settings evolve over time).
SECTION 2: THEORETICAL FRAMEWORKS
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