Summary PYC2614 Study Notes Community Psychology: Building Foundations

PYC2614 Study Notes Community Psychology: Building Foundations Downloaded by: Ltawane | Distribution of this document is illegal PYC2614 Study Notes Community Psychology: Building Foundations SECTION A: THE FOUNDATION OF COMMUNITY PSYCHOLOGY The Aim of the Module:  Explore what this field is about, where it originated from, how it Is practiced today and how you can use the community psychology principles in whichever career you are developing yourself towards.  The module will introduce you to how you fit in the community in which you live  Provide ways and means of understanding the current contextual issues in our communities and how these can be attended to through community psychology understandings toward possible interventions Theme 1: Histories and Schools of Community Psychology Epistemological Differences in Understanding the Concept “Community” There are Western and non-Western epistemologies (worldviews/ways of viewing reality) on understanding psychological phenomena, including the concept “community”. These epistemologies signify the European knowledge and values, as well as the knowledge and values derived from other continents, including Africa, respectively. Mainstream modern psychology  Assumes that psychology is an objective and universal science. (scientific and fact-based way of understanding an individual).  It does not consider contextual particularities such as sex, race, culture, and the values and meanings of others in understanding an individual.  Knowledge should be produced through methods of science - Objective truth can be discovered if methods of research are refined.  Claim that objective knowledge can be created without considering the role of the observer or researcher in the process of research.  Claims to function as a value-free science without any political undertones.  The psychologist is the expert. (The expert can claim to be an individual of a high order due to the knowledge that has been gained through scientific research. This claim is used to empower individuals)  In a particular situation, the so-called “expert” can claim to pose more knowledge regarding a group of individuals in a community. This power dynamic can have immense consequences when the expert approaches the community in need, as they would govern or have an influence on how the community lives.  Individualism: The wellbeing and progress of individual people are put above that of groups or communities.  The self is seen as a self-contained or independent individual.  It disregards other cultural perspectives, knowledge, ideas, values, practices, as well as the role of discourses and languages.  Exclusively based on the worldv