The Morals and Politics of Psychology

Prilleltensky explores the moral, social and political roles of the dominant psychological theories and practices. His analysis covers the therapeutic uses of psychoanalysis, cognitive, behavioral and humanistic psychology, as well as the practice of clinical, school and industrial/organizational psychology. He argues that applied psychology strengthens the societal status quo, thereby contributing to the perpetuation of social injustice. Most discussions of morality in psychology deal with the ethics of practices on individual clients. This book is unique in that it deals with the social ethics of psychology -- that is, with the social morality of the discipline itself. It is also unique in that it offers a comprehensive critique of the most popular psychological means of solving human problems. The author does not stop at the level of critique but provides a vision for including the values of self-determination, distributive justice, collaboration and democratic participation in psychology. He shows how some of these values have already been adopted by feminist and community psychologists. Given the prominence of psychology in contemporary society, The Morals and Politics of Psychology should be of interest to mental health professionals and their clients, as well as to people concerned with morality and social justice.