Community PsychologyCommunity Psychology

I. DefinitionI. Definition

DefinitionDefinition

"Concerns the "Concerns the relationships of the relationships of the individual to communities and societyindividual to communities and society. . Through Through collaborativecollaborative research and action, research and action, community psychologists seeks to community psychologists seeks to understand and understand and enhance the quality of lifeenhance the quality of life for individuals, communities, and society."for individuals, communities, and society."

Community PsychologyCommunity Psychology

II. Core Principles of II. Core Principles of Community PsychologyCommunity Psychology

Core Principles of Community Core Principles of Community PsychologyPsychology

Prevention Rather than Treatment.Prevention Rather than Treatment.– Advantages:Advantages:

Emphasis on Strengths & Competencies.Emphasis on Strengths & Competencies.– Going beyond a disease model toward an Going beyond a disease model toward an

emphasis on positive mental health.emphasis on positive mental health.

Core Principles of Community Core Principles of Community Psychology (cont…)Psychology (cont…)

The Ecological Perspective.The Ecological Perspective.– Bronfenbrenner's (1979) 5 levels of analysis:Bronfenbrenner's (1979) 5 levels of analysis:

individualsindividualsmicrosystems (families, classrooms, residence halls)microsystems (families, classrooms, residence halls)organizations (schools, churches, neighborhood organizations (schools, churches, neighborhood associations)associations)communities (some geographic locality→small towns, communities (some geographic locality→small towns, urban blocks,etc.)urban blocks,etc.)macrosystems (the societal level).macrosystems (the societal level).

– All of these levels influence each other, and none All of these levels influence each other, and none of them can be understood in isolation.of them can be understood in isolation.

Core Principles of Community Core Principles of Community Psychology (cont…)Psychology (cont…)

Respect for Diversity.Respect for Diversity.

Core Principles of Community Core Principles of Community Psychology (cont…)Psychology (cont…)

Empowerment.Empowerment.

Importance of Social Change.Importance of Social Change.– "Therapy means political change, not peanut "Therapy means political change, not peanut

butter."butter."

Community PsychologyCommunity Psychology

III. Understanding "a Sense of III. Understanding "a Sense of Community"Community"

What is a community?What is a community?

LocalityLocality– Based on proximity, not necessarily choice.Based on proximity, not necessarily choice.

  

Relational CommunityRelational Community– Collective structures in which the members Collective structures in which the members

possess a sense of community with each possess a sense of community with each other, but it is not necessarily based on other, but it is not necessarily based on location.location.

What is a sense of community & is it What is a sense of community & is it

declining?declining? Definition Definition – "the perception of similarity to others, and acknowledged "the perception of similarity to others, and acknowledged

interdependence with others, a willingness to maintain this interdependence with others, a willingness to maintain this interdependence by giving to or doing for others what one interdependence by giving to or doing for others what one expects from them, the feeling that one is part of a larger expects from them, the feeling that one is part of a larger dependable and stable structure.“dependable and stable structure.“

Components (McMillan & Chavis):Components (McMillan & Chavis):– Membership.Membership.– Influence.Influence.– Integration.Integration.– Emotional connection.Emotional connection.

What is a sense of community & is What is a sense of community & is it declining?it declining? (cont…) (cont…)

Neighborhood design and sense of Neighborhood design and sense of community.community.– Plas & Lewis (1996).Plas & Lewis (1996).– Pendola & Gen (2008).Pendola & Gen (2008).

Participation in on-line groups and sense Participation in on-line groups and sense of community (e.g., Obst & Stafurik, 2010).of community (e.g., Obst & Stafurik, 2010).

Community PsychologyCommunity Psychology

IV. Brief History of FieldIV. Brief History of Field

Brief History of the FieldBrief History of the Field

Pre-industrialization.Pre-industrialization.

The Era of Large State Hospitals.The Era of Large State Hospitals.

Discontent with Existing Services for Discontent with Existing Services for Persons with Mental Illness.Persons with Mental Illness.– the 1950’s.the 1950’s.

Thomas Szasz.Thomas Szasz.

Brief History of the Field (cont…)Brief History of the Field (cont…)

– the 1960’s.the 1960’s.The Community Mental Health Centers Act in 1963.The Community Mental Health Centers Act in 1963.Swampscott, MA in May 1965= birth date of community Swampscott, MA in May 1965= birth date of community psychology.psychology.

Modern Community Psychology.Modern Community Psychology.The emphasis is on more than just prevention of mental The emphasis is on more than just prevention of mental illness.illness.