What is Community Psychology?
Social justice. Action-oriented research. Global in nature. Influencing public policy. Working for empowerment. Multidisciplinary in focus. Celebrating culture. Preventing harm. Behavior in context. Social action. Supporting community strengths. Reducing oppression. Promoting well-being. Scientific inquiry. Honoring human rights. Respecting diversity.
Community psychology goes beyond an individual focus and integrates social, cultural, economic, political, environmental, and international influences to promote positive change, health, and empowerment at individual and systemic levels.
Featured Research
The Psychological Value of Activism
Posted in: Children, Youth and Families, Marginalized Groups | Tags: Featured ResearchPublished in: American Journal of Community PsychologyLGBTQ & GNC youth experience economic hardships and social stress in ways that continue to pose a threat to their health and well-being. Engaging in activist efforts can potentially improve their health in addition to furthering social change.
Improving After-School Programming
Posted in: Children, Youth and Families, Sense of Community | Tags: Featured ResearchPublished in: American Journal of Community PsychologyWe can improve the effectiveness of afterschool programs by setting high expectations for youth, encouraging staff teamwork and engagement, and providing opportunities for staff to personally identify with youth they are serving.
What is Life Like in an Immigrant Detention Center?
Posted in: Marginalized Groups, Public Policy, Sense of Community | Tags: Featured ResearchThe inhumanity of detention has far reaching effects on communities outside of the detention facility.
The Effects of Deportation on Families and Communities
Posted in: Aging, Children, Youth and Families, Marginalized Groups, Public Policy | Tags: Featured ResearchPublished in: American Journal of Community PsychologyDeportation has numerous detrimental impacts on individuals who are deported, and on the families and communities they are forced to leave behind. This policy statement reviews the empirical literature to describe the effects of deportation on the individual, families, and the broader community, in order to inform policy and practice recommendations.
Teach the Children Well: Social Justice in College Predicts Preference for Socially Responsible Jobs
Posted in: Education | Tags: Featured ResearchTaking a social justice focused course or participating in extracurricular volunteering made it more likely for students to want to work for a socially responsible company.
Why Chatting with your Best Friend about how much Fun you had at the Party is Good for You and Your Community’s Health
Posted in: Prevention Science, Sense of Community | Tags: Featured ResearchPublished in: American Journal of Community PsychologyIt is intuitive that social support and positive interactions within communities are linked to better physical and emotional health for individual community members. However, we have not be able to say, from a research standpoint, how or why this is the case. In Sharing Positive Experiences Boosts Resilient Thinking: Everyday Benefits of Social Connection and […]
Featured New Content
Time Well Spent (in communities)
Posted in: Prevention Science, Sense of Community | Tags: Featured ContentPublished in: Australian Community PsychologistAdvance beyond traditional methods of psychology by recording the contexts in which they are embedded.
How and Why Community Psychology Focuses on Prevention
Posted in: History of Community Psychology | Tags: Featured Content, PodcastsLenny Jason explains that Psychology is more than therapy by examining the field of community psychology.
Infograph: Effects of Deportation and Forced Separation on Immigrants, their Families, and Communities
Posted in: Children, Youth and Families, Marginalized Groups, Public Policy | Tags: Featured ContentA companion to our policy statement, this infographic is useful for immigration-related advocacy.
A Love Letter to Marie Jahoda
Posted in: History of Community Psychology, Inspiration | Tags: Featured ContentMarie Jahoda’s early multi-method work and strengths-based community perspective makes her a grandmother in the field of Community Psychology.
Demystifying Decolonialization: A Practical Example from the Classroom
Posted in: Marginalized Groups | Tags: Featured Content, PracticePublished in: American Journal of Community PsychologyDecolonization is a process of examining and undoing unearned privilege resulting from historical and present day injustice. As a process, decolonization can push students from apathy to develop a sense of activism.
Community Psychology in the Cloud: How One CP Practitioner Uses the Practice Competencies to Work in Everyone’s Community
Posted in: Inspiration, Sense of Community | Tags: Featured ContentPublished in: The Community PsychologistCommunity Psychologists work in online communities too! Nicole Freund interviews Jessica Drum about how her degree in Community Psychology enriches Facebook communities.
