Identity and community psychology : a study of psychologists and trainees in the Western Cape
Date
2008-03
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
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Publisher
Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
Abstract
The literature in psychology repeatedly hints at identity representation as important in
transforming the discipline of psychology in contemporary South Africa. It simultaneously
names curriculum, race and gender as areas of silence within the discipline. These literatures coexist
with the reality that few psychologists work in public health services, where approximately
eighty six percent of South Africa’s population who cannot afford private health care, receive
their services. Community psychology is generally viewed as the area of study that prepares
practitioners to work in public health service. Thus the intersections of identity, community,
psychology and community psychology become important. Yet no contemporary studies that
systematically and empirically examine community psychology and identity, exist in South
Africa. The current study therefore aims to examine identity and community psychology from a
multi-levelled perspective in the Western Cape Province of South Africa. This work draws on
multiple theoretical strands, broadly united under a social constructionist framework, to examine
community psychology in the organisation of the university, in terms of student and practitioner
perceptions (and therefore constructions) of community psychology and in the everyday talk of
psychologists about their professional identities. The four studies of which this project consists
use complementary quantitative and qualitative methodologies. A survey of all psychology
departments, combined with interviews with one community psychology teacher in each
department, examines teaching, learning and research practices in community psychology. The
second study constitutes a survey of all psychology Honours students in the Western Cape
whereas the third study surveys the perceptions about community psychology among senior
psychologists in the Western Cape. The fourth and final study in this series uses three focus
groups where senior psychologists, based in the greater Cape Town area, talk about their
professional identity. The quantitative data were analysed using the descriptive statistics of
frequencies and cross-tabulations. The qualitative data were analysed using thematic analysis and
discourse analysis as analytical tools. While the quantitative data do not consistently suggest a
link between community psychology, race and gender, there are some areas, such as community
work, in which this link is apparent. The nature of such a link is not clear. However, in the
qualitative work, the link between community, psychology and identity is centrally situated in the
constructions and practices of universities, students and practitioners. Community psychology is
constructed as psychology for black people in terms of both who delivers services and who clients are. This represents parameters of inclusion and exclusion not only for community
psychology but for psychology, as a whole. The implications of these findings are discussed,
particularly in relation to organisational transformation in universities.
Description
Thesis (DPhil (Psychology))--Stellenbosch University, 2008.
Keywords
Identity, Community psychology -- South Africa -- Western Cape, Psychologists -- South Africa --Western Cape, Dissertations -- Psychology, Theses -- Psychology