history of discrimination in psychology

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Does anyone know of a good place to find this type information. I am stuck in the mud.

-- jamie hudson (Jamie.Hudson@usm.edu), October 06, 2004

Answers

People often point to the early intelligence testing movement, and its use, especially during WWI, by eugenicists and anti-immmigation activists. You can find a popular (though somewhat sensationalized) account in S. J. Gould's _Mismeasure of Man_.

On the other hand, however, you might look at the work of Kenneth & Mamie Clark and its importance in the celebrated Brown v. Board of Education decision that led to desegregation of schools in the US. You can find a couple of the Clark's studies on the "Classics in the History of Psychology" website at http://psychclassics.yorku.ca/

-- Christopher Green (christo@yorku.ca), October 07, 2004.


For discrimination against women in psychology, I recommend: Scarborough, E., & Furumoto, L. (1987). Untold lives: The first generation of American women psychologists. Columbia University Press. For discrimination against Blacks in psychology, I recommend: Guthrie, R. V. (1998). Even the rat was white: A historical view of psychology. 2nd ed. Allyn and Bacon.

-- John D. Hogan (hoganjohn@aol.com), October 07, 2004.

Both of John's recommendations are excellent. As a side note, I once asked Guthrie if he knew of the book about the Negro Baseball League entitled, "Only the Ball was White," when he titled "Even the Rat was White." He wrote me back the following:

"I was not aware of Peterson's book, 'Only the Ball was White' when I titled my book, 'Even the Rat Was White'. I have known of his book for years but after I had named my book...the whole episode is really an interesting coincidence! May an unconscious element was at work...I know that Jungians must have an explanation for this. I began to be aware of the white rat situation since the mid 60s during my lab days at San Diego Mesa College. I tried hard to breed a black rat...without success...the closest I came was hooded varieties...there was always a white spot somewhere on the rat. My colleagues used to laugh at my efforts and said I was going to be the only psychologist in America with black rats. And of course, I thought it would be great to be a black psychologists with black rats! I really tried hard...even to the extent of injecting the rats with melinin (silly attempt). My neighbor was breeding chinchillas in his garage (which was a popular thing here in San Diego during the 60s. He told me that a black chinchilla would bring a pretty hefty dollar so my incentive did have a monetary flair, that is if I could do it with rats maybe I could share the info with him.. We tried with his chinchillas and of course it didn't work. It at least gave us something to do besides drinking beer sitting in his garage! I finally gave up but I received several letters of guys who had bred the dark rats. But back to the title, it is purely coincidental!"

-- Christopher Green (cgreen@chass.utoronto.ca), October 08, 2004.


It's interesting that nobody interpreted this as a question about studies of detecting sensory differences.

-- Warren Street (warren@cwu.edu), October 15, 2004.

I've started a project on the history of Blacks in American Psychology. I've read the aterials listed and seeking more. I'm working on a Ph D in psychology and currently taking a history of psychology class. As you would know there is not one Black or African- American mentioned in the history- so the project has been a challenge.

"Even the Rat was white" is a good start Carter's book is also a great source

-- Gladys Smith (gsmith2222@aol.com), October 25, 2004.



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