Psychology for Progressive Purposes

[Wade Hudson]

by Roy Eidelson
Cognitive Policy Works
Feb 25th, 2010

Addressing the myriad challenges of our globalized world will benefit
from insights into human psychology.

For today’s engaged citizens, there’s no shortage of pressing concerns
that demand attention: social and economic inequality, inadequate
access to health care, persecution and violence on the basis of belief
or group identity, assaults on civil rights and personal dignity, and
profound environmental threats to the planet itself.

As president of Psychologists for Social Responsibility
(www.psysr.org), I work with fellow members – psychologists and non-
psychologists alike – in a shared venture to confront many of these
challenges. A central premise of our efforts is that psychology – the
science of human behavior – offers a strong base of knowledge and
practice for developing and implementing policies that promote peace,
social justice, human rights, and an ecologically sustainable future.
We pursue these goals through research, education, intervention, and
advocacy.

Real-world application of psychological principles can be a valuable
resource for positive social change in a surprisingly wide range of
contexts. Such knowledge can:

* Help individuals and groups overcome “us-versus-them” mindsets
and build bridges across perceived divides;
* Encourage us to focus on our future collective welfare and to
prioritize the broader long-term consequences of our actions instead
of short-term self-interest by engaging our pro-social tendencies and
moral sentiments;
* Strengthen our capacity to use thoughtful analysis and empathy
when evaluating alternatives, and to resist appeals to fear and anger
that are designed to cloud our judgment;
* Address misunderstandings and miscommunication, thereby serving
to prevent the escalation of conflict and bloodshed; heal the wounds
of violence, trauma, and neglect; and avert the transmission of
revenge and despair from one generation to the next.

Making meaningful strides in areas like these will require deep
understandings of how psychology and politics are inter-related (as
CPW consulting partner Sue Kerbel discusses here), as well as
increased collaboration between psychologists and other social
scientists. In this way, psychological knowledge can be used more
effectively to identify key features of stubborn social problems and
to illuminate potential pathways to progress. Here are several
examples that spring to mind.
Overcoming Widespread Poverty

Over one billion people struggle to survive on less than $1 a day. To
reduce chronic poverty, we must confront the prejudices,
discrimination, and societal arrangements that promote inequality and
limit opportunity for so many. Psychology also highlights the need to
reduce the stigma associated with being poor. And since we tend to be
most supportive of others when their concerns relate to our own, anti-
poverty campaigns are more effective when they communicate how poverty
affects us all.

Reversing the Escalation of Arms

Nuclear weapons could destroy all life on Earth, a horror so great
that we bury it from awareness. To eliminate these weapons, it’s
important to understand the psychology that motivates us to acquire
and retain them. Paradoxically, the desire for greater security spurs
countries to want weapons of mass destruction. Overcoming a common
attribution error – “our weapons are for protection, but theirs are
for aggression” – is therefore crucial for parties to negotiate in
good faith toward a nuclear weapons-free world.

Promoting Peace

Mass killing, torture, gender-based violence, and other human rights
violations are a worldwide tragedy. Perpetrators are often driven by
psychological factors, including vengeance, blind obedience to
authority, the intoxicating effects of power, and the dehumanization
and demonization of those who are different. We can counter these
abuses by confronting the psychological barriers that too often
discourage individuals or nations from intervening. These include
fear, apathy, denial, perceived helplessness, and the diffusion of
responsibility.
Encouraging Pro-Environmental Behavior

Climate change, population growth, and rising consumption represent a
looming ecological catastrophe that imperils all human life.
Psychology offers key insights to confront this crisis. Policies can
be made more effective by addressing our tendency to focus on the
short-term and to disregard critical dangers that grow over time.
Another promising strategy involves helping wealthier nations examine
how their excessive consumption interferes with the pursuit of
important goals and values. The behavioral sciences are directly
relevant to the challenges of bringing about large-scale social
change.

Building on Local Successes

Poverty, nuclear weapons, human rights violations, and climate change
are global problems. But psychologically informed strategies have also
proven successful when used in local initiatives. For instance,
conflict management training for leaders in deeply-divided communities
has curtailed sectarian violence. Intergroup contact and dialogue
strategies have also been used effectively to reduce prejudice among
participants in community youth programs. Carefully framed public
service messages targeting HIV/AIDS prevention in under-served areas
have led to sizable decreases in risky behavior. Correcting student
misperceptions about the prevalence of heavy drinking has
substantially reduced alcohol consumption on college campuses.
Programs that provide comparative feedback on residents’ home energy
consumption have lessened overall neighborhood energy use. And efforts
to foster trust and a sense of shared identity have helped activists
and advocacy organizations build broader and more effective
coalitions.

But while psychology offers great promise in these spheres and many
others, we must also recognize that there are those who regrettably
misuse their understanding of human behavior for selfish or
destructive purposes. In particular, political, media, and corporate
elites at times engage in manipulation to promote everything from
unhealthy lifestyles to greater inequality to war. The consequences
are often tragic. The members of Psychologists for Social
Responsibility believe that bringing greater psychological knowledge
to the widest possible audience – policymakers, activists, educators,
students, news media, and the general public – is crucial for
empowering all of us to pursue socially responsible solutions to the
many challenges we face today.

My role at Cognitive Policy Works is to provide professional
psychologists with opportunities to inform advocacy efforts and
facilitate progressive social change. I’ll keep you up-to-date on our
efforts at Psychologists for Social Responsibility and share stories
about psychologists addressing social ills, techniques for effectively
managing conflicts, and opportunities to get involved as we bring our
insights into the human condition to the change arena.

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Roy Eidelson, Ph.D., is President of Psychologists for Social
Responsibility and a consulting partner at Cognitive Policy Works.
His “Five Dangerous Ideas” framework reveals how core psychological
concerns motivate political behavior in social settings.