Critical psychology is a branch of psychology — the study of the
mind and behavior — based in critical theory. Critical theory
involves the critical examination of society and culture with the
aim of discovering the nature of problems afflicting society.
Critical theory draws from many different disciplines, such as
sociology, literary theory, and other subdivisions of the
humanities and social sciences. Critical psychology is used to
apply critical theory in two different ways. It is intended to
critique traditional psychological practices and theories and to
apply psychological theories to understanding and solving problems
in modern society.
This type of psychology is different from conventional
psychology in several ways; these differences are many of the
defining aspects of this branch of psychology. While traditional
psychology is, generally speaking, neutral toward society and only
concerned with society as far as it affects a given individual,
critical psychology is not so accepting. Critical psychologists
tend to look for societal causes for psychological problems while
conventional psychologists generally seek problems in the
individual or in the individual’s life. Critical psychologists
believe that conventional psychologists pay far too little
attention to differences in power between individuals and groups.
This ideology extends to the relationship between psychologist and
patient; the critical psychologist generally tries to minimize the
power difference that typically exists between a psychologist and
his patient.
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On a whole, critical theory is an examination and inquiry
into the reasons behind the nature of society. As a branch of
critical theory, critical psychology has many aspects that are
based in inquiry rather than in clinical treatment. Critical
psychologists seek to discover how conventional psychology fits
into the power structures of society. The field is also concerned
with comparing different psychological theories in an attempt to
see which ones support the present social power structure and which
ones attempt to overcome it.
Despite its broad application and multidisciplinary nature,
critical psychology is a relatively small field that is mostly
restricted to academia. Few academic institutions actually have
programs in critical psychology and it is seldom applied in
clinical settings. There are, however, some scientific journals
devoted to the field and some psychologists who take a strong
critical approach to their work.
Several other subfields of psychology have branched off from
critical psychology. Ecopsychology, for example, suggests that
there is a powerful relationship between the well-being of Earth
and the psychological well-being of its inhabitants. Another
loosely connected branch is referred to as transpersonal
psychology. Transpersonal psychology is focused on the spiritual or
transcendent aspects of humanity.
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