Session 8: Power

PSYCHOLOGY & SOCIAL ACTIVISM

  • Psychology often ‘psychologises’ social issues.

    • Example: Managing anger is addressed without acknowledging the underlying causes of anger, such as abuse.

    • Teaching strategies like ‘cheering up’ can overlook systemic problems.

    • Individual assistance (e.g., extra lessons) fails to address the need for overall improvement in education systems.

    • Challenges the neutrality of psychological practice in environments defined by differing values.

UNDERSTANDING POWER AND POWERLESSNESS

Definitions of Power

  • Visible Power:

    • Observable power dynamics found in politics and media.

    • Includes control exercised through campaign finance and setting agendas.

  • Hidden Power:

    • Refers to decision-making influences that are not visible, such as who gets included in major discussions.

  • Invisible Power:

    • Comprised of the norms, beliefs, privileges, and culture that shape self-perception and worldview.

FRENCH & RAVEN'S BASES OF POWER (1959)

  1. Legitimate Power: Based on a person's position or role.

  2. Reward Power: Ability to confer benefits or rewards.

  3. Coercive Power: Capacity to administer punishments.

  4. Expert Power: Derives from knowledge or specialized skills.

  5. Referent Power: Rooted in admiration or identification with an individual.

EXPERIENCES OF POWERLESSNESS - LEARNED HELPLESSNESS

  • Concept of learned helplessness explains how repeated failures lead to a state where an individual feels unable to take action.

FOUCAULT'S CONCEPT OF POWER

  • Power is relational, embedded in social discourse, and not merely possessed.

  • It is exercised through societal norms and knowledge structures.

  • Power not only influences behavior but also produces reality and defines what is accepted as 'truth'.

WHEN HAVE YOU FELT POWERFUL OR POWERLESS?

  • A reflective question encouraging individuals to analyze personal experiences with power dynamics.

POWER AND IDENTITY

Understanding Ourselves

  • Society defines multiple identities, such as:

    • Sibling

    • Asian

    • Main earner

    • Student

    • Father

    • Partner

    • Woman

    • Able-bodied

    • Religion

    • Gay

    • Dyslexic

    • Carer

IDENTITY AND SOCIAL CHANGE

  • Social movements challenge established institutional and cultural authorities.

  • Emergence of collective identity within movements can be a significant indication of success.

    • Collective identity fosters motivation for engagement in activism (Brown & Rohlinger, 2016).

SOCIAL INFLUENCE AND POWER

Social Self and Influence

  • Recognizes that self-concept is shaped by social constraints.

  • Social environments significantly influence ideals of self.

  • Important factors include relationships with partners and broader social networks.

    • Self-esteem may affect the type of affirmations sought from others (Cheung & Gardner, 2016).

MINORITY INFLUENCE (Mucchi-Faina et al., 2010)

  • Minorities have the capacity to instigate social change by presenting alternatives to dominant societal structures.

  • The effectiveness of minority groups in exerting social influence should consider broader cultural transformations, distinguishing from mere individual-level impact.

THE IRONIC IMPACT OF ACTIVISTS (Bashir et al., 2013)

  • Activists sometimes face resistance due to negative stereotypes associated with them.

  • Stereotypical perceptions can diminish participation in associated movements.

  • Understanding stereotypes and how they shape person perception is crucial for facilitating social change.

  1. Reflect on empowerment and disempowerment prevalent within this framework.

EMPOWERMENT AND COLLECTIVE ACTION

DEFINING SOCIAL CHANGE

  • Social change entails transformations in human interactions and relationships, affecting social institutions and cultural norms.

SOCIAL CHANGE: MOVEMENTS

  • Examples of social movements include:

    • Civil rights

    • Women’s rights

    • LGBTQ rights

  • Emphasis on collective power to impact societal changes.

WHAT IS SOCIAL CHANGE?

  • Change can represent a fragment of a broader picture and does not uniformly affect all demographic groups.

  • Either government or grassroots initiatives can drive change.

  • Clarity about social change often emerges only retrospectively.

ZIMMERMAN'S EMPOWERMENT THEORY (2000)

  • Empowerment affects individuals at several levels:

    • Psychological Level: Includes self-efficacy and sense of control.

    • Organizational Level: Involves access to resources and participatory decision-making.

    • Community Level: Revolves around collective action and broader social change.

SO, WHAT IS ACTIVISM?

  • Defined as engaging in direct and notable actions to attain political or social objectives.

  • Framed as a method of reclaiming power.

ACTIVISM & IDENTITY

  • Influences on activism engagement:

    • Parental political beliefs and engagement affect children's activism (Thomas, 1971).

    • Personal traits linked to political or social activism include liberal ideologies, extraversion, and openness to experiences (Hyun-Jin, 2016).

    • A sense of community belonging correlates with future activism potential (Omoto & Malsch, 2005).

CASE STUDIES OF POWER AND RESISTANCE

GRETA THUNBERG AND CLIMATE CHANGE

  • Age influences participation positively and negatively; schools as common grounds for engagement; leverage of social media.

THE #METOO MOVEMENT

  • The role of social media in elevating awareness.

  • The powerful influence of celebrities and public figures on legal and societal changes.

  • Pressure applied to governments for legislative reforms.

TAKE THE KNEE MOVEMENT

  • Examines the interplay of culture, politics, and patriotism, particularly in response to Black Lives Matter.

  • Highlights the complexity of political opinions tied to cultural movements.

CASE EXAMPLE: STITCHING AND SURVIVORSHIP

  • The impact of colonialism and apartheid in South Africa on women, particularly Black women.

  • Puleng Segalo's initiative empowering women to share their stories through embroidery, exhibited worldwide.

CASE EXAMPLE: CHALLENGING THE MOTHERHOOD PENALTY

  • The UK activist group, ‘pregnant then screwed’, addresses workplace issues faced by mothers.

  • Focus on gendered stereotypes, identity, professionalism, and related politics.

MAKING CHANGE HAPPEN

STRATEGIES TO EFFECT CHANGE

  • Shift social norms and behaviors.

  • Employ communication strategies endorsed by admired public figures.

  • Enhance empowerment and engage in social learning activities for disadvantaged individuals.

  • Advocate for systemic change within various sectors (government, media, business).

  • Implement local initiatives that lead to broader solutions and practices.

WHERE TO START

  • Self-education: understanding social issues.

  • Leverage personal networks and interests to promote activism.

  • Access resources and tools for social change, e.g., Feminist Killjoys, Rewriting the Rules, BME Psychology.