Psychology Courses Global Immersion and Local Field Trips DEIA Assignments
What does DEIA mean to you?
The following quotes are from students enrolled in General Psychology and Community Psychology, courses led by Dr. Negin Ghavami, Ph.D., and Dr. Diana Santacrose, Ph.D., in the Fall of 2022. View the assignment instructions here.
“I love the fact that LMU incorporates and promotes inclusivity in not only activities around campus, but also its learning curriculum. I find it extremely important to learn about the history of inclusivity and diversity in the field of psychology.” -John Mac Menamie
“A successful society is defined by the people in it and how effectively they work together to uplift one another; as such, the principles of diversity, equity, and inclusion are the direct drivers of unity.” -Yelyzaveta Tabachnik
“Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion are important to me as an LMU student because it allows for so many different perspectives and backgrounds to come together and collaborate while feeling empowered to do so.” -Ananya Desai
“It can become easy to surround oneself with individuals of similar background and ways of seeing the world. However, doing so never allows one to grow. Only by interacting with and discoursing with those from a diverse range of backgrounds and perspectives can one challenge their own beliefs and grow as an individual.” -Jackson Gibbons
“Inclusion allows for people like myself, a minority to feel like I have a purpose. That I belong where I am and my sense of self is valued. Equity is the actions that allow for everyone to reach a common goal while being supported with the various needs necessary for success.” -Penelope Hoyos
“In the world we are going to meet and work with lots of people who are different from us, and it is super important that we show respect for all kinds of people. This can be as simple to saying ‘Happy Hanukkah’ instead of ‘Merry Christmas’ to your Jewish coworker or using the correct pronouns for your non-binary friend, but showing basic respect to everyone is central to preserving the dignity of all people.” -Mary DiLoreto
DEIA and the Underpinnings of the Psychology Field
The following assignments are from students enrolled in General Psychology and Community Psychology, courses led by Dr. Negin Ghavami, Ph.D., and Dr. Diana Santacrose, Ph.D., in the Fall of 2022. View the assignment instructions here.
Mary Whiton Calkins (1904)
Mary Calkins was the first woman to be elected president of the APA, making her also the first woman president of any American scientific society. By being the first woman elected president of not only the APA, but of any major scientific society in the United States, Mary Calkins took a huge stride in promoting female representation in the field of psychology. Calkins began her career studying under William James, a renowned professor at Harvard University where she earned a PHD in psychology but was denied being granted her rightfully earned title on the grounds that Harvard didn’t accept females. Nonetheless, Calkins went on to write four books, hundreds of papers, and is attributed with creating one of the first psychological laboratories in the country. While the APA may have still only been in its infancy, the organization and the world of scientific research at large was dominated by white men in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Her position as president of the APA broke numerous longstanding barriers set for women, particularly in the world of STEM, making her a role model for future generations of aspiring female scientists. -Jackson Gibbons
Dr. Kenneth B. Clark 1966
Dr. Kenneth B. Clark was the first ethnic and African American president of APA. He was also the first African American to earn a PhD from Columbia University. Dr. Clark was an astonishing psychologist and a pioneer in African American psychology. He conducted a revolutionary experiment along with Mamie Clark known today as the Doll Test which studied children’s perspectives on race and their self-image. The results of the experiment found that most black children liked the white dolls better, said they were nicer, and that they looked very similar to them. These results gave evidence that segregation in this era caused African American children to internalize it and feel inferior. This was the first experiment of its time that hinted at the racism present in the United States and studied children's attitudes about race. This study also played a major role in the Brown v. Board of Education case because the dolls were symbols for the case. The Doll Test experiment allowed people to visualize and understand the effects that segregation has on children which is why this test was essential in winning the Brown v. Board of Education. -Ananya Desai
Inez Beverly Prosser (1933)
After earning her associate’s, bachelor’s, and master’s degrees from Prairie View A&M University, Samuel Huston College, and the University of Colorado, respectively, Inez Beverly Prosser, Ph.D. earned her doctorate degree in psychology from the University of Cincinnati in 1933. She was the first black woman to earn a doctorate in psychology, and she was very passionate about the power of education. -Mary DiLoreto
Larry P. v. Riles
A U.S. district court ruled that the use of standardized tests in California public schools were illegal based on discrimination against African American students. Larry P. v. Riles was historically significant because it demonstrated that even after the ruling of Brown v. Board of Education, schools were still exploiting loopholes in order to segregate students. In the case of Larry P. v. Riles, the plaintiffs represented a class of African American children who were placed in a special class for the “educable mentally retarded” after taking a standardized test that deemed them “incapable of learning in regular classes”. Aside from the obvious racial discrimination that resulted from the standardized test, the special class the African American students were placed in prevented them from learning the skills necessary to return to a regular school environment. The defendants argued genetic and socioeconomic reasons, but in 1977 (five years after a preliminary injunction), the court found cultural bias in the test and issued an injunction on both the test and the EMR classes. This ruling meant that African American students in California would not have to worry about being separated from the majority of their white classmates and placed into less beneficial classes. In 1986, a ruling was made that students could only be separated from their regular classes based on behavioral issues, not intelligence. The result of Larry P. v. Riles benefited DEI goals by offering protections to students of color and eliminating obstacles that went against equity and equality. Today, because of this ruling, classrooms are more diverse and inclusive, not only of different races of people, but students with different styles of learning. -Logan Weisberg
Native American Psychologists form an Association
The Society of Indian Psychologists is an organization for Native American indigenous people to support the mental health and well-being of other Native Americans by increasing awareness of issues impacting the mental health of Native peoples. This organization contributes to the inclusion of Native Americans in the field of psychology and actively works to improve the lives of other Native Americans suffering from mental health problems by enhancing health care options for them. This association better serves to help American Indians who need culturally competent psychological services, something that psychologists from differing backgrounds would not be able to provide. The Society of Indian Psychologists is now one of the four ethnic minority psychological associations of the APA council of representatives. Its leadership enriches the diversity and wisdom of American indigenous peoples from generations of indigenous families. -John Mac Menamie
Homosexuality Removed from the Psychology Diagnostic Manual (1973)
The year of 1973 was a pinnacle moment for people in the LGBTQ+ community that enabled the recognition of their sexual identities and de-pathologized homosexuality. American Psychiatric Association’s (APA) decision to remove homosexuality from the second edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSMM) further overturned homophobic propaganda in the field of psychology. This critical event allowed for the proper representation and respect for people in LGBTQ+ community rather than deeming their identities as psychiatric illnesses. -Yelyzaveta Tabachnik
Little Albert Experiment Conducted (1920)
The Little Albert experiment was conducted by John Watson and Rosalie Rayner at Johns Hopkins University. This study was used to instill fear into a 9-month-old infant to prove that fear is a learned response. It is known to be one of the most unethical psychological experiments of all time. In early psychology experiments it was not uncommon to perform the testing on disabled or poorer children. Little Albert died at age six from congenital hydrocephalus; the accumulation of excessive cerebral spinal fluid in the ventricles of the brain. Experts claim that through Watson’s film it was apparent that Little Albert was not the neurotypical healthy baby that Watson claimed. Watson used this to his advantage because he suspected that the unresponsive child would provide a better baseline for later stronger reactions. Arvilla Merritte, Little Albert’s mother was a poor single mother who worked as a wet nurse. It is likely that she felt obligated to allow this testing as a way to afford the expensive procedures to help her son with his condition. All psychologists can learn from this story to ensure proper treatment of people with disabilities, medical misogyny, and experimental ethics overall. -Penelope Hoyos
APA Adopts Guidelines for Working with Transgender and Gender Non-Conforming People (August 5, 2015)
The APA adopted the “Guidelines for Psychological Practice with Transgender and Gender Nonconforming People” in response to a 2009 survey that found that less than 30% of psychologists and graduate students were familiar with issues that transgender and gender nonconforming people face. This document aims to help professionals familiarize themselves with the stigma, discrimination, and barriers to care that this group faces, as well as to help provide sensitive, well-informed care.
These guidelines are very important to DEI, as it is a big step toward the inclusion of transgender and gender non-conforming folks in the practice of psychology. Transgender and gender-nonconforming folks face certain issues and stigma that are unique and different from other marginalized communities, so it is important that psychologists are familiar with these issues and are trained to help these folks work through difficulties and live out the most authentic version of themselves. With these guidelines, transgender and gender non- conforming people will be able to receive the same level of psychological care as cisgender folks, representing the development of both equity and inclusion within psychology. There were a total of 10 members on the APA Task Force on Guidelines for Psychological Practice with Transgender and Gender Nonconforming People, including lore m. dickey, PhD (co-chair), Anneliese A. Singh, PhD (co-chair), Walter O. Bockting, PhD, and Sand Chang, PhD. While other events have contributed to the inclusion and equal treatment for lesbian, gay, and bisexual folks, this was the first major event within the field of psychology to advance the well-being and inclusion of transgender and gender-nonconforming folks. -Mary DiLoreto