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Disappearances, Silences, and Anxious Rhetoric: Gender in Abnormal Psychology Textbooks

Disappearances, Silences, and Anxious Rhetoric: Gender in Abnormal Psychology Textbooks Viewed from afeminist perspective, the history of clinical psychology reveals atroubled—and troubling—relationship to women. Diagnoses andtreatments have sometimes served to control and even victimize women. Over thepast 25 years, feminist scholarship, activism, and practice have yieldedimpressive contributions to knowledge. Yet, these accomplishments go largelyunnoticed in textbooks in abnormal psychology. Why the resistance? Lookingbeyond simple sexism, this paper discusses possible sources of resistance.First, the textbooks, modelling themselves closely after the DSM, presentdisorders as abstracted, medicalized entities. Within this frame of reference,everyday identities, social categories (such as gender), and cultural politicsare rendered irrelevant. Further, textbooks present students with an idealizedimage of psychology as a scientific, objective discipline and a humane,beneficent endeavor. That image could not be sustained were an accurate accountof its history and social relations given as well. http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png Journal of Theoretical and Philosophical Psychology American Psychological Association

Disappearances, Silences, and Anxious Rhetoric: Gender in Abnormal Psychology Textbooks

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References (8)

Publisher
American Psychological Association
Copyright
Copyright © 1993 American Psychological Association
ISSN
1068-8471
eISSN
2151-3341
DOI
10.1037/h0091108
Publisher site
See Article on Publisher Site

Abstract

Viewed from afeminist perspective, the history of clinical psychology reveals atroubled—and troubling—relationship to women. Diagnoses andtreatments have sometimes served to control and even victimize women. Over thepast 25 years, feminist scholarship, activism, and practice have yieldedimpressive contributions to knowledge. Yet, these accomplishments go largelyunnoticed in textbooks in abnormal psychology. Why the resistance? Lookingbeyond simple sexism, this paper discusses possible sources of resistance.First, the textbooks, modelling themselves closely after the DSM, presentdisorders as abstracted, medicalized entities. Within this frame of reference,everyday identities, social categories (such as gender), and cultural politicsare rendered irrelevant. Further, textbooks present students with an idealizedimage of psychology as a scientific, objective discipline and a humane,beneficent endeavor. That image could not be sustained were an accurate accountof its history and social relations given as well.

Journal

Journal of Theoretical and Philosophical Psychology – American Psychological Association

Published: Jan 1, 1993

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