In defence of psychology: A reply to Goodley and Lawthom (2005)

Research output: Contribution to journalArticle (journal)peer-review

5 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Goodley & Lawthom discussed the role of a community psychology approach in conducting emancipatory disability research. While their aims are entirely laudable, they portrayed mainstream psychology as ‘pathologising, voyeuristic, individualising, [and] impairment‐obsessed’. This paper presents a reply to Goodley and Lawthom’s somewhat outdated arguments for the dismissal of mainstream psychology and argues that the focus on a single ‘best’ method of researching disability does not serve the best interests of disabled people within society. It is argued that to create a ‘new’ psychology distinct from the ‘mainstream’ is unnecessary, undesirable and counter‐productive. Mainstream psychology has much to offer disabled people and to dismiss it is to throw the baby out with the bathwater.
Original languageUndefined/Unknown
Pages (from-to)655-658
JournalDisability and Society
Volume22
Issue number6
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 1 Oct 2007

Cite this