Applying Psychological Science, Benefiting Society
Native American people are often overlooked, considered extinct, romanticized, forgotten, ignored and bear the burden of negative stereotypes. Belonging to a socially invisible community has consequences beyond being misunderstood and stereotyped. It can lead to much more dire outcomes – specifically, the public disregard of the epidemic of violence against Native American women and girls reflects passive cultural genocide.
While many points of intervention exist, given our national elected leaders’ incapacity, or refusal, to work together, intervention at state level has immediate prospect of success. Real progress has already been achieved by some states to impose “red flag” laws that allow suspending rights to gun ownership where a significant risk to self or others is shown.
The financial cost of gun violence in the United States was an estimated $229 billion in 2012; this amount does not account for the psychological toll on those directly or indirectly affected by firearm violence–those who witness or fear firearm violence in their homes or communities or who are left behind when a loved one dies by suicide.
Violence prevention, especially in relation to our youth, begins with introducing the idea of acceptance across various levels of diversity, including race, religion, gender, socioeconomic status, and more. Through tolerance, we can teach youth to respect each other and reduce feelings of indifference towards groups of different backgrounds.
By Susan H. McDaniel, PhD (APA President) and Cynthia D. Belar, PhD (APA Interim CEO) June 28 is the anniversary of the Stonewall riots, which launched lesbian and gay rights as a mass movement and is commemorated in the LGBT Pride celebrations. We take this occasion to reaffirm the American Psychological Association’s commitment to removing […]
By Joel Dvoskin, PhD, ABPP (Chair, Nevada Behavioral Health and Wellness Council) Too often, even the most well-intentioned among us believe that most mass shootings are carried out by those with untreated mental illness. As a forensic and clinical psychologist with extensive experience treating individuals with serious mental illness, and as a member of […]
Last year, APA celebrated its Congressional Fellowship Program’s 40 years of success on Capitol Hill. The article below by a former APA Congressional Fellow highlights the contribution of psychologists to public policy and of the Fellowship experience to Fellows’ professional development. Heather E. Bullock, PhD (Professor of Psychology, University of California – Santa Cruz) As we approach […]
By Michele Knox, PhD and Kimberly Burkhart, PhD Did you know that nationwide, nearly 1 in 3 U.S. students say they have been bullied at school? Does it make you wonder what we’re doing wrong? What are we missing? Maybe we’re missing parents. Research has shown that youth violence prevention and intervention are most effective […]
By Clinton W. Anderson, PhD (Associate Executive Director, APA Public Interest Directorate) Deaths and injuries from firearms pose a substantial risk to public health. Firearms are involved in more than 50% of suicides and 70% of homicides. There are more than 30,000 firearm fatalities each year and more than 80,000 non-fatal firearm injuries requiring emergency medical […]
By S. D. Shantinath, DDS, MPH, PhD (Associate Professor of Public Health, A.T. Still University of Health Sciences) What do you get when you mix a pediatric dentist with a clinical psychologist, and toss in a master’s degree in public health? Someone who wants to get the whole world brushing – brushing their teeth, and […]
Psychology Benefits Society 