Indigenous Psychology Notes PDF

PSYCHOLOGY 1101 NOTES Indigenous Psychology Definition of Indigenous: culturally distinct ethnic groups whose members are directly descended from the earliest known inhabitants of a particular geographic region Examples: Maori of New Zealand, the Inuit peoples of northern Canada, the Aboriginal...

PSYCHOLOGY 1101 NOTES Indigenous Psychology Definition of Indigenous: culturally distinct ethnic groups whose members are directly descended from the earliest known inhabitants of a particular geographic region Examples: Maori of New Zealand, the Inuit peoples of northern Canada, the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people of Australia Definition Indigenous Psychology: has the same aim as western psychology but promotes conducting research using appropriate methodologies for the target participants Is also a global movement promoting indigenous wellbeing WHY IS IT IMPORTANT? Culture influences how those people think, feel and behave ○ So culture needs to be taken into account Definition of Culture: Culture is not a neatly definable concept, it is not biological, it is learned and experienced Why culture has not been considered in studies in western culture: People may not recognise how they have been shaped by their culture Culture is given little credit for influence on cognitions, behaviours, interactions, wellbeing Western psychology theories focus on the individual’s perspective and experiences Cultural distinctions Individualism vs. Collectivism Time Personal Space Age Milestones Mental Health Treatment Of Elders Sorokowska et al. 2017 study in 42 countries analysing differences between acceptable interpersonal distances. Why is indigenous psychology important? Asking culturally specific questions is very important Language can be a significant barrier to delivering and assessing effective treatment Interventions that involve the whole community have proven successful Significant barriers for Indigenous students: Negative perceptions of tertiary education and psychology due to institutionalised trauma A lack of indigenous representation and perspectives in the course content A lack of indigenous teaching staff Cultural insensitivity of university staff Indigenous have more responsibilities than non-indigenous students within community Focus to heal indigenous people: Understanding the complexity of colonisation’s impact on current grief and trauma. Access to services. Culturally appropriate care and treatment. Relatively small number of Indigenous psychologists Why is indigenous Psychology important: People from different cultures may think, feel and behave differently in certain situations Indigenous people have good reason to distrust western institutions and methods Indigenous psychology gives First Nations People ownership of their mental health strategies Indigenous psychology promotes the involvement of the whole community which is vital to success of any intervention Understanding the values and being able to communicate effectively are important factors when discussing mental health Indigenous Psychology: Different indigenous people across the world have unique and rich cultures, however, their perspectives have largely been ignored in psychological research. Indigenous Australians also have their own cultural legacies rich with complex systems of meaning and tradition ○ history, place and time; lifestyle and kinship; sacredness and fealty. Indigenous cultures are the oldest living cultures in the world, going back between 50,000 and 65,000 years. At the time of invasion, there were 600 different nations or clan groups around the continent and 250 known Indigenous languages. Indigenous Psychology Research Decolonising methodologies, a shift from doing research ‘on’ indigenous peoples to research ‘with’ or ‘by’ indigenous Australians. Methodological differences Person-centered vs group focussed. Anonymity vs relationship with participants. Culturally appropriate ethics Community engagement and empowerment. Barriers to Psychology: Cameron and Robinson found negative perceptions of tertiary education and psychology, a lack of representation indigenous perspectives and indigenous staff within schools and culturally insensitive staff. Health Services Understanding the complexities of colonisations impact on the current grief and trauma of young aboriginals is key to providing them the help they need; culturally appropriate care and treatment. The Future of Psychology The important and persistent work of indigenous psychologists and researchers in Australia is far-reaching. Psychology must increase its relevance and representation in society. Appropriate methodologies and ethical research must be observed. Targeted psychological healthcare should be delivered. Encouraging Indigenous students to pursue psychological research. Education: Negative perceptions of tertiary education and psychology due to institutionalised trauma A lack of indigenous representation and perspectives in the course content A lack of indigenous teaching staff Cultural insensitivity of university staff Indigenous students have more responsibility than non-indigenous students within their family and the community. Health Services: Understanding the complexity of colonisation’s impact on current grief and trauma. Access to services. Culturally appropriate care and treatment. Relatively small number of Indigenous psychologists