Tain’t What You Do, It’s the Way that You Do It

Abstract

Abstract The process of work is as fully important as the content. Community psychology can achieve and sustain a valid and unique place within the science and profession of psychology to the extent that one empirically tests ideas about how to do the work. If one is successful in defining and communicating the knowledge of process, citizens will be able to put into action their plans for community development. Much is demanded when describing any process. For example, the continuing search for process variables for the psychotherapeutic relationship shifts from confusion to momentary clarity when studies report findings for the relationships between therapist-client interactions and outcomes. Observations about the process of evaluation research and organizational development have independently directed attention to the client-practitioner relationship, including properties of the setting where the work is done. Disciplines outside of psychology are becoming invested in the topic of process.