On being useful: The nature and consequences of psychological research on social problems.

The authors discuss social policy at the national level in terms of the tendency to hold individuals responsible for their problems, then explore the utility and applicability of psychological thought and research to social problems within this framework.

Abstract

The movement to make psychological research more relevant to social problems needs to avoid potential pitfalls and unanticipated negative consequence of moving the orientation of psychology into the public arena. The authors discuss social policy at the national level in terms of the tendency to hold individuals responsible for their problems, then explore the utility and applicability of psychological thought and research to social problems within this framework. Noting that, regardless of the type of problem and the intent of the investigator, the findings of psychologically oriented research lend themselves more easily to person-blame than to system-blame interpretations, they focus on the processes by which this takes place and the implications for problem subgroups, the profession, and society as a whole. 21 references, 1 table.