Feminist psychology

Feminist psychology is a form of psychology centered on social structures and gender. Feminist psychology critiques historical psychological research as done from a male perspective with the view that males are the norm.[1] Feminist psychology is oriented on the values and principles of feminism.

Gender issues can be broken down into many different categories and can be rather controversial. They can include the way people identify their gender (for example: male, female, genderqueer; transgender or cisgender) and how they have been affected by societal structures relating to gender (gender hierarchy), the role of gender in the individual's life (such as stereotypical gender roles) and any other gender related issues.

The main objective behind this field of study is to understand the individual within the larger social and political aspects of society.[2] Feminist psychology places a strong emphasis on women's rights. While Psychoanalysis took shape as a clinical or therapeutic method, feminism took shape as a political strategy.[3]

  1. ^ Crawford, M. & Unger, R. (2000). Women and Gender: A feminist psychology (3rd ed.). Boston, MA: McGraw-Hill Companies Inc.
  2. ^ (Worell & Johnson, 1997)
  3. ^ Buhle, Mari Jo (2000). Feminism and Its Discontents: A Century of Struggle with Psychoanalysis. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Harvard University Press. ISBN 9780674004030.