Module one: Definition and Application of Community Psychology
Learning Objectives:
 Analyze appropriate literature on community psychology’s concepts and
principles
 Define community psychology and frame it application to social issues,
social services, and policy/intervention strategies
 Assess the psychosocial foundations of community psychology
Readings & Resources:
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
Annotated Bibliography Rubric
Database: ProQuest Psychology Journals
o Use this data base to locate articles for annotated bibliography
(1-2 Annotated bib)
 Library Article: The Return to Community
o This article looks at three definitions of community and how they relate to
community psychology (CP) (Discussion 1-1)
 Video: Defining Community Psychology with Examples of Applied Research (cc)
o This video explains the role of community psychologists through examples. (Use
for Discussion 1-1)
Module Overview:
The Psychosocial Foundations of Community Psychology
In this overview, three insights will be presented. First is the idea that community psychology
(CP) is constantly growing and changing. It is a work in progress. The next idea helps one see
the big picture in CP; this has to do with the idea of a larger sense of community versus a larger
sense of individualism. Finally, the connection is made that by supporting the larger community,
the individual is also supported. Students will develop their own insights beyond these concepts
as well as reflect upon the ideas presented.
CP is a Work in Progress
Concepts, principles, and insights will evolve as communities grow, adapt, and change. The
professional is also a work in progress, as he or she will grow, adapt, and change to the needs
and conditions of the community and his or her role as a professional in it. This sounds like a lot,
and it is. The underlying principle is interaction. One’s awareness of oneself, the community, the
interaction among its many parts, and evolving professionalism make CP a moving target. Think
about how society has evolved. Once, same sex behavior was considered a mental illness,
spanking was a norm, and scheduled feedings for infants was the strategy of choice as opposed
to on-demand feeding. Today, the debate over entitlement programs centers around personal
versus social responsibility. How does society meet individual needs and responsibilities within
and to the community? There are many questions, many responses that apply. What worked in
the past may not work now, and what failed previously as policy may be what is needed today.
“Our Nature Is to Nurture Our Nature”
This little statement underlies the development of individuals, families, communities, societies,
and the cultural values that both unite and divide community. Does one adhere to a social
Darwinian point of view in which community nurture is limited, or does one subscribe to
Dostoyevsky’s idea that everyone everywhere is responsible for one another? (As President
Kennedy famously said, “Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for
your country.”) Does one believe in a larger sense of community or a larger sense of
individualism? How does this question guide thinking and behavior for professionals in the
field? How a society, a community, and an individual answer this fundamental question frames
responses in CP on social issues, services, and policy/intervention.
A second framing of this statement involves how a community provides nurture: parks and
recreation, sidewalks, welfare eligibility, zoning, community policing, and wellness centers,
among many others. The understanding is that one becomes what one has been nurtured to
become. What is unsaid (and would take volumes to explore) is the discussion around the values
that make up nurturing our nature: responsibility, education, child development, democracy,
citizenship, local participation and control, sense of belonging, and mutual consideration.
“Society Precedes Self”
The notion that “society precedes self” (Persell & Cookson, 1993) flies in the face of
contemporary individualism as experienced in society. The idea is contentious—each individual
makes sense as an individual only in light of the nurture they have received from others in their
developing years. Parents, extended family, cultural norms on children, socialization, education,
religion, personal experiences, and a host of people, places, and things have shaped us. The
strengths and limits of communities matter greatly to the community itself as well as to the
individuals who inhabit it. One example will suffice. Language development is learned without
being taught; individuals are born wired to acquire it. However, in order for language skills to
develop, there needs to be ongoing exposure and interaction with others. Language is shaped in
the community.
Conclusion
Community is central to the human condition, as it allows one to grow, change, and adapt to the
conditions individuals experience in this world. It is a good thing to be a work in progress. A
work in progress needs to be nurtured—how it is nurtured matters, individually and collectively.
The parable of the seed applies. Individuals look to build communities where the soil,
temperature, protection, and access are conducive to growth. Individuals try not to build where
resources are so scarce that one cannot nurture nature. A seed given deep soil and water will
grow into a strong tree; a seed deprived of deep soil and water will grow weak and stunted. So it
is with communities and the individuals that inhabit them. The communities that individuals are
born into are the soil of development. The strength of communities, like families, is foundational
to the development of the individual. Social issues such as crime, education, health care, and
disaster relief depend on support systems and policy/intervention plans. The scope and
inclusiveness all depend upon a sense of community.
Reference
Persell, C., and Cookson, P. (1993). Making sense of society. New York, NY: Harper Collins