This book examines the traditional assumptions made by academics and professionals alike that have embedded sociopolitical biases that impede practice. and undermine efforts to achieve an objective scientific status. If allowed to go unchallenged, the credibility of psychology as a discipline is compromised. This contributed volume thoroughly and comprehensively examines this concern in a conceptually and empirically rigorous manner and offers constructive solutions for minimizing undue political influences within the field of psychology.

Societies in the 21st century desperately need reliable psychological science, but we dont have it. This important volume explains one of the main reasons why we are making little progress on any issue that gets contaminated by the left-right culture war: because the field of psychology is an enthusiastic member of one of the two teams, so it rejects findings and researchers who question its ideological commitments. The authors of this engaging volume also show us the way out.  They diagnose the social dynamics of bias and point to reforms that would give us the psychology that we need to address 21st century problems.

Jonathan Haidt, Thomas Cooley Professor of Ethical Leadership, NYUStern School of Business and author ofThe Righteous Mind

The boundaries of free speech, censorship, moral cultures, social justice, and ideological biases are among the many incendiary topics discussed in this book. If you are looking for a deep-dive into real-world contemporary controversies,Ideological and Political Bias in Psychology fits the bill. The chapters are thoughtful and thought-provoking. Most readers will find something to agree with and something to rage at in almost every chapter. It just may change how you think about some of these topics.

Diane F. Halpern, Professor of Psychology Emerita, Claremont McKenna College and Past President, American Psychological Association

 

Unless the political left is always correct about everything (in which case, we wouldnt need to do research; we could just ask a leftist), the growing political monoculture of social science is a major barrier to our search for the truth. This volume shows how ideological bias should be treated as a source of research error, up there with classic methodological flaws like non-random assignment and non-blind measurement.

Steven Pinker, Johnstone Professor of Psychology, Harvard University, and the author ofRationality

 

An important read for academics curious about how their politics fashions beliefs that too often are uncritically taken for granted, and for non-academics wondering why we can't shake off the politics that so influences scientific work.

Vernon Smith, Nobel Laureate in Economic Sciences andGeorge L. Argyros Chair in Finance and Economics, Chapman University

Advances and deepens empirically rigorous scholarship into biased political influences affecting academic and professional psychology.

Offers constructive solutions for minimizing undue political influences within psychology and moving the field forward.

Serves as a resource for psychological academicians, researchers, practitioners, and consultants seeking to restore the principles of accurate science and effective practice to their respective areas of research.

 

 

Craig L. Frisby, Ph.D is an associate professor of school psychology at the University of Missouri, Columbia. He is the former associate editor of School Psychology Review, the official journal of the National Association of School Psychologists, and currently serves as the associate editor of Psychological Assessment, the official assessment journal of the American Psychological Association. He is the co-editor of The Comprehensive Handbook of Multicultural School Psychology (2005), and the author of Meeting the Psychoeducational Needs of Minority Children (2013), both published by Wiley& Sons. He currently serves on the screening technical review committee of the National Center on Response to Intervention. He is a member of the National Association of School Psychologists, APA Division 16, and an elected member of the Society for the Study of School Psychology. 
William ODonohue, Ph.D. is a licensed psychologist and chairman and professor of psychology at the University of Nevada, Reno, and an adjunct professor in the department of philosophy and a faculty member of the National Judicial College. He has published over 70 books and 150 journal articles and book chapters. He holds advanced degrees both in philosophy and psychology. For the past 14 years, he has been director of a free clinic that treats children who have been sexually abused and adults who have been sexually assaulted.
Scott O. Lilienfeld was born and raised in New York City. He received his B.A. in Psychology from Cornell University in 1982 and his Ph.D. in Psychology (Clinical) from the University of Minnesota in 1990. He completed his clinical internship at Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania from 1986-1987. He was assistant professor in the Department of Psychology at State University of New York (SUNY) at Albany from 1990 to 1994, and has been a faculty member in the Department of Psychology at Emory since 1994. He is also a visiting fellow at the University of Melbourne in Australia. Dr. Lilienfeld is presently Samuel Candler Dobbs Professor of Psychology at Emory. He is Editor-in-Chief of the APS journal Clinical Psychological Science and Associate Editor of the APA journal Archives of Scientific Psychology; he also sits on the editorial boards of several journals, including American Psychologist. He is recent past president of the Society for a Science of Clinical Psychology (Section 3 of APA Division 12) and the Society for the Scientific Study of Psychopathy.

I. Foundations

Introduction and Overview

ODonohue, Frisby,& Lilienfeld (the editors)

History of Political Controversies in Psychology

David Baker, University of Akron

Human Nature and Political Bias

William Hathaway, Regent University

Basic/Core Principles of Science and Their Relevance to Political Bias

William ODonohue, University of Nevada

Principles of Scientific/Critical Thinking and their Relevance to Political Bias

Craig Frisby (University of Missouri) and Scott Lilienfeld (Emory University)

Politics and Ethics/Ethical Decision Making

Jonathan Haidt, NYU

Contemporary Sociopolitical Orientations

The Challenge of Postmodernism

William ODonohue, University of Nevada

Measurement of Psycho-political Constructs

Tom Costello, Emory University

Survey Research in Socio-Political Orientations Within Psychology

Joe Duarte, Arizona State University                            

II. Evidence of Bias and Negative Consequences

Political Bias in Psychology Journal/Book Publishing
Steve Ceci, Cornell University, Wendy Williams, Berea College

 

Political Bias in Professional Organizations Representing Psychology

Richard Redding, Chapman University

Political Bias in Research Funding in Psychology

Political Bias in the Teaching of Psychology in Higher Education

To be Determined

Political Bias in Psychologys Influence in Society

Scott Lilienfeld (Emory University)& Others

III.  Special Topics: Specific Domains of Political Bias

 

Morality

Jonathan Haidt, NYU

 

Race, Ethnicity, and Multiculturalism

Craig Frisby (University of Missouri)

 

Gender

Daphne Patai, University of Massachusetts

 

Poverty

Jeanne Wendell, University of Nevada

 

Sexuality and Sex Education

Ken Zucker, U of Toronto, Mark Yarhouse (Regents University), Michael Bailey,

              Northwestern University

 

Religion/Faith

Art Houts (University of Memphis)

 

The Military 

Larry James, Wright State University

 

Language (Political Correctness, Free Speech/Hate speech)

Jordan Peterson, University of Toronto

 

Public Education

Robert Weissberg (Emeritus) or Ray Wolters, University of Delaware

 

The DSM/Defining Mental Disorders

Scott Lilienfeld (Emory University)& Others

 

Human Intelligence

Linda Gottfredson (Emeritus, University of Delaware)

 

Human Memory  
Rich McNally (Harvard) Lawrence Patihis (University of Southern Mississippi), Mark Pendergast (University of Kentucky)

Violence in Society 

Franklin Zimring (University of Chicago), Arthur Kellerman (Emory University)

 

 IV. Guidelines for Decreasing Political Bias in Psychological Science and Practice
Craig Frisby, William ODonohue, and Scott Lilienfeld (Editors)