Psychological Theories Follow Social Trends

"Psychiatry and psychology want to see themselves as entirely empirical and scientific, independent of external influences, but in reality, they are not immune to the prevailing values in the wider society. In fact, they have always tended to follow and reflect the ideas that dominate a given period in history. What follows is a heterogeneous list that includes a number of ideological trends in the history of the West since the Enlightenment, as well as a few more mundane and recent political developments, conceptually paired with some key stages in the history of the psychological sciences."

"Rational and humanistic views during the Enlightenment: Pinel and Esquirol's "Moral Therapy," which stressed the effectiveness of a rational and humane approach in the treatment of insanity Emphasis on social discipline and morality during the 19th century: The Asylum Movement, which saw a therapeutic value in discipline and order Prominent presence of sensuality in art and culture at the beginning of the 20th century: Birth of psychoanalysis, which shared with contemporary art its magical view of the world, as well as a preoccupation with sex"

Psychiatry and psychology claim scientific objectivity but reflect prevailing societal values and ideologies. These disciplines have repeatedly mirrored dominant cultural currents across historical periods. Enlightenment rationalism aligned with humane Moral Therapy. Nineteenth-century social discipline corresponded with the asylum movement and orderly treatments. Early twentieth-century cultural sensuality paralleled the emergence of psychoanalysis and attention to sexuality. Modernist and technological movements fostered novel interventions such as electroconvulsive treatments. Postwar social democracy influenced social approaches in psychotherapy. Prevailing political, cultural, and technological trends have consistently shaped clinical practices, theoretical frameworks, and research directions in mental health.

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