| The purpose of this study is to investigate the nuclear war prevention roles which the profession of psychology in the United States has had during the period 1945 - 1986. In this work, a contextual philosophical model was used to interpret a data base of historical review in order to analyze the work accomplished by psychology in this area. The roles were considered according to an informal/formal distinction. Using the dimensions of political events, socio-cultural climate and events within American psychology, the roles were discussed according to four historical periods and the focus was on how values represented in these factors influenced the roles.; It was discovered that psychology's role has changed significantly in the period studied. This is attributed to a shift in the philosophical model which governs the profession itself. Psychology has evolved from a discipline once directed by the "value free" philosophy of positivism and the method of empiricism, to one which is self critical and value explicit. The result of this has been that the nuclear war prevention activities of psychology have evolved into a situation in which the former informal and formal role distinction has become less pronounced, leading to more prolific work and a more relevant role. Future implications of the role development are also discussed. |
