Importance of Situated Knowledge to Critical Evaluation of Social Psychology - Essay Example

Social Psychology College: Importance of Situated Knowledge to Critical Evaluation of Social Psychology As d by Donna Haraway, situated knowledge is portrayed as the bedrock for analyzing social psychological knowledge and geographical location. Power relations leads to production of situated knowledge with respect to over-generalization of findings that are situation-based claims and is strictly linked to epistemology illustrated by the rise of feminist social psychology, deliberations on crisis in social psychology, strict interconnectedness of experimental methods to social psychology (Brown 1965, p. 167). Power relation is also attached to situated knowledge in the sense that The Heist show deducted that people on average would harm others based on a specific situated phenomenon under the influence of authority. Situated knowledge drives explanation of ontological division on whether to emphasize on society or individual as well as whether our lives are driven by social structures or agency. Wendy Holloway is disturbed by the dualistic significance of methods as knowledge generation and revelation of already social world driven by need to produce situated knowledge. Holloway further uses Social Psychology experiment executed by Milgram to showcase an inevitable relationship between situated knowledge and power relations. Situated knowledge is based on a particular knowledge derived from a specific situation. It is attained from experimental approach or through trial and error mechanism and can take the form of ‘posterion’; gained after carrying out an experiment or ‘a priori’ gained before conducting a particular experiment (Milgram 1965, p. 20). A researcher subjects experimental lots to a particular social condition and bestows power on one entity and observes analyzing their reaction in order to get a particular situated knowledge. As noted by Walter Moede in his pamphlet, “Experimental group Psychology”, informed by the need to trace the origin of social psychology by opposing a more philosophical crowd notion by European , he suggested an experiment by subjecting people in the laboratory under control experiments and establish the situated knowledge with respect to thinking and feeling of group members. The origin of Social Psychology is thus attached to its earlier definition that focused more on groups than individual and had dissenting argument that presents a platform for the use of situated knowledge and power relations to clarify (Patron 2002, p. 67). As concluded by Hewstone and Mannstead, “One can, at least, predict that social psychology will remain an empirical, primarily experimental, discipline, notwithstanding new challenges to its hard-earned scientific respectability. The idea of ‘social facilitation’ where individual performance is attached to the presence of others was the center stage in experimental psychology topics. Social Psychology is attached psychology as a branch where numerous natural setting research are ongoing based on designs anchored on observations and interviews spontaneously produced text and conversations as was Zimbardo’s Guard-Prisoners aspired to scientific status framed on individualistic paradigm. Experimental psychology was critically examined and several shortcomings unearthed by Ring in his journal of Experimental Social Psychology, ‘Experimental social Psychology’ culminating into a notion of the ‘crisis’ of social psychology. This amplified the use of situated knowledge generation based removal of variable manipulated, participant deceived, irrelevant findings and reductive produced experimental methods. The use of individualistic perspective has taken the center stage to illustrate the substantial burden of personal as well as social responsibility for failure and success. Culture, traditions and languages are the driving forces behind the situated knowledge as people tend to act differently when subjected to particular situations based on their deeply-rooted cultural practices, traditions or languages. Ethical behavior that a particular culture adopts determines how people will socially act when faced with a particular situation. The production of knowledge the researchers gather is embedded on the; historical and contextual frameworks of theories used, identification and definition of a phenomenon to be researched, establishment of particular questions to be raised to aid in the acquisition of particular situational knowledge. Besides, Social psychology is closely intertwined with interrogative nature of attaining situated knowledge based on researchers’ understanding of particular knowledge to be produced. Identification and settlements on specific research method to unearth situated knowledge aimed at explaining social psychology is directly linked to historical place and time, a particular group to be experimented reside and workplace. Social Psychology would be dealt a blow if assumptions and dismissals are made without recognizing and appreciating its strict interconnection to situated knowledge and associated particular elements that influence its acquisitions. Understanding social psychology in effect, involves digging deep to unearth various steps the discipline undergoes based on its linkages to trends undergone by interrogative approach researchers adopt to obtain situated knowledge. This recognizes and appreciates the fact that, certainty on particular assumptions on knowledge, (“priori”) amplifies as more investigations are undertaken with time culminating into rational establishment of fruitful skepticism against initially deeply-rooted culturally and traditionally assumed certainty and facts about a particular phenomenon. Research conducted on a particular situation drives the social psychology based on the inquiries conducted anchored on defined specific questions that aid in obtaining a particular knowledge based on a specific situation. As noted by Mozart in the two experiments carried embedded on the reaction of people when assigned particular situational roles, we realize the significance of power relations; power is attached to ethics in manner that if unchecked, it results into unethical conducts as noted by the first experiment (conducted by Zimbardo and Colleagues). Guards had total control over prisoners and even determined and device their own source of punishment against stubborn prisoners. The experimental outcomes became of more interest to social psychologists that raised a lot of questions based on its subject matter, methods applied and impacts. Social psychology derives its premises from such situational knowledge and improve based on the weaknesses and strengths resulting from the initial experiments. Prisoners ascend to power in the second experiment conducted by Professor Alex and Steve Reicher where the guard is checked by the established ethical committee that weeded out the already identified abuses that arose from Zimbardo’s experiment based on ethical standards and prisoners that feel as superior than the guards and would not listen to commands from guards. In this perspective it is evident that situated knowledge help understand and develop a much better understanding of social psychology based on a productive knowledge generation. Strict interconnection between situated knowledge, perception and efforts to develop a more understanding in Social Psychology is thus revealed. Ethical standards are not upheld during most of social activities carried by people and thus are harmful to peaceful coexistence amongst particular groups of people benchmarked on various roles assigned. Psychologist conducts are thus inspired and motivated by the need to conduct more researches while always criticizing the outcomes and use such researches criticisms as stepping stones to unfold other more promising knowledge and understanding of social studies always aimed at ensuring observation and attainment of ethical standards. Social Psychology has dualistic interconnection to its subject matter and area based on situated knowledge production where at one end , it is shaped by pre-assumed realities and contributing further by using such realities as stepping stones through their criticism to further present a platform of new and better understanding of the lived realities so as to make people see facts as ever changing further amplifying the strict significant attachment between situated knowledge to the study and understanding of social psychology. Social psychology is directly informed by situated knowledge production as its primary source of information based on continuous undertaking of experimental interrogative research. Critical evaluation of social psychology is in essence, a dream if not strongly founded on situated knowledge as this is the main premise upon which vital criticism are drawn to aid in illustrating the history and origin of social psychology. Social psychologists thus leave no stones unturned if they are to critically examine and evaluate social psychology. The reciprocal concept between research and social world is inevitable in such evaluation; interrogations that lead to information and knowledge discussed, conceived- lived certainties and facts derived from the study of social psychology trace their route from situated knowledge production through particular conducted social researches informed by traditions, knowledge and culture. Emergence of paradigm shifts are healthy in understanding social psychology evaluation based on particular productive skepticism as this culminates into a scenario where researchers establish a systematic skepticism that further enable them recognize, criticize and thump up previously revealed certainties and facts. This further help researchers strike a balance by contextualizing facts relevancy and the associated cons to further enrich the discipline by ensuring it is richly endowed based on tested facts and certainties. This is illustrated based on the guards and prisoners experiment conducted by both Zimbardo and Alex and Steve; we see the second experiment evaluating the Zimbardo’s experiments indentifying its weakness of uncontrolled ethical standards and enrich their experiment by ensuring that abuse is brought to control via the establishment of Ethics Oversight Committee. Situated knowledge is described as a feeder to social psychology and thus has come up with different current perspectives that try to unearth weakness of ‘priori’ knowledge and suggest possible solutions to such identifiable gaps. Despite these findings, it is still unworthy concluding that current perspectives overrides the traditional one but to affirm that, once current and ever arising perspectives are subjected to analysis, their loose grounds will be shattered through situated knowledge production experiments. Power relations contribute a lot in investigating and coming up with facts and certainties about a particular phenomenon. Stepping back concept is a fundamental approach in a critical evaluation of the importance of situated knowledge in critical examination of social psychology. This aids in analysis of disciplinary powers as applied in various institution. Power relations is the basis upon which situated knowledge is gathered based on the impacts of such powers and without critical examination of their outcomes, power relations cannot be applied in critical analysis of social psychology. People always assume vital things and issues that in effect are of greater significance in obtaining situated knowledge. Interpretation of gathered data which culminate into knowledge is based on several assumptions with respect to culture, tradition and language. Situated knowledge thus takes this in to consideration when particular solution based on certainties and facts are to be made (Foucault 1997, p. 28). Through various interrogations, researchers gathering particular knowledge have to consider how various groups view concepts, and develop strictly necessary questions to unearth such information. Through knowledge production process, we are able to deduce the beneficial effects of power relations which then enrich the facts captured in social psychology. Knowledge production process clearly enables researches to develop particular questions matching a particular situation (Diener 1980, p. 58). We have to deduce the generalization ability of a particular finding resulting from a given situation to other related situation across the globe. Psychologists hence are able to make such comparisons and contrasts culminating into a vast social knowledge. Critical evaluation of the social psychology is clearly shown from the discussion to have several attachments to situated knowledge (Milgram 1977, 176). Knowledge development about a particular phenomenon is based on the people’s perspectives and attitudes as the reactions and behaviors that people adopt are directly dictated by a particular situation in which they are subjected. Experiments aid in justification of already known facts and certainties or their readjustments to further make conclusion more solid based on the tested outcomes. Researchers deeply indulge in gathering information about particular known facts that attract dissenting arguments with an aim to ascertain their validities. Situated knowledge is revealed as the cornerstone upon which the understanding of social psychology is framed. This stems from the fact that data collection based on interrogative mechanism of particular group of power with respect to power relations informs social psychology. Methodologies applied in knowledge productions results from analysis of previous research and whether the applied methods met the set objectives by availing the necessary intended knowledge (Rosenthal 1996, p. 123). The paper is summed up by a firm stand that situated knowledge is the best interrogative applied to critical evaluation of social psychology. Reflexive Comment: How Expectation have Changed and Fulfilled Social Psychology is an interesting discipline in understanding social world. It is inevitable for any rational man to assume and dismiss the significance attached to knowledge of understanding this discipline. People behaviors and actions are understood clearly based on a clear understanding and endowment of knowledge about such a discipline. Understanding of phenomena shapes how an individual will react when subjected to a particular situation. Knowledge production undertaken by social psychologists is beneficial as this focuses on the need to uphold ethical standards so as to help a particular group harmoniously coexist. Social psychology aims at creating awareness on the interconnections between power relations and how a particular knowledge is gathered. Understanding such linkages presents psychologists with a platform of being proactive in approaching a particular problem since social psychologists are able to interrogate and deliberate to determine not just immediate cause of a particular occurrence but dig deep to unearth the mainstream of a problem (Potter and Wetherell 1987, p. 56). The discipline thus is vital in social world as it enables people to conduct themselves in a manner that yields beneficial effects. This results into proper understanding of the significance of upholding ethical standards when carrying out specific tasks so as to ensure that peaceful coexistence free from overstretching into other people is attained. People who undergo such a study emerge as more endowed with valuable skills which is reflected on positive behavior change which has enriched their thoughts and hence rational in decision making. It is worth affirming that I am challenged resulting from shocking but positive revelation drawn from the module. My expectation is met beyond reasonable doubt and the study has really positively enriched my understanding of social world based on traditions, culture as well as language. The discipline has changed my behavior based on ‘priori’ knowledge and this will henceforth help me be rational based on decisions made. Reference Brah, A. (1999) ‘The scent of memory: strangers, our own and others’, Feminist Review, Issue Brown, R. (1965) Social Psychology, London, Collier-Macmillan. Diener, E. (1980) ‘ Deindividuation: the absence of self-awareness and self-regulation in group members’ in Paulus P. B (ed), The psychology of Group Influence pp.209-242, Hilsfdale NJ, Lawrence Erlbaum. Foucault, M. (1997) Ethics: Essential Works of Foucault 1954-1984, Harmondsworth, Pengiun. Milgram, S. (1965) ‘Some conditions of obedience and disobedience to authority’, Human Relations, Milgram, S. (1977) The Individual in a Social World: Essays and Experiments, Reading, MA, Addison Wesley. Patron, M. Q. (2002) Qualitative Research and Evaluation Methods (3rd edn), London, Sage. Potter, J. and Wetherell, M. (1987) Social Psychology and Discourse: Beyond Attitudes and Behaviour, London, Sage. Rosenthal, R. (1996) Experimenter Effects in Behavioral Research, New York, Appleton-Century-Crofts. Read More