Eugenics and its evolution in the history of western psychology: A critical archival review

Abstract

Since its inception Western academic psychology has been influenced by and closely affiliated with eugenics, defined by its originators as the “science of racial betterment.” The role of eugenics has been minimally acknowledged in historical accounts of Western psychology, although it was fundamental to the establishment of empirical psychology methods as well as its applied theories, specifically behaviorism. The continued influence of eugenics in Western psychology, noted in this article, is traced to biologizing human differences while minimizing the role of social context as well as to dividing individuals into groups according to their supposedly innate fitness levels (such as intelligence and optimism). The impact of eugenics on the practice of psychotherapy is highlighted.