I appreciate that my experience is unique to me, but shared in common with myriad fellow prisoners to a greater or lesser extent. So to Prison Service Psychology and my experience thereof. I cite these well known examples to illustrate my contention of the pseudo nature of psychology.
Did we need the abandoned infamous ‘Stanford Experiment’ to inform us that human beings abuse their authority over others? Did we really need an ‘experiment’ to inform us that certain of us would administer a fatal electric shock when directed to do so by our supposed superior.
The Jesuits knew all about conditioning centuries before Pavlov had dogs salivating at the sound of a bell and extrapolated the obvious. I regard psychology as little more than pretention at best. I hold it to be non empirical an opinion shared by far finer intellects than mine. The advice I was given regarding psychology, which experience has compelled me to agree with, is that it is self-evidently a pseudo science. Acting upon the decidedly astute and erudite advice of an esteemed academic I elected history and attained a BA Honours. Long time passing when I considered which subject I would opt to read for a degree I gave psychology consideration. Those who hold contra views are respected. I preface it in stating that the views and opinions you will read are mine and founded upon my experiences. Guess what the subject matter of this article concerns. Not many issues of Inside Time are published wherein there is not a letter or an article from a hapless prisoner relating his/her experience of Prison Service Psychologists.