Illustrating Feminist Theory: Power and Psychopathology

• Published in: Psychology of women quarterly 1998-03, Vol.22 (1), p.97-112
• Main Author: Collins, Lynn H.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Behavior; Factors; Feminism; Feminist psychology; Feminist theories; Feminist theory; Gender aspects; Gender roles; Power; Power relationships; Psychology; Psychopathology; Womens studies
• ISSN: 0361-6843; 1471-6402
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1471-6402.1998.tb00144.x

Feminist theory holds that many of the pathological behaviors observed in patients result from their position in the social hierarchy. The goals of the demonstration detailed in this article are to show the impact of current gender roles on the psychological well-being of women and men and to generate understanding and discussion of the problems that relative status can create in the therapeutic relationship. This teaching demonstration draws parallels between the Zimbardo (1971) prison experiment and the impact that assignment to low- and high-power roles can have on the psychological health of women and men. Students are asked to rate men and women on some of the diagnostic criteria that the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (American Psychiatric Association, 1994) associates with Axis I and II diagnoses. The students watch a video of Zimbardo's prison study and then rate the prisoners and guards. This demonstration provides another explanation for gender patterns in psychopathology by demonstrating that psychologically healthy White males will develop different patterns of psychopathology depending on whether they are placed in a dominant or subordinate role. When placed in the subordinate role, they exhibit behaviors typically seen in women clients; when placed in a dominant role they exhibit behaviors commonly associated with male clients. This exercise demonstrates the unhealthy nature of the gender roles for both women and men.