Psychology’s Quiet Conservatism

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What if psychology isn’t as liberal as we think? Psychology is often seen as a progressive discipline — a champion of social justice, diversity, and liberal values. But this provocative book challenges that assumption. It argues that psychology, from its historical entanglements with eugenics and colonialism to its modern-day focus on individualism, has long served to reinforce the status quo. Even as many psychologists identify as politically liberal, the field’s methods, theories, and institutions often promote a worldview that downplays inequality, pathologizes dissent, and resists structural change. Psychology’s emphasis on personal responsibility, resilience, and self-help frequently aligns more closely with conservative ideals than with progressive ones. This book explores how the myth of a “liberal bias” in psychology has been weaponised in today’s culture wars — and how it distracts from the field’s real political blind spots. It asks: what would it mean for psychology to