Book review: A Feminist Companion to Social Psychology

'A Feminist Companion to Social Psychology' may be a short book, but in 151 pages manages to do so much. The book synthesises and critically evaluates major findings in social psychology through a feminist lens, and amplifies the voices of many researchers who are traditionally underrepresented in our field. As both a learner, researcher and teacher, I have been so frustrated hearing the same (typically cishet male) voices discussed in social psychology. This frustration is particularly extreme given the many accusations of sexual harassment and misconduct proffered against the 'fathers' of our discipline (Young & Hegarty, 2019).

This book is an antidote for that frustration. How we frame and acknowledge the achievement of our field's past lays the groundwork for our potential future.

This book joins the many voices offering a more critical lens on psychology's history, potential future, and overall attempts to reframe our field's key findings in light of their largely white, male biases. The book spans so many subfields within social psychology, from attitudes to intergroup contact, from gender to communication and social norms. It also highlights novel work done by researchers underrepresented in our history. The benefit of conciseness does come at a slight disadvantage of depth, with complex topics summarised quite quickly. But the book does a great job of signposting you to other resources, so it should be viewed as a starting point for a journey into feminist social psychology rather than a comprehensive manual.

The book was developed in conversation throughout the COVID-19 lockdowns by two generations of researchers, Madeline Pownall, an Early Career Lecturer at the University of Leeds, and Wendy Stainton Rogers, a professor emeritus. The book really leans into this intergenerational conversation, with each author sharing anecdotes to personalise their arguments and share their experiences. I would have loved to be a fly on the wall during those conversations between two erudite feminist researchers! Overall, this book is an excellent introduction to feminist social psychology, and has given me more words and resources to express my own misgivings about our field's history. As this is a short read, it is accessible to undergraduate students, or anyone wanting a quick but critical summary of social psychology's findings. The final chapter - aptly titled 'Your Fabulous Feminist Future'- provides an especially useful guide for researchers hoping to integrate more feminist perspectives into their own work. When considering how we can make the future of psychology more diverse, we must also consider how to reevaluate our past. This book is a great example of how we can reframe the narratives of social psychology and empower researchers to work in a feminist way, that I'm sure will have significant impact on anyone who reads it.

- Read more about the book.

References

Young, J. L., & Hegarty, P. (2019). Reasonable men: Sexual harassment and norms of conduct in social psychology. Feminism & Psychology, 29(4), 453-474.