Oral Presentation by Ralph Sichler¹
¹ Bertha von Suttner Private University St. Pölten, Austria
TIME: Tuesday, 14 July, 10:30 – 12:00
Location: Room 3
Session: 3
Abstract
Hannah Arendt’s reflections on politics, thought resp. judgment, and action offer promising impulses for psychology, especially for critical social psychology, by shifting the focus away from a purely intrapsychic perspective (e. g. processes of social cognition) to the public sphere, like plurality as well as the social conditions and interconnections of human behavior. Critical psychology, that deals with the relationship between the individual and society as well as the social origins of individual problems, can benefit from Arendt’s ideas in several respects: Focus on the political: Arendt clearly distinguishes the political from the purely social or private. For her, politics is the public sphere where people act, speak, and encounter each other. Critical psychology can use this distinction to analyze how social conditions and power structures impair this political sphere and shape individual agency. Critique of conformism: Arendt’s study of the Eichmann trial and her concept of the “banality of evil” demonstrate how the lack of independent thought and judgment can lead people to abdicate moral and political responsibility. For critical social psychology, this is an important starting point for illuminating the psychological mechanisms of conformity and obedience to authoritarian systems. Especially, Arendt’s thoughts on thinking, judging, and acting enables illuminating approaches for critical concepts in psychology: Thinking: Following Socrates and Plato, Arendt conceptualizes thinking as an inner dialogue with oneself. This dialogue is crucial for the development of conscience and enables moral decision making. For psychology, this understanding can lead to the exploration of internal processes underlying moral and political behavior. Judging: Arendt saw judgment, especially “reflective judgment” (following Kant), as the key to freedom. It involves viewing a situation not only from one’s own perspective, but also from the point of view of others, thus developing a sense of community. This is relevant for psychology because it highlights the importance of empathy as perspective-taking for political action and the shaping of public life. Action: Arendt defined action as unpredictable and pluralistic occurrences in public space that create new beginnings in public life. Critical psychology can address how psychological barriers prevent or enable political action and how action leads to empowerment of individuals.