Traditional psychological prescriptions for coping with injustice rest on a variety of assumptions which ignore the lived experiences of most women, especially those who are poor or working class, whose lives are embedded in a network of relationships that need be considered in their coping. This article, through a dialogue between the author, a rape counselor, and a woman who has survived rape, provides an analysis of the class, race and gender biases woven into the Taking-Control-Yields-Coping formulations.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
BrickmanP.RabinowitzV.KaruzaJ.CoatesD.CohnE.KidderL., Models of Helping and Coping, American Psychologist, 37, pp. 368–384, 1982.
2.
BurgessA.HolstromL., Coping Behavior of the Rape Victim, American Journal of Psychiatry, 133, pp. 413–418, 1976.
3.
Janoff-BulmanR., Characterological versus Behavioral Self Blame: Inquiries into Depression and Rape, Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 37, pp. 1798–1809, 1979.
4.
Janoff-BulmanR.WortmanC., Attributions of Blame and Coping in the ‘Real World’: Severe Accident Victims React to Their Lot, Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 35, pp. 351–363, 1977.
5.
SchorrD.RodinJ., The Role of Perceived Control in Practitioner-Patient Relationships, in Basic Processes in Helping Relationships, WillsT. (ed.), Academic Press, New York, 1982.
6.
SchutzR., Effects of Control and Predictability on the Physical and Psychological Well Being of the Institutionalized Aged, Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 33, pp. 563–573, 1976.
7.
CobbS.KaslS., Termination: The Consequences of Job Loss (Publication #LR 77-224), Department of Health, Education and Welfare, Washington, D.C., 1977.
8.
DweckC.LichtB., Learned Helplessness and Intellectual Achievement, in Human Helplessness, GarberJ.SeligmanM. (eds.), Academic Press, New York, 1980.
9.
FineM., The Social Context and a Sense of Injustice: The Option to Challenge, Representative Research in Social Psychology, 13:1, pp. 15–33, 1983(a).
10.
Janoff-BulmanR.MarshallG., Mortality, Well Being and Control: A Study of a Population of Institutionalized Aged, Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 8:4, pp. 691–698, 1982.
11.
LefcourtH., Personality and Locus of Control, in Human Helplessness, GarberJ.SeligmanM. (eds.), Academic Press, New York, 1980.
12.
PetersonC.SchwartzS.SeligmanM., Self Blame and Depressive Symptoms, Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 41, pp. 253–259, 1981.
13.
DePauloB., Social Psychological Processes in Informal Help Seeking, in Basic Processes in Helping Relationships, WillsT. (ed.), Academic Press, New York, 1980.
14.
FineM., When Nonvictims Derogate: Powerlessness in the Helping Professions, Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 8:4, pp. 637–643. 1982.
15.
AntonucciT.DepnerC., Social Support and Information Helping Relationships, in Basic Processes in Helping Relationships, WillsT. (ed.), Academic Press, New York, 1982.
16.
SolanoC.BattenP.ParishE., Loneliness and Patterns of Self-Disclosure, Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 43:3, pp. 524–531, 1982.
17.
SwensonC., Using Natural Helping Networks to Promote Competence, in Promoting Competence in Clients, MaluccioA. N. (ed.), Free Press, New York, 1981.
18.
SilverR.WortmanC., Coping with Undesirable Life Events, in Human Helplessness, GarberJ.SeligmanM. (eds.), Academic Press, New York, 1980.
19.
UngerR., Controlling Out the Obvious: Power, Status and Social Psychology, paper presented at American Psychological Association, Washington, D.C., 1982.
20.
MillerJ. B., Toward a New Psychology of Women, Beacon Press, Boston, 1976.
21.
SeligmanM., Helplessness: On Depression, Development and Death, W. H. Freeman, San Francisco, 1975.
22.
RyanW., Equality, Pantheon Books, New York, 1981.
23.
FineM., Perspectives on Inequity: Voices from Urban Schools, in Applied Social Psychology Annual, BrickmanL. (ed.), 4, Sage, Beverly Hills, 1983(b).
24.
GilliganC., In a Different Voice, Harvard University Press, Cambridge, 1982.
25.
SampsonE., Cognitive Psychology as Ideology, American Psychologist, 36:7, pp. 730–743, 1981.
26.
CaganE., Individualism, Collectivism and Radical Educational Reform, Harvard Educational Review, 48, pp. 227–266, 1978.
27.
AnyonJ., Intersections of Gender and Class: Accommodation and Resistance by Working Class and Affluent Females in Contradictory Sex-Role Ideologies, in Gender, Class and Education, BartonL.WalkerS. (eds.), Fatiner Press, England, 1982.
28.
FurbyL., Individualist Bias in Studies of Locus of Control, in Psychology in Social Context, BussA. (ed.), Irvington Publishers, New York, pp. 169–190, 1979.
29.
BussA. (ed.), Psychology in Social Context, Irvington Publishers, New York, 1979.
30.
WortmanC.BrehmJ., Responses to Uncontrollable Outcomes: An Integration of Reactance Theory and the Learned Helplessness Model, in Advances in Experimental Social Psychology, Vol. 8, BerkowitzL. (ed.), Academic Press, New York, 1975.
31.
SennettR., Authority, Vantage Books, New York, 1980.
32.
GirouxH., Theory and Resistance: A Pedagogy for Opposition, J. F. Bergin and J. Garvey Publishers, South Hadley, Massachusetts, 1982.
33.
FoucaultM., Intellectuals and Power, TELOS, 16, pp. 103–109, 1972.
34.
GurinP.GurinG.LaoR.BeattieM., Internal-External Control in the Motivational Dynamics of Negro Youth, Journal of Social Issues, 25, pp. 29–53, 1969.
35.
KidderL.FineM., The Justice of Rights versus Needs, paper presented at the meeting of the International Society for Political Psychology, Washington, D.C., 1982.
36.
ApfelbaumE., Relations of Domination and Movements for Liberation: An Analysis of Power Between Groups, in The Social Psychology of Intergroup Relations, AustinW.WorchelS. (eds.), Brooks/Cole, Monterey, 1979.
37.
HooksB., Ain't I a Woman?, South End Press, Boston, 1981.
38.
GenoveseE., Roll, Jordan, Roll: The World the Slaves Made, Vintage, New York, 1972.
39.
GaylinW.GlasserI.MarcusS.RothmanD., Doing Good: The Limits of Benevolence, Pantheon Books, New York, 1978.
40.
GreenP., The Pursuit of Inequality, Pantheon Books, New York, 1981.
41.
VashC., Women and Employment, PerlmanL.ArnseonK., Women and Rehabilitation of Disabled Persons, Report of the Sixth Mary Switzer Memorial Seminar, National Rehabilitation Association, Washington, D.C., 1982.
42.
SchechterS., Women and Male Violence, South End Press, Boston, 1982.
43.
YoungA., School and Work Among Youths During the 1970s, Monthly Labor Review, 9, pp. 44–47.
44.
FineM., Options to Injustice: Seeing Other Lights, Representative Research in Social Psychology, 10, pp. 61–76, 1979.
45.
SymondsM., The ‘Second Injury’ to Victims, Evaluation and Change, Special Edition, pp. 36–38, 1980.
46.
AngelouM.I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, New York: Bantam Books, 1969.
47.
AntonucciT.DepnerC., Social Support and Informal Helping Relationships, in Basic Processes in Helping Relationships, WillsT. (ed.), Academic Press, New York, 1982.
48.
AnyonJ.Intersections of Gender and Class: Accommodation and Resistance by Working Class and Affluent Females in Contradictory Sex-Role Ideologies, in Gender, Class and Education, BartonL.WalkerS. (eds.), Fatiner Press, England, 1982.
49.
ApfelbaumE.Relations of Domination and Movements for Liberation: An Analysis of Power between Groups, in The Social Psychology of Intergroup Relations, AustinW.WorchelS. (eds.), Brooks/Cole, Monterey, 1979.
50.
BrickmanP.RabinowitzV.KaruzaJ.CoatesD.CohnE.KidderL., Models of Helping and Coping, American Psychologist, 37, pp. 368–384, 1982.
51.
BurgessA.HolmstromL., Coping Behavior of the Rape Victim, American Journal of Psychiatry, 133, pp. 413–418, 1976.
52.
BussA. (ed.), Psychology in Social Context, Irvington Publishers, New York, 1979.
53.
CaganE.Individualism, Collectivism and Radical Educational Reform, Harvard Educational Review, 48, pp. 227–266, 1978.
54.
CobbS.KaslS., Termination: The Consequences of Job Loss, (Publication #LR77-224) Washington, D.C.: Department of Health, Education and Welfare, 1977.
55.
DarlingR.Families Against Society, Sage Publications, Beverly Hills, 1979.
56.
DePauloB.Social Psychological Processes in Informal Help Seeking, in Basic Processes in Helping Relationships, WillsT. (ed.), Academic Press, New York, 1982.
57.
DweckC.LichtB., Learned Helplessness and Intellectual Achievement, in Human Helplessness, GarberJ.SeligmanM. (eds.), Academic Press, New York, 1980.
58.
FineM.Options to Injustice: Seeing Other Lights, Representative Research in Social Psychology, 10, pp. 61–76, 1979.
59.
FineM.An Injustice by Any Other Name …Victimology: An International Journal, 6, pp. 1–4, 48–58, 1981.
60.
FineM.When Nonvictims Derogate: Powerlessness in the Helping Professions, Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 8:4, pp. 637–643, 1982.
61.
FineM.The Social Context and a Sense of Injustice: The Option to Challenge, Representative Research in Social Psychology, 13, pp. 1, 15–33, 1983(a).
62.
FineM.Perspectives on Inequity: Voices from Urban Schools, in Applied Social Psychology Annual, 4, BrickmanL. (ed.), Sage Publications, Beverly Hills, 1983(b).
63.
FoucaultM.Intellectuals and Power, TELOS, 16, pp. 103–109, 1972.
64.
FurbyL.Individualistic Bias in Studies of Locus of Control, pp. 169–190, 1979.
65.
GaylinW.GlasserI.MarcusS.RothmanD., Doing Good: The Limits of Benevolence, Pantheon Books, New York, 1978.
66.
GenoveseE.Roll, Jordan, Roll: The World the Slaves Made, Vintage, New York, 1972.
67.
GilliganC.In a Different Voice, Harvard University Press, Cambridge, 1982.
68.
GirouxH.Theory and Resistance: A Pedagogy for Opposition, J. F. Bergin Publishers, South Hadley, 1982.
69.
GreenP.The Pursuit of Inequality, Pantheon Books, New York, 1981.
70.
GurinP.GurinG.LaoR.BeattieM., Internal-External Control in the Motivational Dynamics of Negro Youth, Journal of Social Issues, 25, pp. 29–53, 1969.
71.
HooksB.Ain't I a Woman?, South End Press, Boston, 1981.
72.
Janoff-BulmanR.Characterological versus Behavioral Self-Blame: Inquiries into Depression and Rape, Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 37, pp. 1798–1809, 1979.
73.
Janoff-BulmanR.MarshallG., Mortality, Well-Being and Control: A Study of a Population of Institutionalized Aged, Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 8:4, pp. 691–698, 1982.
74.
Janoff-BulmanR.WortmanC., Attributions of Blame and Coping in the ‘Real World’: Severe Accident Victims React to Their Lot, Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 35, pp. 351–363, 1977.
75.
KidderL.FineM., The Justice of Rights versus Needs, paper presented at the meeting of the International Society for Political Psychology, Washington, D.C., 1982.
76.
LefcourtH.Personality and Locus of Control, in Human Helplessness, GarberJ.SeligmanM. (eds.), Academic Press, New York, 1980.
77.
MillerJ. B.Toward a New Psychology of Women, Beacon Press, Boston, 1976.
78.
PetersonC.SchwartzS.SeligmanM., Self Blame and Depressive Symptoms, Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 41, pp. 253–259, 1981.
79.
RubinL.Worlds of Pain, Basic Books, New York, 1976.
80.
RyanW.Equality, Pantheon Books, New York, 1981.
81.
SampsonE.Cognitive Psychology as Ideology, American Psychologist, 36:7, pp. 730–743, 1981.
82.
SchechterS.Women and Male Violence, South End Press, Boston, 1982.
83.
SchorrD.RodinJ., The Role of Perceived Control in Practitioner-Patient Relationships, in Basic Processes in Helping Relationships, WillsT. (ed.), Academic Press, New York, 1982.
84.
SchulzR.Effects of Control and Predictability on the Physical and Psychological Well-Being of the Institutionalized Aged, Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 33, pp. 563–573, 1976.
85.
SeligmanM.Helplessness: On Depression, Development and Death, W. H. Freeman, San Francisco, 1975.
86.
SennettR.Authority, Vantage Books, New York, 1980.
87.
SilverR.WortmanC., Coping with Undesirable Life Events, in Human Helplessness, GarberJ.SeligmanM. (eds.), Academic Press, New York, 1980.
88.
SolanoC.BattenP.ParishE., Loneliness and Patterns of Self-Disclosure, Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 43:3, pp. 524–531, 1982.
89.
SwensonC.Using Natural Helping Networks to Promote Competence, in Promoting Competence in Clients, MaluccioA. N. (ed.), Free Press, New York, 1981.
90.
SymondsM.The ‘Second Injury’ to Victims, Evaluation and Change, Special Edition, pp. 36–38, 1980.
91.
UngerR.Controlling Out the Obvious: Power, Status and Social Psychology, paper presented at American Psychological Association, Washington, D.C., 1982.
92.
VashC.Women and Employment, in Women and Rehabilitation of Disabled Persons, PerlmanL.ArnesonK. (eds.), Report of Sixth Mary Switzer Memorial Seminar, Washington, D.C.; National Rehabilitation Association, 1982.
93.
WhiteR.Lives in Progress, Holt, Rinehart and Winston, New York, 1975.
WillsT. (ed.), Basic Processes in Helping Relationships, Academic Press, New York, 1982.
96.
WortmanC.BrehmJ., Responses to Uncontrollable Outcomes: An Integration of Reactance Theory and the Learned Helplessness Model, in Advances in Experimental Social Psychology, Vol. 8, BerkowitzL. (ed.), Academic Press, New York, 1975.
97.
YoungA.Labor Force Patterns of Students, Graduates and Dropouts, Monthly Labor Review, 105:9, pp. 39–42, September, 1982.
