Working Pasteur's Quadrant: Harnessing Science and Action for Community Change

Abstract

Community psychology in general and the field of prevention in particular has unquestioningly accepted the assumption that the research process should proceed in a linear fashion from a search for basic knowledge to application in the community context. This ignores the compelling insight offered by Stokes (1997) that the drive for new knowledge and the pursuit of application can be combined in a single effort. If research in community psychology pursues the drive for application without an equal commitment to the development of knowledge about underlying community processes of social cooperation and change, it will become a field less capable of innovative and enduring contributions to community well-being and effectiveness Opportunities abound in community psychology for the simultaneous pursuit of new knowledge and more effective practice. We offer the example of a community leadership development program to promote collective efficacy as a case in point.

Promoting Environmental Health Policy Through Community Based Participatory Research: A Case Study from Harlem, New York

“…At the same time, this case study illustrated what Price and Behrens 20 have called the tension between the Bnecessary skepticism of science^and the Baction imperative of communities.^Given such tensions (e.g., over the slow pace of publication of study findings), the importance of taking seriously CBPR's commitment to genuine colearning is underscored. Through both structured workshops and informal conversations joining together academics, community partners and residents, the WE ACT partnership attempted to address this need and meet the demands of both strong and credible science and community partners' commitments to moving at a reasonable pace into the action phase of the work.…”

Using Methods That Matter: The Impact of Reflection, Dialogue, and Voice

“…knowledge's sake, but also to the creation of knowledge for the sake of its utility (Heller, 1990;Kelly, 2003;Price & Behrens, 2003). As a community of scientists committed to enhancing the quality of life for all citizens, the utility and impact of our findings stand center stage in our assessments of worthwhile research.…”

Beyond Diversity: Toward a Cultural Community Psychology

“…An important implication for community psychology is that knowledge in human psychology is contextual and best obtained in the everyday settings of communities (cf. Price & Behrens, 2003;Stokes, 1997). If the context of diversity is cultural, then a cultural community psychology can contribute to both knowledge and effective programs, while remaining true to our values (e.g., Maynard, 2005;Maynard & Martini, 2005;O'Donnell & Yamauchi, 2005;Tharp, 1994;Tharp & Gallimore, 1988).…”