IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/sae/socpsy/v54y2008i3p272-284.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

The Eugenic Legacy in Psychology and Psychiatry

Author

Listed:
  • David Pilgrim

    (Mental Health Policy, University of Central Lancashire, UK, dpilgrim@uclan.ac.uk)

Abstract

Background: Assumptions about genetic differences in human mental characteristics can be traced in large part to the eugenic movement, ascendant at the turn of the 20th century. Material: This paper offers historical case studies, of `innate general cognitive ability' and `psychiatric genetics', in order to appraise the eugenic legacy in current psychology and psychiatry. Discussion: Reviewing the work of representatives, Cyril Burt, Franz Kallmann and Eliot Slater, along with their research networks, it is argued that eugenics remains a quiet but powerful background influence in modern-day psychology and psychiatry. Conclusion: At the turn of the 21st century, eugenics remains an important area of inquiry, reflection and education for those in the inter-disciplinary field of social psychiatry.

Suggested Citation

  • David Pilgrim, 2008. "The Eugenic Legacy in Psychology and Psychiatry," International Journal of Social Psychiatry, , vol. 54(3), pages 272-284, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:socpsy:v:54:y:2008:i:3:p:272-284
    DOI: 10.1177/0020764008090282
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0020764008090282
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1177/0020764008090282?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:sae:socpsy:v:54:y:2008:i:3:p:272-284. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    We have no bibliographic references for this item. You can help adding them by using this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: SAGE Publications (email available below). General contact details of provider: .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.