| Description | Report of the British Psychological Society Scientific Affairs Board Future of the Psychological Society working party (Graham Beaumont, Derek Blackman, Raymond Bull, Peter Evans, Anthony Gale - Chair, Malcolm Jeeves, Terence Lee, Peter Morris, Marl Williams, Philip Wookey) April 1988, and responses Boards and Committee, together with summary of responses by Peter Morris submitted to Council February 1989.
Report includes introduction, Key Recommendations, The Nature of Psychological Sciences, Psychology's Contribution to Well-Being, On the Distinction Between Pure and Applied Psychology, Current Developments in the Applied Psychological Sciences, The Need for Integrated Theory, Recent Trends Affecting the Psychological Research Base, Research Funding from Government Departments, Research Funding from Other Sources, Evaluating the Effectiveness of Psychology, On Divisions in Psychology, The Role of the British Psychological Society, Some Challenges for Undergraduate Courses in Psychology, The Achievements of the Psychology Board of the CNAA, Psychology as an Examination Subject at Pre-Degree Level, The Marketing of Psychology, Problems of Leadership and Organisation in the Discipline, Living in a Multi Ethnic Society, Psychology and Gender Issues, Relationships with Other Disciplines, Conclusions and Recommendations.
The working party was established in 1985, after year of perceived threats by the Board to funding in higher education and the research, it aimed to review the current situation affecting the psychological sciences and to make recommendations for the future health of psychological research in the United Kingdom. The took evidence from individuals and groups, commissioned briefing papers, sponsored a symposium on the funding of psychological research and a conference in Harrogate [BPS/001/6/01/04/02/02] . It reported to SAB in April 1988 and Council May 1988 with the report sent to Subsystems for discussion June-December 1988. The report felt that the BPS structure with Board for Scientific and Professional aspects of psychology was mitigating against cross fertilisation. There was also a discussion paper which went to the Boards on the distinction between Divisions and Sections. Some of the recommendations informed a later structural review in 1994-1997 BPS Working Party on the Development of Psychology as a Profession Setting Directions 1994-1997 which led to a Strategic Plan in 1997 and a restructure of the Society in 2000. |