Giving psychology away: How George Miller’s vision is being realised by psychological literacy

Abstract

In George Miller’s famous address to the American Psychological Association in 1969 he explored the aims and future direction of psychology. Psychology could develop as a professional elite that develops specialised knowledge that experts can hold on to or it could aim to ‘give psychology away’ and to allow the general public access to psychological knowledge that will be of benefit to them. In so doing it will create ‘a new and different public conception of what is humanly possible and humanly desirable’. This vision is being realised 50 years on by the wide dissemination of psychology knowledge through, for example, university school courses in the subject, and the growth of psychological literacy in the general public. This paper discusses issues raised by this and the implications for the profession of psychology and the perception of psychology in the general public are discussed.