US torture report: psychologists should no longer aid military, group says

[RobinA]

13. Generalize Much?

Many psychologists left the organization over this issue. I am not a psychologist, but I was a student member of the APA when this issue first surfaced. The AMA and the psychiatrists had come out publicly against torture and the ethics of their members' taking part in it. The APA lagged and then came out with a strongly worded (weasel words, that is) document that said pretty much nothing of substance about torture, but made it clear it was declining to take a firm stance. I cancelled my membership at that point.

It now seems that the statement at the time was influenced by psychologists who would go on to have a money interest in relationships with DoD. This was not something the rank and file would necessarily have known at the time. That said, the APA is going to be feeling this one for a long time and hopefully it will make individual members of not just the APA, but other groups, pay more attention to what their groups are standing for. In general, I find that people are much less activist than some decades ago, and tend not to worry a lot about things that do not directly effect them. Oh course, many psychologist DID take exception to the APA's official position on torture and DID vote with their feet.

And to the APA - you should have seen this one coming a mile away. There is no excuse. Pay more attention the next time.