The article “Scientific racism and North American psychology” by Andrew S. Winston demonstrates how psychologists have promoted racial injustice despite focusing on creating a discrimination-free society. From the article, it is good to note that the introduction of intelligence testing coupled with eugenics yielded scientific racism within American society by creating bias and prejudice in some sections of the population.
Therefore, psychological research has significantly contributed to the widened racial inequality in the community. The intelligence tests helped psychologists to carry out comparisons among different races through mental testing, which yielded different perspectives on immigrants and blacks. Conversely, the tests enabled the whites to receive better scores compared to the blacks and most immigrants from Europe, leading to biased conclusions and beliefs.
Despite mainstream American psychology focusing on overcoming racism since the end of the 1930s, scientific racism remained highly prevalent and augmented during the civil rights period and in the 1990s. The continued use of intelligence tests helped support the widened economic inequality in society and segregation within schools. This compelled some psychology researchers to promote ideas supporting racial differences and further acting as neo-Nazis.
As a result, the research supported the prevailing notions on the brain size, criminality, and intelligence of the black population. This adversely affected the anti-racist gains to create a better society. Additionally, the claims on the capabilities of the black people and European immigrants through the intelligence tests increased racial separation, immigrant limitation, and eradication of key government programs.
As a result, North American psychology has received unending ethical debate due to its ability to promote scientific racism, which needs to be addressed to improve the impacts of the discipline on society. This can be addressed by revising intelligence tests to include more measurable indicators that can correctly disclose the intelligence levels of each person, irrespective of background.