Even the Rat Was White: A Historical View of Psychology (Allyn & Bacon Classics Edition) by Robert V. Guthrie

Critique
Aron Gerhart (gerharta@hotmail.com) , a graduate student of psychology., 03/22/2004

Robert V. Guthrie’s classic novel, Even the Rat Was White: A Historical View of Psychology, is an excellent historical document that views psychology from multiple perspectives. Guthrie sites many archival documents that are not found in typical, mainstream resources, which exposes students and educators alike to not only elusive but also informative material. It is an excellent source for informing and intriguing readers and inquiring minds about the impact that African-American psychologists have had on the field of psychology. The first part, or section, of Guthrie’s literary work focuses on the “scientific” measure of race and racial differences. From physical appearance (e.g., Shaxby and Bonnell’s photometer) to mental aptitude (e.g., the Stanford-Binet and Wechsler-Bellevue scales), there existed a myriad of measurement devices and instruments for measuring racial differences. Of course, the majority of these measurements indicated the racial inferiority of American minorities (viz., African-American inferiority). The spurious results were the product of three major factors: (a) experimenter expectancy, which was due, for example, to the previous research of eugenicists such as Francis Galton and Charles Davenport, (b) culturally-biased instruments or measures, and (c) suspicious statistical analyses (e.g., Charles Babbage noted the unethical practices of “trimming” and “cooking” data sets.). As stated previously, the result of the measure of racial differences led to an assumption of minority inferiority. Even though much research has been conducted to invalidate and repudiate these claims (e.g., M. J. Mayo and Horace Mann Bond have produced literature in support of racial equality.), the segregation of ethnic groups, which was supported by prominent psychologists such as Henry Garrett, has existed in the past, and stereotypes and negative opinions about minorities continue to plague American society today. It is clear that not only the field of psychology but also society held beliefs about racial inferiority and/or superiority. As the title of Guthrie’s book, Even the Rat Was White, indicates, this belief was even generalized to animals (in this case, rats). Ignoring the fact that characteristics such as intelligence are multifaceted variables that cannot be sufficiently measured with one test or instrument, research supporting the congenital abilities of animals (e.g., Robert Choate Tryon’s “maze-bright” and “maze-dull” rats study) was generalized to humans. Just as the majority of researchers and theorists were White, which subsequently produced “White” theories, and measurement instruments were culturally biased in favor of European Americans, experimental rats were also white. The second part of Guthrie’s book enlightens the reader of the early trials and tribulations of African-American scholars. The author describes the systematic manner in which black scholars were denied the opportunity to study psychology, publish their work, and receive recognition and financial aid. He also pays tribute to many Black scholars by providing short bibliographies, which includes a list of contributions. Some of these scholars include Francis Cecil Sumner, the first African American to receive a PhD in psychology, and Joseph White, a founder of the Association of Black Psychologists (ABPsi). This historical overview of many prominent, African-American psychologists was interesting and insightful. It enables the reader to develop an appreciation for the problems faced by Black scholars and discover important contributions such as Kenneth B. Clark’s research on the detrimental effects of racial segregation, which eventually influenced the 1954 Supreme Court decision that required public schools to racially integrate their classrooms. Without this resource, one would encounter much obstacle in acquiring such information. The final section of Guthrie’s book is briefly discusses the implications of previous chapters. The author demonstrates that the “myth of mental measurement” and eugenicist philosophy (as demonstrated by William Schockley) continue to exist and stereotype. This is unfortunate; hopefully, society can learn from Guthrie’s writings and subsequently make progress. In conclusion, the author states, “While at present it is difficult to justify the existence of a Black psychology, there is a theoretical basis for it.” Hopefully, this book will not only advance the existence of Black psychology but also will serve as evidence of its existence, purpose, and need.

Also recommended: Cruel Compassion: Psychiatric Control of America's Unwanted