Women Psychologists

Abstract

Six women from the same graduate school of psychology, one faculty member and one student from each year of the doctoral program, came together to learn about each other, the developmental experiences of women psychologists, and to supplement the largely overlooked documented histories of women psychologists. As a result, these women, whose personal histories differed greatly, began a project to record their individual and collective life and career development experiences with the ultimate goals of (a) identifying predominant characteristics of the first women psychologists, (b) comparing their paths with those who led the way for women entering the profession, and (c) elucidating for today’s women psychologists the rich legacy of the pioneers in the field, including the familiar challenges of balancing life and work. A review of the literature was undertaken and the consensual qualitative research model was used to analyze data. The core themes revealed were (a) spirited personality traits; (b) constraints of culture, gender, race, and social class; and (c) development influenced by relationships and role models. These themes echoed the experiences of the earliest women psychologists who came from privileged backgrounds; the current women psychologists were from more diverse backgrounds and are seen as women of opportunity.