W7 Discussion Question 1: Converting on Conversion Therapy

Purpose: As shifts in social attitudes occur over time, so do changes within the discipline of psychology and our belief in diagnosis and best practices for treatment. Many ideas and values have shifted within psychology, but perhaps there is not one topic on which we have had such a (relatively) rapid turnaround as on homosexuality. This discussion will allow you to explore how and why researchers might change their stances or conclusions, as well as the implications for this on the notion of objective scientific inquiry.

Post: As you saw in your required readings and resources this week (and as you may have already known), psychologists' trust in "conversion therapy" or "reparative therapy" has dramatically decreased over time. In your post, first briefly describe how views of this practice have changed over time and across different domains. Then, respond to the following questions:

• What does this example demonstrate about the relationship between sociopolitical attitudes and research agendas?
• How are research questions and data interpretations impacted by current social and political climates?
• As we continue through the information age, what are the impacts of increased visibility of and access to knowledge about minority communities?
• What do you imagine might be frontiers for discovery or change in the realm of sexual minority studies?