ABSTRACT
This chapter provides a critical analysis of the class, race and gender biases woven into the social psychological literature on coping with injustice. When confronting life crises, injustices or tragedies, psychologists argue, people fare best by assuming control over their circumstances. Accepting responsibility for one’s problems and/or solutions correlates with psychological and physical well being, across populations as diverse as rape survivors, disabled adults, the institutionalized elderly, unemployed men and women, school children with academic problems, even high school drop outs. The chapter examines the assumptions which underlie present formulations of Taking-Control-Yields-Coping. The current Taking-Control arguments often assume that people can control the forces which victimize them, should utilize available social programs, and will benefit if they rely on social supports. The control-yields-well-being proposition is empirically robust and admittedly compelling. One way to take control over adversity, supported by much psychological research, is to do something to improve one’s own life circumstances; to use available options.
