Application of Psychology in the

police and the armed forces

Cano Zarate Ana María del Rosario

Colín Nava Ileana
Enríquez Estanislao Miguel Ángel
Martínez González Imelda
INTRODUCTION

• It can be stated that the military context is a complex

environment due to various factors, especially those related to its
rigid hierarchical structure, the presence of a set of values ​and
ethical norms that act as guidelines for conduct, the idiosyncrasy
of tasks and functions performed by the military, to the
preponderance of social phenomena and processes such as
leadership, cohesion; among others.
 INTRODUCTION

• It is the fact that this context, like other institutional contexts, is

subject to changes inherent in the passage of time.
• The military structures, technological developments, the attitude
of public opinion, media relations, political interference, the
increase of civilians working in the military context, the increase
of the participation of women in the army, the acceptance of the
incorporation of homosexuals, conscientious objection, etc.
MILITARY PSYCHOLOGY

• Military psychology is one of the 53 active

divisions of the American Psychological
Association (APA), specifically it corresponds
to division number 19, Peña (2006). This
division encourages research and the
application of psychological aspects in military
problems and its members perform in
different settings such as research, human
resource management, mental health
services, teaching and consulting, Society for
Military Psychology (2015).
MILITARY PSYCHOLOGY
• For Laurence and Matthews (2012), military
psychology represents the sub-contexts of
psychology within the military field, where
it is assumed that military psychology
contributes to the recruitment, training,
socialization, selection, deployment,
motivation, remuneration, maintenance,
management of personnel, integration,
retention, transition, support, counseling,
and health of members of the military
community grouped into clinical,
organizational, applied experimental, and
social psychology primarily.
 ROLE OF MILITARY
PSYCHOLOGISTS.
• De Leon and Stone (2013) point out that
this can be as an expert witness,
defender, communicator, coach,
mentor and leader. They develop in
various applied scenarios such as
prevention, the use of technology,
interventions, group therapy, brief
psychotherapies, mental health,
primary care, among others; and they
work with civilians, active military,
retired military, reserve military,
military family and community in
contact with the military, in different
contexts: battle, facilities, clinics and
ROLE OF MILITARY PSYCHOLOGISTS.

• For Eid, Lescreve, and Larsson (2012) the

role of military psychologists has changed
over the years, in the 70s their role was
more oriented to leadership, training and
selection, with the passage of time
Psychologists were involved in assessment,
counseling, and selection activities, not
only of new recruits, but of higher-ranking
military personnel as well as civilians
working in these contexts.
 BIBLIOGRAPHY
• Eid, J., Lescreve, F., & Larsson, G. (2012). An International Perspective on Military Psychology. En Laurence J & Matthews, M.
(Eds). The Oxford Handbook of Military Psychology (pp 114-128). Nueva York: Oxford: UniversityPress.
• Laurence, J., & Matthews, M. (2012). The Handbook of Military Psychology: An Introduction. En Laurence J & Matthews, M.
(Eds). The Oxford Handbook of Military Psychology (pp 1-4). Nueva York: Oxford: University Press.
• Loaiza, Oscar, & Posada, Jose Luis (2016). Psicología militar: Conceptualización e investigaciones contemporáneas. PSIENCIA.
Revista Latinoamericana de Ciencia Psicológica, 8(2),1-20.[fecha de Consulta 16 de Marzo de 2020]. ISSN: 2250-5490. Disponible
en: https://www.redalyc.org/articulo.oa?id=3331/333147069006
• Peña, G. (2006). De una psicología caleidoscópica a un cuerpo disciplinar integrado funcionalmente. En Peña G, Cañoto Y
ySantalla Z. (Eds). Una Introducción a la Psicología. (pp. 531-572). Caracas: Universidad Católica Andrés Bello.
• Society for Military Psychology. (s.f). Recuperado el 27 de enero de 2015, de http://www.apa.org/about/division/div19.aspx