Mcmillan-Chavis Model Of Community Psychology

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The McMillan-Chavis model consists of four elements that are necessary to evaluate a sense of community. They are interdependent and all exist on some level whether positively or negatively. These four elements are membership, influence, integration, and emotional connection. While some of these may be more predominant, they are all contributors to a psychological sense of community. To provide an example of how the McMillan-Chavis model is applied to a community setting that one belongs to, the University of New Haven Community Psychology graduate program will be the community of application. This particular community has a respectable psychological sense of community that provides a suitable example. The first part of the McMillan-Chavis …show more content…

When referring to the Community psychology students, the boundaries are fairly straight forward. Students apply to be a part of the program and are screened and evaluated based on previous educational experience. If accepted, students are then allowed to participate in the program and work towards completing the degree. Those who do not apply or who are not accepted are simply not part of the program or community. Community Psychology students are not necessarily noticeable just by examining one’s outward appearance, as there are no specific symbols or colors that the students wear. There is not a unifying indication of membership for the general Community Psychology population, although those in this this community who choose to be a part of the Community Psychology Club might wear shirts that represent the club and their program. In examining the emotional safety among students of this community, it appears to be fairly strong. Due to such a small class size and overall member population, students tend to be rather close with one another and form bonds quickly due to the common interest. Students …show more content…

This is what could be an example of one of the elements that is slightly less prominent than the others, for the reason that it can vary extremely from person to person. Influence is when members feel that the community they are a part of has a strong influence on them and they are also in return, able to have a strong influence on their community. In the case of the Community Psychology program and its students, I feel that the influence is minimal. This likely has to do with the fact that I am a fairly new member in the community, meaning I haven’t quite reached a point where I feel I am able to influence my community but it certainly has a substantial influence on me. Other students in my community may feel differently, they may be more involved with graduate clubs such as the Community Psychology Club, allowing them to feel that they are

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