community psychology
a branch of psychology that encourages the development of theory, research, and practice relevant to the reciprocal relationships between individuals and the social systems that constitute the community context. It intersects with other branches of psychology (e.g., social psychology) and with other disciplines, such as sociology and public health. A particular emphasis is on social welfare, community mental health, and prevention. Its research findings and methods are applied with regard to poverty, substance abuse, violence, school failure, and other social issues. See ecological perspective.