NYU Stern School of Business Social psychologist Jonathan Hatter Recently announced that he is about to resign from the Society for Personality and Social Psychology (SPSP) due to the organization's new diversity, equity and inclusion policies.
In an article by Heterodox Academy, Hatter explained that in order to report research results at the 2023 Annual Conference of the Personality and Social Psychology Association (SPSP), he must “submit a statement explaining ‘whether and how his report promotes equity, inclusion and anti-racism’.
Hett, co-author of the recently published book The Coddling of the American Mind, admits that diversity is not a new phenomenon in SPSP, but he does not "openly object to it", after all, he believes that "most academic work has nothing to do with diversity."
“These mandatory statements force many scholars to betray their quasi-fiduciary responsibility for truth by fabricating, distorting, or inventing some weak links to diversity,” Hatter wrote.
In the article, Hatter admitted that the changes in terms forced him to criticize new mandatory requirements.
"However, the mandatory requirement of SPSP forces us all to do something more explicit ideological . Note that the word diversity has been abandoned and anti-racism has been replaced...so I know I can't stay silent anymore," Hatter said.
Het contacted Laura King, chairman of SPSP, to protest the new demand.
King replied that SPSP's mission "should include amplifying the voices of those who are underrepresented in our field history."
Het agreed with this concept, but felt that the approach did not achieve its purpose.
"This is what I agree with: diversity stated in an undisputed form can be the values of an organization," Hatter argues, "but (like all values), I don't think it can be elevated to the second purpose (in the sense of Aristotle )."
King also told Hatter that she "is not very clear about why anti-racism is considered problematic."
Hitt decided it was "time to exit" after King made it clear that it would retain the new policy.
“I cannot be loyal to an organization that is changing its purpose and asking its members to violate their quasi-fiduciary obligations to the truth,” Hatter wrote. “I doubt in particular whether it is wise to make an academic organization more publicly politicized in its mission, especially in a fierce cultural war when trust in universities plummeted.” Hatter said at the end of the article that if the new policy remains in effect, he would resign “at the end of the year, when my congregation fee is over.”
