A response to my critics.

The author responds to criticisms and personal attacks in defense of his recent controversial article on a critique of relational psychoanalysis. Critics (see records 2006-03254-013; 2006-03254-014; 2006-03254-015) charge that Mills fails to live up to scholarly standards, uses rhetorical devices to unjustly discredit certain relational authors, takes clinical material out of context, and has committed unethical and libelous acts. Mills attempts to show that these criticisms largely lack solid rationale, distort or ignore crucial textual evidence, rely on ad hominem arguments and emotional polemics, and fail to convince the author of their genuine merit. He denies all accusations of professional misconduct and draws into question the political motives and intellectual honesty of some key figures identified with the relational turn. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

"Neither Fish nor Flesh": Commentary on Jon Mills (2005).

Mills (see record 2005-04819-001) offers a wide-ranging critique of relational psychoanalysis, seeking to point out its theoretical shortcomings and its clinical hazards. Although he declares an evenhanded and nonpolemic approach, promotes "accurate scholarship," and decries "illegitimate attacks" on psychoanalytic literature, Mills' thesis is rife with rhetorical excesses, unsubstantiated allegations, and misrepresentations of clinical moments unlinked from their contexts. This commentary highlights where Mills supports his opinions through evocative and mystifying rhetoric rather than scholarly and substantiating evidence. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Assertions of therapeutic excess: A reply to Mills (2005).

Mills (see record 2005-04819-001) suggests that the tradition of relational psychoanalysis may hold an inherent risk of "therapeutic excess" which leads to unprofessional behavior. In his critique, Mills constructs an argument based upon a series of unsubstantiated claims which wrongly conclude that a particular theory in psychoanalysis can lead to a particular type of behavior, in this case, of the unethical type. This discussion attempts to clarify the errors in reasoning which this critique contains. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Response to Jon Mills: An open letter to the members of Division 39.

The following "Letter to the Editor" is a response to specific statements made about me by Jon Mills in his article, "A Response to My Critics" (Psychoanalytic Psychology, Vol. 23(1), 2006; see record 2006-03254-016). (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Immergluck's Determinism-Freedom.

Comments on an article by L. Immergluck (see record 1965-00034-001) in which he dismisses the indeterminist's viewpoint, concluding that the facts of quantum theory do not compel the inference that in principle strict predictability is impossible with reference to the behavior of subatomic particles. Immergluck cites E. Nagel to support his viewpoint, yet makes scant reference to the several philosopher-physicists whose stature equals that of Nagel and who argue to the contrary. F. S. C. Northrop, for example, points out that when Einstein objected to quantum theory it was precisely because to his way of thinking the theory implicitly ruled out an absolute determinism operating in the universe. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of The dissociative mind.

Reviews the book, The dissociative mind by Elizabeth F. Howell (see record 2005-14945-000). In her book, The Dissociative Mind, Elizabeth Howell presents a complex and thorough overview of what she describes as a "sea change" in psychoanalytic theory. From her vantage point as both psychoanalyst and traumatologist, she demonstrates how, in the last 15-20 years, relational trauma and the resulting impact on the individual mind-namely the splits and fissures that comprise dissociation- have made their way back into psychoanalytic thinking. Howell's elaboration of the overwhelmed, traumatized mind is very useful in clients who present with problems in thinking or who have limited capacity to symbolize. However, detailed clinical material of how an analyst thinking of dissociated self states would work with such a client, what Bromberg termed the "relational bridge," would support her fundamental assertions more effectively. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of The relational self: Theoretical convergences in psychoanalysis and social psychology.

Reviews the book, The relational self: Theoretical convergences in psychoanalysis and social psychology edited by Rebecca C. Curtis (see record 1991-97680-000). The relational self, a collection of papers from a conference held at Adelphi University in 1990, represents the latest attempt at rapprochement between psychoanalysis and social/personality psychology. The core unifying theme in this new effort at integration is the relational self. The dialectical relation between the self and environment is well illustrated by four essays devoted to current perspectives from social psychology. Several other essays provide the reader with a glimpse of the richness and vitality in current research on the self. I see no easy way of reconciling the two underlying research traditions, which differ not only in their methods and aims but also in the basic language used to describe human experiences. Perhaps in these postmodern times, there is no urgent need to stretch paradigms in the quest for unity of science. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Bias in defining test bias: Reply to Darlington.

Argues that R. B. Darlington's response (see record 1979-22558-001) to the present authors' original criticism (see record 1977-20109-001) is not satisfactory. It is suggested that Darlington's "rational" viewpoint cannot reconcile the issue of individual rights vs quotas and that his contention that the present authors' article was contradictory is incorrect. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of Relational theory and the practice of psychotherapy.

Reviews the book, Relational theory and the practice of psychotherapy by P. L. Wachtel (see record 2008-01938-000). Having produced important texts involving the integration of a psychoanalytic perspective with cognitive–behavioral and family systems perspectives, in the current book he turns his attention to seemingly divergent lines of thought within psychoanalysis itself. Psychoanalysis—that variegated, continually branching and diversifying body of theory and practice that started with Sigmund Freud but which has moved so far beyond its origins so as to be almost unrecognizable in some respects—is certainly Wachtel’s primary home. In this book, Wachtel sets out to try and get the house in greater order, both for psychoanalytic inhabitants themselves and for visitors from other theoretical homes. The collection of psychoanalytic perspectives that have gradually taken context into account as being equally important to those factors that are internal are referred to as relational. And it is to these perspectives, which sometimes diverge in significant ways from each other and also from “one-person,” internally focused perspectives, that Wachtel devotes his attention in this book. With Relational theory and the practice of psychotherapy, Paul Wachtel has written an important book, one that will be particularly stimulating and useful to graduate-level-and-above students of psychotherapy. It will also be accessible, thought provoking and clarifying to open-minded psychotherapy practitioners of all stripes, particularly those who do not identify themselves as relational, psychoanalytic, or even psychodynamic. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

An objectivist in social constructionist clothing.

Comments on P. Cushman's (see record 1991-17982-001) critique of D. Stern's (1985) book concerning the interpersonal world of the human infant. S. Lamb defends psychoanalytic theory, arguing that the theory has been forced to reflect on itself from a social/constructionist viewpoint. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

On the introduction of Gestalt psychology into America.

Criticizes F. McKinney's (see record 1977-28569-001) account of the introduction of Gestalt psychology into US psychology for neglecting to mention the contributions of R. M. Ogden. Ogden provided early translations of Koffka's work and wrote the first book by a US psychologist from the viewpoint of Gestalt theory and principles. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Comments on "The test of homogeneity for 2?×?2 contingency tables: A review of and some personal opinions on the controversy" by G. Camilli.

G. Camilli (see record 1990-27291-001) defended R. A. Fisher's (1956 [1973]) approach to the problem of testing for association in a 2?×?2 table. I highlight some of the issues addressed by Camilli from the frequentist (or Neyman–Pearson) viewpoint. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of Partners in thought: Working with unformulated experience, dissociation, and enactment.

Reviews the book, Partners in thought: Working with unformulated experience, dissociation, and enactment by Donnel Stern (see record 2009-17014-000). Following Stephen Mitchell’s untimely death, Donnel Stern is rightly seen as the doyen of Relational Psychoanalysis (RP). In a series of publications he has eloquently and passionately expounded its theoretical-clinical principles in an accessible yet never oversimplified way. This latest volume, mainly a compilation of papers published over the past 10 years or so, further explicates and consolidates his earlier views (Stern, 1997). Relational Psychoanalysis (RP) is perhaps best seen as part of a dialectic, an antiphone to establishment psychoanalysis—if such a thing there still is in an increasingly pluralized world. From a relatively uncommitted perspective, it remains unclear whether RP is a genuinely new set of ideas and practices or a primarily political turn in which traditional ideas are restated in contemporary, and sometimes deliberately contrary, terminology. It is probably both. Reading Stern provides an opportunity to come to a balanced view about this. Whatever conclusions are drawn from his bold assertion of the relational paradigm, listening to Stern’s authentic and enjoyable voice is an experience from which all but the most theoretically blinkered therapists can learn and benefit. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

Predicting another's visual perspective: A unitary skill?

Investigated the ability of 48 6-, 8-, and 10-yr-old children to predict how objects appear from another person's viewpoint. The ability seemed to depend on the type and number of dimensions that must be simultaneously considered and on the type of response required. For younger Ss, the right-left dimension and choosing responses presented particular problems. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Swinging pendulums.

Comments on the article by M. E. Kite et al (see record 2001-10045-002), which summarized the findings and recommendations of the Task Force on the Status of Women in Academe. According to the present author, the task force report represents only one viewpoint, a particularly politicized viewpoint at that, and one that is not shared by all women (or men) in psychology. Further, the report conveys the unfortunate and dangerous impression that women are not able to succeed in academia unless they are awarded special treatment. The present author addresses the following themes that permeate the task force report: (1) differences in outcomes necessarily mean gender bias; (2) women need special nurturing to succeed in academia; (3) women should receive preferences in hiring; and (4) women should not be expected to achieve international reputations. Because the task force report went beyond merely summarizing the status of women to making recommendations (81 total), and because these recommendations carry the imprimatur of the American Psychological Association and thus the remote possibility they might actually affect some institution's policies, they warrant special scrutiny. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The applicability of treatment utility.

Replies to the comments of J. D. Cone (see record 1990-02005-001) on the article by S. C. Hayes et al (see record 1988-11276-001) on using treatment utility (TU) to evaluate assessment procedures. The present authors argue that TU is a concept that applies to the relevance of assessment in treatment planning and may be based on assessment that need not have this purpose. From this viewpoint, all of the objections to the TU concept stem from the failure to distinguish between the assessment of proximal and ultimate goals. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

In support of Ornstein.

Comments on the original article "The limitations of research: A viewpoint," by A. C. Ornstein (see record 1990-57168-001). In that article, Ornstein suggested that social and policy-making circumstances have altered social scientists' freedom of inquiry and right to pursue research without political interference. The current authors have written the comment presented here in support of Ornstein's appeal for freedom of research and support. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The common factor of mindfulness--An expanding discourse: Comment on Horowitz (2002).

In an earlier article (J. R. Martin, 1997a), I proposed a common factor of mindfulness that can be found in all psychotherapy orientations. Mindfulness was defined as a state of psychological freedom that occurs when attention remains quiet and limber, without attachment to any particular point of view. In the present commentary, I explore some linkages between this common factor and M. J. Horowitz's (see record 2002-13441-001) ideas regarding self- and relational observation. His article offers several promising ideas for psychotherapy integration and the potential development of effective psychotherapy interventions. It also expands the discourse related to a mindfulness factor (J. R. Martin, 1997a) and its facets, linkages, and its implications for clinical practice. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Conditional same-different discrimination by pigeons: Acquisition and generalization to novel and few-item displays.

The authors explored whether pigeons can learn to discriminate simultaneously presented arrays of 16 identical (Same) visual items from arrays of 16 nonidentical (Different) visual items, when the correct choice was conditional on the presence of another cue: the color of the background. In one experiment, pigeons rapidly learned this task and, after training with arrays created from a 72-icon set, they exhibited nearly perfect transfer to novel testing arrays. In a second experiment, pigeons’ accuracy to 24-, 20-, 12-, and 8-icon arrays during later testing remained as high as accuracy to training arrays; although accuracy declined with 4- and 2-icon arrays, it was still significantly above chance. In both experiments, pigeons’ choice reaction time scores nicely complemented their choice accuracy scores. These results suggest that the conditional discrimination procedure is well suited to disclose same-different discrimination in pigeons and to elucidate the interaction between perception and abstraction in conceptual learning. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Comment on Horowitz's (2002) "Self- and relational observation."

Emphasizing a relational psychodynamic perspective, the author discusses some of M. Horowitz's (see record 2002-13441-001) ideas about self- and relational observation: (a) Because of its specificity, therapists' advancement of patients' mindfulness is a useful way of thinking about and approaching insight, (b) although therapists' concern with patients' states and state changes represents a practicable, complementary way of thinking about and working with repetitive interaction themes, therapists must avoid the pitfall of thinking in terms of the present alone when concentrating on mindfulness rather than considering it within a broader context that includes the past; (c) this temporal observation applies as well to ways of considering role relationships, which are best understood in terms of patients' interactions, past as well as present; and (d) in advancing personality change, it is not just what therapists "teach" patients but what patients "live through" with therapists in a very real and important, mutative human relationship. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)