Treating "the Poor"--Classism or a Rigid Loyalty to Theory?: Comment.

Comments on "Psychotherapy, classism, and the poor: Conspicuous by their absence" by Laura Smith (see record 2005-11834-002). Smith suggested that social psychology theories might explain how a negative attitude toward the poor has reduced the interest of practitioners in poor patients. The current author was impressed by Smith's comments when she left the literature and began to describe her own experiences. However, the current author was not convinced that social psychology and the varieties of classism explain the phenomenon described. The current author believes that many practitioners avoid the poor because they do not enjoy failure. In this comment, the author discusses personal experiences that support this position. It does not elaborate a history of either a dislike of or class avoidance of the poor. Instead, it suggests that psychologists are trained to overgeneralize findings and to look down on less rigorously collected findings and observations. Thus, psychologists overlook information that might allow theories to be further formulated in more accurate and generalizable forms. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Classism is much more complex: Comment.

Comments on "Psychotherapy, classism, and the poor: Conspicuous by their absence" by Laura Smith (see record 2005-11834-002). Smith is to be commended for identifying a critical missing area in applied psychology: the inclusion of people who are poor into training, education, research, and practice. But in advocating for psychology to be inclusive, Smith used conceptualizations of social class and classism that do not address the complexity of social class and classism in psychology. First, the language Smith used to discuss social class was atheoretical. She used the terms social class, class, social status, the poor, and poverty to address social class as a construct, and she did not operationalize her terms. The second limitation in Smith's article was her aggregating and labeling of people who are poor. By categorizing people in this situation as "poor people" rather than as "people who are poor," Smith made "poor people" a dispositional attribute. Finally, Smith's conceptualization of classism does not consider the networks of power (Liu & Pope-Davis, 2003b) that are integral in maintaining and perpetuating inequality and marginalization. Because power is complex, conceptualizations of oppression and marginalization should be as well. Psychologists hoping to decrease inequality in society need to combat disparities with a clear idea of how social class and classism function. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of Work motivation: History, theory, research, and practice.

Reviews the book, Work motivation: History, theory, research, and practice by Gary Latham (see record 2006-11764-000). The reviewer commends Latham for writing an empirically comprehensive and "personal" book on work motivation. Included is a history of work motivation studies throughout the last 100 years, directions for future research, and the author's reflections on what he has learned about the field on his own professional and personal journey through life. The reviewer praises the author's style highly, and recommends this book to all. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

On the importance of distinguishing hedonia and eudaimonia when contemplating the hedonic treadmill.

Comments on the article by E. Diener, R. E. Lucas, and C. N. Scollon (see record 2006-05893-003) which provided a revision of the adaptation theory of well-being. The current author suggests that consideration of the emerging distinction between hedonic and eudaimonic well-being was missing from the original article and is worthy of scholarly attention. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

A new vision of personality...and of personality theory: Reply.

Replies to comments by Maddi (see record 2006-05893-007) on "A Tale of Two Visions: Can a New View of Personality Help Integrate Psychology?" (see record 2005-05480-001). In the original article, the current author proposed a new fieldwide framework for the discipline of personality psychology; in essence, it is a new outline to organize contemporary theory and research in the field. Maddi raised two interrelated objections to that proposed framework. First, he believes that there is a better way to organize the discipline of personality psychology than the one the current author proposed. His method involves comparing and analyzing the grand theories of personality and using the results of his analyses to guide research in the discipline. Maddi's (1968) meta-theory usefully organizes the statements of the grand theories of the early-to-mid-20th century, but the current author is not sure it is sufficient to organize the field. Second, he was concerned that the current author wants to de-emphasize the grand theories of the field. Maddi (2006) believes that disagreements among the grand theories are a fruitful source of research ideas. Although that may be true, there is more to personality psychology than the grand theories alone. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Response to Gargiulo (2007) and Mills (2007).

Replies to comments made by G. J. Garguilo (see record 2007-16468-013) and J. Mills (see record 2007-16468-014) on the current author's original article (see record 2007-00135-012). The author responds to her critics, who feel she was accusing them of being unethical and even immoral by having a home office. She clarifies that at no time did she use any of this language, nor was this her intent. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Gender similarities still rule.

Replies to comments made by Archer (see record 2006-11202-012), Lippa (see record 2006-11202-013), and Davies and Shackelford (see record 2006-11202-014) on the current author's original article (see record 2005-11115-001). The current author addresses the criticisms put forth by each of these commenting authors, and concludes that the best available scientific evidence continues to support the gender similarities hypothesis, that males and females are similar on most, but not all, psychological variables. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Reply to Dr. Rotgers' Letter.

Replies to the letter by Rotgers (see record 2005-09346-005) on the current author's original article (see record 1981-11085-001). Dr. Rotgers' letter is valuable, since it provides an excellent example of the fact that practice does not always conform to the "black letter" of the law. The current author is pleased to learn that New Jersey legislated their custom, for to rely on custom alone for the recognition of professional psychology is dangerous indeed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

On grandiosity in personality psychology.

Responds to the comments by A. Wood and S. Joseph (see record 2006-23492-015); S. R. Maddi (see record 2006-23492-016); and S. Epstein (see record 2006-23492-017) on the current author's original article (see record 2006-03947-002) "A New Big Five: Fundamental Principles for an Integrative Science of Personality" (McAdams & Pals, April 2006). Here, McAdams responds to the objections raised in the three commentaries to his and Pals' characterization of the grand theories of personality provided by Freud, Jung, Rogers, and other luminaries from the first half of the 20th century. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The future of positive therapy.

Responds to commentary by S. J. Lopez and B. A. Kerr (see record 2006-07640-002) on the current author's original article (see record 2006-07640-001). In their commentary on strength-centered therapy (ST), Lopez and Kerr (2006) called for an open-source approach to developing positive psychological practices. In this rejoinder, the author responds to their comments, provides clarifications on ST, and discusses the future of positive therapy. Specifically, the author calls for future scholarship to address (1) the contributions of social constructionist therapies, (2) positive systemic influences in psychotherapy, and (3) diverse conceptualizations of strengths and optimal human functioning. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

"How anti-gay bias compromised a treatment: A commentary on Meissner (2006)": Reply.

Responds to the comments made by Michael C. Singer (see record 2008-00996-012) on the current author's original article, "Time on my hands: The dilemma of the chronically late patient" (see record 2006-20697-003). The current author states "I am grateful to Dr. Singer for his interest and stringent criticism. However, in reading his commentary I had the odd feeling that I was being caustically attacked for views expressed in an article I did not write. However, perhaps the deficiency is mine in that my expression failed to achieve an adequate level of clarity and precision." The author regrets that he could not write an article to suit Dr. Singer's tastes, and that in the article he did write there were unavoidable gaps and deficiencies in the material because of the time constraints and distortions in the analysis. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Minds, brains, and misunderstandings: Comment on Snyder.

Refutes D. M. Snyder's (see record 1986-26122-001) 2 major criticisms of the author's (see record 1986-11807-001) article: The author misinterpreted the meaning of the word "complementarity," and he failed to reference Snyder's perspectival approach, which resembles that of the author. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Memory, abuse, and science.

Comments on K. S. Pope's (see record 83-37387) misrepresentation of the author's (J. F. Kihlstrom, in press) own views regarding the scientific and logical impermissibility of inferring a history of childhood sexual abuse from adult mental and behavioral symptoms. The author criticizes not only Pope's presentation of information out of context, but also his improper citations of the author's work, which deprive the reader of independent access to the author's words in the context in which they were written. The author suggests that the dispute over recovered and false memories springs from the basic question of how closely clinical practice should be tied to basic science, and reiterates his insistence on the centrality of psychology as a science. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Reestablishing clinical psychology's subjective core.

Comments on the report by the APA Presidential Task Force on Evidence-Based Practice (see record 2006-05893-001) entitled Evidence-based practice in psychology. The Task Force is to be commended for their report valuing evidence from "clinical expertise" on a par with "research data" (p. 272) in guiding psychological practices. The current author suggests that the APA not only should make a place at psychology's policymaking table for "clinical expertise" but should prioritize clinical and subjective sources of data--the essence of the psychological--and set policies to ensure that objective data, such as behaviors and DSM diagnoses, are considered in their subjective context. The APA should also encourage researchers to devise ways to preserve as much as possible the personal "feel" of the clinical encounter in their data analysis and published conclusions. The APA also needs to assign priority to subjective emotional and relational skills on a par with academic and analytic skills in the selection and training of clinical psychology students. Reconnecting clinical psychology with its subjective evidentiary roots in ways such as these should help to bring us out from under the dominance of medicine, to the benefit of our profession and our clients. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Move your body tone your mood: Book review.

The reviewer states that this book (K. F. Hays [2002]; see record 2002-02783-000) presents information on exercise as a therapy alternative, some information on the benefits of exercise, anecdotes based on stories of other people's exercise (and sometimes therapy) experiences, and many "self-help" exercises. The literature base for the book draws on exercise psychology, health psychology, and therapeutic practice. The book has a heavy personal flavor. The author is clearly giving her own best advice on how to incorporate exercise into the readers' lifestyle in order to achieve the physical benefits as well as some important psychological outcomes. This book would be of interest to counselors who wish to provide exercise advice to clients displaying a variety of psychological challenges. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Is evidence-based practice diverse enough? Philosophy of science considerations.

In its policy rationale for evidence-based practice in psychology (EBPP), the APA Presidential Task Force on Evidence-Based Practice (see record 2006-05893-001) claims to have constituted itself with "scientists and practitioners from a wide range of perspectives and traditions, reflecting the diverse perspectives within the field" (p. 273). We applaud this attention to diversity but contend that an entire perspective of the debate was omitted in the Task Force's newly approved policy and its underlying report. The failure to consider a philosophy of science perspective led the Task Force to make a number of epistemological assumptions that are not based on evidence or rationale and that thus violate the very spirit of evidence-based decision making. In this comment, we reveal a few of these assumptions and discuss their detrimental consequences. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

No right to protection of anonymity.

Comments on the article by Anonymous (see record 1995-33982-001) which presents the hidden benefits of managed care. The current author takes offense that the author's name was withheld, as this prevents assessment of the author's credentials and possible political agenda. The current author also contends that the views expressed by Anonymous are "demeaning and offensive" because of its provocative and self-satisfied tone in the face of the unchecked abuses and destructive effects of the managed mental health industry. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Comments on the Overall and Spiegel Paper.

Responds to the comments by J. F. Overall and D. K. Spiegel (see record 1973-20070-001) on the current author's original article "Note on nonorthogonal analysis of variance" (see record 1972-26084-001). The purpose of this note is the clarification of certain erroneous interpretations concerning the nonorthogonal analysis of variance which appear in the comment by Overall and Spiegel. This note demonstrates that the method proposed by Overall and Spiegel and the method proposed by the current author are not equivalent. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The issue of sex bias in DSM-III: Comments on the articles by Spitzer, Williams, and Kass.

Responds to comments by J. B. Williams and R. L. Spitzer (see record 1984-06864-001) and by F. Kass et al (see record 1984-06848-001) on the present author's (see record 1984-06847-001) article, in which she argued that masculine-biased assumptions about what behaviors are healthy are codified in diagnostic criteria and may account for higher treatment rates in women. The present author responds to criticisms and reiterates her point that histrionic and dependent personality disorders as defined by the DSM-III correspond to stereotypes of femininity. (5 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

"The human context of agency": Comment on Williams.

Comments on the original article, "The human context of agency," by Richard N. Williams (see record 1992-34951-001). In that article, Williams attempted to propose a solution to an old problem in psychology: free will versus determinism. In the current author's opinion, he has not done this successfully. The current author's own solution, which is presented here, is basically deterministic. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)