Review of Brave new mind: A thoughtful inquiry into the nature of mental life.

Reviews the book, Brave new mind: A thoughtful inquiry into the nature of mental life by Peter Dodwell (see record 2000-08633-000). The author poses the major question for cognitive science: "Can mental life be exhaustively studied as a purely natural phenomenon, or must we go beyond the mundane, the merely physical, to grasp its reality?" (p. viii). His answer is, that "absolutely no psychological consequence follows from a model couched in exclusively algorithmic, physical, or physiological terms, which is the way contemporary cognitive science proceeds" (p. 190). Planned as a history of cognitive science, and its contributory disciplines of psychology, linguistics, neuroscience, philosophy, and computing science, and a contemporary survey of its strengths and weaknesses, the project, according to its author, one of this country's most respected researchers, "got out of hand" (p. vii). While documenting the achievements of cognitive science, this volume is much more a mature retrospective on its limitations and, implicitly, its failures of intent, and this by a participant in the enterprise whose reflections reach back more than 40 years to the beginning of his academic career. It is a courageous endeavour and deserves to be read not only as a critique of cognitive science, of the reductionism of the standard model, but as an autobiographical account of the enlightenment of one participant in that science. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of The mind in context.

Reviews the book, The mind in context edited by Batja Mesquita, et al. (see record 2010-09987-000). The purpose of this edited volume is to challenge a predominant tendency toward an error of essentialism, or the attempt to explain psychological phenomena in terms of internal, static mental entities that are independent of and seemingly hermetically sealed from the outside world. Instead the introductory chapter of The mind in context advances the context principle: that mental processes and behaviour emerge from a profound and complex interaction between person and environment. It is important to note at the outset that a reader seeking an abstracted, sterilized, encyclopaedic list of essential elements making up this perspective would be well advised to look elsewhere. Rather, and in keeping with the theme of the book, the editors have assembled a lively collection of exemplars: chapters by prominent scholars each exploring the influence of context in a focused area of interest. The disadvantage of this approach is that the book can feel somewhat overextended. The significant advantage, however, is that the reader experiences each chapter in the context of the others, a juxtaposition that allows for the emergence of resonances, themes, and common principles across domains. In elaborating on the context principle the contributors to this book emphasise the mind’s mechanisms, situation-sensitivity, and agency over its content, permanence, and passivity. While written in large part by and for social psychologists, the volume should be of interest to any scholar fascinated by the mind’s ecological nature. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of Mind and brain sciences in the 21st century.

Review of book Robert L. Solso (Ed.) Mind and brain sciences in the 21st century. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press, 1997, xix + 354 pp.. Reviewed by David Pincus. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of How the mind works.

Reviews the book, How the mind works by Steven Pinker (see record 1997-30233-000). In this book, the author writes with optimism and excitement about recent progress in psychology, but with despair about the human condition. The scope of the book is stated briefly: "I will try to explain what the mind is, where it came from, and how it lets us see, think, feel, interact, and pursue higher callings like art, religion, and philosophy" (p. 3). The reader will be disappointed in many of these explanations: the book dwells on the already-expansive topics of what the mind is, and where it came from. As for the rest, we are told that humans have innate knowledge of optics, logic, mathematics, physics, botany (p. 377), and even psychology (p. 329). (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of Minding minds: Evolving a reflexive mind by interpreting others.

Reviews the book, Minding minds: Evolving a reflexive mind by interpreting others by Radu J. Bogdan (see record 2000-07328-000). Drawing on philosophical, psychological, and evolutionary perspectives, Bogdan analyzes the main phylogenetic and ontogenetic stages through which primates’ abilities to interpret other minds evolved and gradually created the opportunities and resources for mental reflexivity. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of Brain Damage and the Mind.

Reviews the book, Brain Damage and the Mind by Moyra Williams (see record 1971-06870-000). Another of the excellent paper back series on special topics edited by experts in their respective field. Dr. Williams is Principal Clinical Psychologist, Addenbrookes Hospital, Cambridge. Contents include consciousness and mood, disorders of memory, disorders of perception, disorders of motor skill and verbal expression, and disorder of general intelligence and personality. Almost 200 research papers are integrated in these chapters and within 175 pages. One result is a density rather too high for casual reading. Worth the money. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of Memory in mind and culture.

Reviews the book, Memory in mind and culture edited by Pascal Boyer and James V. Wertsch (see record 2010-05180-000). This book rides the waves of two recent trends: interdisciplinarity and the effect of mind on culture. First, its psychologist and anthropologist editors deliberately chose an interdisciplinary panel of experts on memory, inviting highly respected psychologists, anthropologists, and historians to review cutting-edge memory research in their area of expertise. For psychologists, the resulting collection not only provides readable reviews of current psychology research in memory but also introduces concepts and issues from other disciplines that may open new avenues for research. Second, the book emphasizes the coconstitution of mind and culture, especially seeking evidence for how our minds structure culture. This unusual perspective is especially well developed in the last chapters of the book (Boyer; Rubin) but shows its influence throughout the book, with some authors exploring new ideas about how basic research on memory processes can connect to the study of culture. In summary, this book provides excellent reviews of up-to-date memory research in psychology—from brain structures to blogs—and also innovatively connects this research to larger questions about human culture. Though the coverage of eminent cognitive psychologists is admirable, I wish the book had included some of the new work by cultural and evolutionary psychologists on the topic. Nevertheless, the book advances the field in important ways, pointing the way to new research and theories. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of Blaming the brain: The truth about drugs and mental health.

Review of book: Elliot S. Valenstein (Au.) Blaming the brain: The truth about drugs and mental health. New York: Free Press, 1998, 292 pp.. Reviewed by Louis S. Berger. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of Images in mind: The evolution of a theory.

Reviews the book, Images in mind: The evolution of a theory by A. Paivio (see record 1991-98882-000). In this review I hope to capture some of the flavour of Images in Mind, in which Allan Paivio traces some of the signal events in the evolution of dual coding theory. I encourage each reader of the review to become a reader of the book. The main reward is a glimpse of the workings of a great mind, but there are practical benefits as well. I am reminded of an interview with Keith Richard of the Rolling Stones. When asked how he came up with so many songs, he replied that he just played through his "Buddy Holly Song Book," and something always came up. Reading papers by Paivio has the same effect on me; I can't read his work without many experiments "coming up." (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of Attentional processing: The brain's art of mindfulness.

Reviews the book, Attentional processing: The brain's art of mindfulness by David LaBerge (see record 1995-97550-000). David LaBerge has crafted a book on visual attention that will be accessible and interesting to a broad audience, from students doing their first project in cognitive psychology, to accomplished researchers in the field. The goal of the book is to present a coherent cognitive-neuroscience model of attention - a framework within which one can understand the rich database of findings pertaining to visual attention. In some respects, the book is also an overview and synthesis of LaBerge's own work on spatial attention. The first half of the book covers behavioural investigations; the second half covers cognitive-neuroscience investigations. When most books in psychology are tomes with each chapter written by a different author, it was rewarding to review a scientific book that one could conveniently carry in one's hand, written from cover to cover by one author. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of The herring gull's world.

Reviews the book "The herring gull's world," by Niko Tinbergen (see record 1955-00376-000). This book summarizes in nontechnical language a large number of observations and experiments by the author and his students on the behavior of herring gulls. Primary emphasis is placed upon social behavior including formation of breeding pairs, establishment and maintenance of a territory, courtship and mating, and rearing of young. The book achieves several objectives very effectively. First, it presents a clearly drawn picture of the behavior of gulls in their natural environment. Second, it illustrates authoritatively a method of analyzing behavior which differs in several important ways from techniques used by American psychologists. Third, the book exemplifies an attitude or philosophy of behavior study quite unlike that of experimental psychologists. The author's enthusiasm for behavior study combines with his long-standing affection for sea gulls to produce an eminently readable, entertaining, and informative volume, the attractiveness of which is enhanced by numerous excellent photographs of gull behavior. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of Merleau-Ponty, interiority and exteriority, psychic life and the world.

Reviews the book, Merleau-Ponty, interiority and exteriority, psychic life and the world by Dorothea Olkowski and James Morley (1999). This book is a brief but informative and thoughtful anthology brings together the work of a number of contemporary scholars in philosophy, psychology, psychiatry, and comparative literature to demonstrate how Merleau-Ponty's understanding of the psyche (interiority) and the material world (exteriority) has not only tremendous implications for philosophy, but also for the natural and social sciences. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of Natural theories of mind: Evolution, development and simulation of everyday mindreading.

Reviews the book, Natural theories of mind: Evolution, development and simulation of everyday mindreading edited by Andrew Whiten (see record 1991-97348-000). In recent years there has been a phenomenal growth in interest and research directed at what, has become known as a Theory of Mind ("ToM") and its development. Among the many edited books recently made available on the topic, Whiten's Natural theories of mind is unique in the eclectic, multidisciplinary approach it brings to this vital, yet fledgling area. This interdisciplinary approach, which also includes a chapter by Carrithers placing the development of a theory of mind within the broader context of sociology and anthropology, is at the same lime both the strength of this volume and its limitation. It may be that few will read this book cover-to-cover (not a remarkable criticism for an edited book). Those who do will be given an unusually broad overview of this hot research area and the interdisciplinary context within which the area can best be understood and from which it will most profitably develop. Whiten's collection is therefore recommended both to those who are looking for an entrance into the theory of mind literature and for those already embroiled in the field who are looking for new perspectives. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of Studies of How the Mind Publicly Enfolds into Being.

Review of book Studies of How the Mind Publicly Enfolds into Being edited by William E. Smythe and Angelina Baydala. This volume contains the fruits of a symposium of the Western Canadian Theoretical Psychologists devoted to the topic contained in the title, though the original idea was expressed by considering "psyche and polis" (p. viii), the two Greek terms from which our conceptions of self and public largely derive. Most of the reflection does not return all the way to ancient Greece, but the essays draw deeply on historical sources, retracing the influences of contemporary thought and reminding the audience of some roads not taken. The issue and definition of self are the predominant theme. Judging from the references, the sources of inspiration for many of these essays is predominantly philosophical, with liberal borrowings from sociology, cultural studies, and political theory. Despite the complexity and range of theoretical issues discussed, the contributions are uniformly clear and engaging, a credit to authors and editors alike. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of The mental health of Asian Americans.

Reviews the book, The mental health of Asian Americans by Stanley Sue and James K. Morishima (1982). In The Mental Health of Asian Americans, Sue and Morishima assess the current status of theory and research strategies in this field and initiate dialogue regarding future directions for our investigative energies and service delivery efforts. They are largely successful at this ambitious mission. Their work represents one of the best and most comprehensive texts on the special issues related to Asian-American mental health. Although this book was published in 1982, the theories presented and issues discussed remain extremely pertinent to the problems encountered today in providing services to this population. The authors' major intent is not to demonstrate how to deal with cross-cultural issues in treating Asian-American clients, although therapeutic techniques with a particular client may be extrapolated from their discussion and numerous case examples. Instead, the authors focus on strategies for improving research and delivery of mental health services, and attaining a theoretical understanding of treatment issues within the cultural context. The content is aimed at those who are in training or currently participating in mental health research and service delivery to persons of Asian descent. Yet, this book is of interest to all professionals who are seeking a well-researched text which is grounded in theory and describes the importance of cultural factors in developing mental health services to an ethnic minority population. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of The mental hospital in the 21st century.

Reviews the book, The mental hospital in the 21st century by Emmanuel Persad, Shane S. Kazarian, and Llewellyn W. Joseph (1992). The authors not only review past endeavors in the delivery of mental health services but speculate as to the role the mental hospital may take in the years to come. The starting point for this book is a conference entitled "The Role of the Mental Hospital in the 21st Century" sponsored by the London Psychiatric Hospital in October 1990. The book features 20 brief chapters regrouped in three sections. In all, 29 contributors mainly from Canada, bring forth varying perspectives on the role of the mental hospital. The real contribution of this book is that it puts into perspective the magnitude of the challenge that confronts the major stakeholders in developing a comprehensive and balanced system of mental health services. The present book could serve as a starting point for some serious debate among the stakeholders about the way the mentally ill are treated and to determine how the role of the mental hospital should change. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of A critical psychology: Interpretation of the personal world.

Reviews the book, A critical psychology: Interpretation of the personal world by Edmund V. Sullivan (1984). In this book, the author gives an indication of what an alternative psychology might look like. In doing this he draws on the ideas of a number of European philosophers and social scientists whose work has been generally ignored by North American psychologists. What distinguishes Sullivan's critical psychology from other alternatives to the mainstream is his insistence that the conditions for human action be traced not simply to the intentional activity of individuals but to the social structures of domination in which individual intentions are embedded. These are the structures of ethnicity, gender, and class. What Sullivan criticizes is that "psychologists take structural relationships of power such as capital over labour, men over women, and change them into intrapsychic phenomena." This book is an important contribution to the growing literature on alternatives to mainstream psychology. It is distinguished by its intellectual sophistication and by its marshalling of perspectives that run counter to local cultural traditions. At the very least it is a volume that ought to provoke an expansion of all too narrow disciplinary horizons. Incidentally, the very concept of intellectual "horizon" is one that the author analyses in a particularly constructive way, showing its relevance in the context of psychological research. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of Making contact: Uses of language in psychotherapy.

Reviews the book, Making contact: Uses of language in psychotherapy by Leston Havens (see record 1986-97288-000). Drawing on ideas from psychoanalytic, existential, and interpersonal theories, the author has provided a thought-provoking and practical book about how to reach, affect, and influence the distant or absent patient through language. This book is not only thought-provoking and practical but also a pleasure to read; Havens possesses a graceful literary style that is vivid, witty, and filled with fresh metaphors. Havens avoids traditional terminology for describing the more disturbed patient in favor of a personal and less objectifying way of speaking. Havens has provided a framework for conceptualizing how language can be used in a disciplined and powerful way to locate the lost selves of our patients. By calling attention to how we speak, he reminds us that language, used empathically and authentically, is the most powerful tool we have to bridge the often wide chasm between us and our patients. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of Mind regained.

Reviews the book, Mind regained by Edward Pols (see record 1998-06466-000). In this text, Pols seeks to treat the difficult and perplexing question of the relationship between mind and body in a way that is nonetheless accessible to the non-professional philosopher. Pols takes issues with the position of many contemporary philosophers and psychologists that the brain provides the ultimate causal explanation of mind. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)