Editorial: The Forest Primeval.

Canadian psychologists have been deplorably remiss in the matter of public education about their discipline. We must from now on be less short-sighted and give more effective expression to our sense of social responsibility. We must do everything possible to give both the general public and those who make policy decisions a more accurate understanding of contemporary clinical psychology, the branch of applied psychology that receives most public attention. We must make them aware of the other branches of applied psychology, unconnected with the health sciences, whose existence is barely appreciated. We must draw attention to the many areas of social concern in which new areas of applied psychology could fruitfully grow up. And some of our knottiest problems stem from misapprehensions regarding the nature and functions of non-applied psychology, of fundamental research on psychological processes. We hope that more accurate conceptions of the nature and potential role of Canadian psychology will gradually establish themselves. We must certainly give a high priority to the problems of public education over the next few years. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Multicultural policy in Canada: A social psychological analysis.

Argues that social psychologists in Canada have an important role to play in policy analysis and evaluation. The multiculturalism policy of the federal government is proposed as one policy area for which social psychological theory and research may be particularly relevant. The policy is outlined and a number of social psychological issues and assumptions in the policy are identified, including group maintenance and development, intergroup contact and sharing, and group acceptance and tolerance. Generally, the policy seems to be supported by theory and empirical findings, but there is a need to guard against possible countereffects. It is argued that more long-term programmatic research is required in social policy areas if social psychologists are to make a useful contribution. (French abstract) (49 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

A public policy conference for psychologists.

Psychologists have skills, concepts, and value positions to contribute as individuals to public policy. They can contribute these through their scientific, professional, administrative, or political roles. The American Psychological Association (APA) as an organization can facilitate uniting governmental officials and psychologists with relevant expertise. It is also suggested that APA (1) bring together task forces of psychologists to stimulate thought and work on a particular problem of public interest, (2) commission position papers, and (3) help in identifying problems likely to become public issues. In determining what activities to undertake APA should be guided by the importance of the issue to society, the importance to psychology, the amount psychologists have to contribute, the amount we can realistically expect to influence policy, and the costs in time and dollars. Psychology should begin developing its own post-Viet Nam priority list. In doing so it should collaborate with other behavioral sciences with expertise relevant to major problems of our society. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Physicians' perceptions of the role of psychology in medicine.

Surveyed 80 physicians at the University of Kansas Medical Center on their perceptions of psychology's role in medicine. The sample included residents and staff physicians from 4 medical specialities: family practice, internal medicine, pediatrics, and psychiatry. It was found that the problems perceived as having the largest psychological component were depression, alcoholism, obesity, and headaches. Medical problems seen as having minimal psychological components were cancer, heart disease, and arthritis. Ss expressed an interest in treating the psychological components of medical illness themselves. They also reported that they would consult psychiatrists, psychologists, and social workers on an equal basis for treating these problems. (13 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Psychological advice on foreign policy: What do we have to contribute?

Explores ways in which psychologists can contribute to debates on foreign policy issues. Three forms that such contributions can take are distinguished: (a) Psychologists as experts on social judgment and decision-making processes can help to identify and perhaps reduce sources of error and bias in the policy-making process; (b) psychologists as experts on bargaining and negotiation processes can assist in developing policy-relevant theory that can inform the selection of influence strategies in dealings with other states; and (c) psychologists as experts on problems of predicting behavior in complex natural settings can assist policymakers in forecasting trends in international relations and in anticipating likely reactions of other states to policy initiatives. Current gaps in understanding and potential limits on the usefulness of psychological advice in each of these areas are examined. (90 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

A primer for advancing psychology in the public sector.

Psychologists working in the public sector should, in addition to providing direct services, advocate for systems change. Although many consumers treated in the public sector face a constellation of severe life problems, working to improve the system of care is more difficult than providing treatment. Improving the quality of life of consumers of publicly funded mental health services requires that psychologists become advocates. Four prerequisites to systems change, plus coalition building, legislative advocacy, the work of state psychological associations, and forming alliances between psychologists and nonpsychological community organizations such as Rotary International, are described. In conclusion, 12 orienting ideas are listed for psychologists who want to advocate for social, institutional, and political change. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Improving employment opportunities and the public image of social psychologists.

Suggests ways to increase employment opportunities in nonacademic areas for social psychologists. Graduate schools must emphasize the application of social psychology to business and industry and to social problems. Also, the public must be made aware of what social psychologists are doing and what they can do. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Psychology and nuclear war: A chapter in our legacy of social responsibility.

Notes that psychologists' participation in work on nuclear-war-related problems since 1945 has been sporadic and suggests that this sporadic research is related to fluctuating modulations in government policy. The history of these activities is viewed as a case that can be used to evaluate both the underlying forces of psychological research and the feasibility of a professional model of psychologists' social responsibility. The recent activities of psychologists suggest some alternatives for their involvement in global issues, specifically for rethinking what is psychological about such issues and for determining what problems might or should concern psychologists. It is suggested that psychologists must go beyond simply evaluating their science as a corpus of either intellectual innovations or ideologies. (88 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Federal legislation recognizing psychology.

Contends that policymakers often are unfamiliar with psychology as a discipline and as a profession, and they lack knowledge of the important contributions psychologists or behavioral experts can make to specific problem areas. Hence, specific reference to psychology or psychological expertise may not appear in various federal statutes, and this limits the possibility of psychology contributing to needed solutions to national problems. The political process of policy formation is discussed, and the explicit federal recognition of psychology within enacted legislation is examined. (34 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Public and private responsibility for mental health services.

Relative to public services, private sector corporate mental health care has significantly increased since the late 1960s. The many tensions encountered in assigning public and private responsibility for mental health services give rise to significant value-laden questions for psychologists. These questions go to the heart of community mental health, deinstitutionalization, mental health policy development and evaluation, and many other areas in which psychologists are playing major roles. The public–private issue should be understood historically, from the twin vantage points of developments in general medicine and in mental health. Among the many public interest and public policy matters psychologists and others concerned with mental health should address are the emergence of corporate chains; the nature, cost, and quality of private sector services; the compatibility of profit motivation and the motivation to provide care; and patient selection issues (e.g., cream-skimming). Public and private cooperation and planning are certainly in order if the public interest is to be served in addressing the nation's mental health problems. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Rehabilitation: Psychology's greatest opportunity?

Rehabilitation (RHB) is one of the fastest growing areas in the health industry. Supported by several key pieces of legislation, psychologists have established themselves as integral health care providers in RHB. Although psychologists have benefited from legislated membership in RHB, most individual psychologists and the psychological associations have not recognized the importance of public policy for the practice of psychology. Escalating health care costs have resulted in major revisions in the manner in which health insurers reimburse treatment. Medicare, the major federal health insurance provider, increasingly has been viewed as a model for the provision of all health care. The historic exclusion of psychologists from Medicare has limited the scope of psychologists' practice and the growth of professional psychology. The recent inclusion of psychologists in Medicare improves but does not solve practice and policy issues confronting psychology. Knowledge of national health policy formulation and greater participation by psychologists in health policy are necessary to secure the scope of professional practice most psychologists expect. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

APA and public policy: A survey of member views.

Describes a questionnaire published in the american psychologist, concerned with the posture of activism or passivity of the american psychological association (apa) with respect to various political and social policy matters, (the support of professional roles for psychologists, the unified or divided formal organization of apa, and the association's tax status). Only 5% of the total membership returned the questionnaire, nearly 1/3 of whom wrote in comments. A bare majority (52.5%) of the respondents felt that apa should be more active in furthering public policy and/or professional legislation; however, these respondents were divided on the issues to which they believed activity should be addressed. On the basis of the expression of distinctly divergent views and the limited number of respondents, the association policy and planning board concluded that there exists no clear mandate for change among the membership. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Psychology and public policy.

Discusses ways to increase the involvement, awareness, knowledge, and education of psychologists in the public policy process. Psychologists have functioned effectively in a variety of roles that are relevant to the policy sector. For example, they are increasingly called upon as expert witnesses. There is a great need for people who can translate the findings of psychology and the behavioral sciences into language and recommendations easily comprehended by the public. Probably the most common role for a psychologist in public policy is that of researcher or evaluator, which uses the psychologist's methodological skill to help policymakers determine whether a program, intervention, or treatment was effective. Psychologists have also increasingly taken positions as administrators in education, health, mental health, welfare, correctional, and human service organizations, where they are directly responsible for the formation and implementation of social policies. Psychologists can also function as activist-collaborators by advocating solutions to social problems. It is concluded that greater involvement of psychology in the public policy process will facilitate the growth of psychological knowledge and the application of that knowledge to the world of which psychology becomes continually a larger part. (44 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

A social psychological perspective on energy conservation in residential buildings.

To design effective public policy, the social, cognitive, and personal forces that, in addition to the economic realities, define the situation must be understood. For the past 4 decades, social psychologists have been researching problems that shed light on human cognitive and social interaction and that have ramifications for increasing the use of energy-saving technology. The present article examines 1 aspect of current energy conservation policy, the home energy audit program, federally mandated by the Residential Conservation Service. The program requires major gas and electric utility companies to offer customers a variety of conservation services, including information about conservation practices and programs, and home energy audits. The authors attempt to show how existing social psychological research might be beneficially applied. (41 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Award for Distinguished Contributions to Psychology in the Public Interest: Michael J. Saks.

The Awards for Distinguished Contributions to Psychology in the Public Interest recognize persons who, in the opinion of the Committee on Psychology in the Public Interest Awards, have advanced psychology as a science and/or profession by a single extraordinary achievement or a lifetime of outstanding contributions in the public interest. Michael J. Saks, one of the 1987 recipients, is recognized for successfully bringing psychological knowledge to bear on a wide range of legal and public policy concerns. Through his empirical research and creative applications of basic psychological research and theory, he has contributed to our knowledge of psychosocial assumptions in diverse areas of the law. As one of the rare psychologists who thinks like a lawyer, he has helped to increase the social sensitivity of the legal community and the legal and ethical sensitivity of the psychological community, with tremendous benefit to the public interest. In addition to the citation, a biography and selected bibliography of Saks' work are presented. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Psychology, research, and social policy.

Contends that although it is important and timely for psychologists to be concerned with the interface between psychological research and social policy, academic and research psychologists may encounter problems in relating or adapting their research to matters of policy. For some researchers, there are few problems because their focus of research has both theoretical and policy relevance (e.g., those exploring the scientific question at hand with relevant populations or in policy-connected settings). However, it is suggested that the larger group of behavioral scientists are engaged in research that is more removed from immediate practicality or policy relatedness. It is argued that the ideal solution is not to promote the wholesale conversion of research scientists to redirect their scientific inquiry so that it deals directly with issues of policy. Rather, suggestions are tendered for the melding of policy concerns into research that maintains its relevance to the discipline and to issues of psychological theory or practice while touching also on issues of relevance to social policy. A classification model of social scientists involved with policy is included. (32 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

"Ethics and advocacy": Rejoinder.

Responds to D. N. Robinson's (see record 1985-12952-001) criticism of the American Psychological Association's (APA's) role in social advocacy. The present author describes the bylaws that govern APA involvement in such issues, stresses the problems of human justice involved in public policy issues on which the APA has taken a stand, and argues that psychologists cannot meet their social responsibilities simply by impartially "brokering the evidence." (5 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Some big ideas for some big problems.

Although most psychologists do not see sustainability as a psychological problem, our environmental predicament is caused largely by human behaviors, accompanied by relevant thoughts, feelings, attitudes, and values. The huge task of building sustainable cultures will require a great many psychologists from a variety of backgrounds. In an effort to stimulate the imaginations of a wide spectrum of psychologists to take on the crucial problem of sustainability, this article discusses 4 psychological approaches (neoanalytic, behavioral, social, and cognitive) and outlines some of their insights into environmentally relevant behavior. These models are useful for illuminating ways to increase environmentally responsible behaviors of clients, communities, and professional associations. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Envisioning and accessing new roles for professional psychology.

To support psychology's continued evolution as a profession, it is important to conceptualize roles that psychologists can play in the future and create pathways for developing and accessing them. This article considers a variety of roles that may become central to professional psychology in the future. Important opportunities appear to exist in the areas of psychological management of health and disease, serious mental illness, and public policy. Psychology faces both internal and external barriers to accessing these roles in larger numbers. Strategies related to public education, policy and advocacy, marketing, and training are recommended for overcoming them. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Preliminary report of the 1970 National Register.

Examined the salary information in the National Register. The American Psychological Association (APA) compared a 10% sample of the employed respondents to the 1970 Register with population information from the Register. Sample median salaries were also compared with salaries from the 1968 Register. Salaries of psychologists have generally kept pace with inflation. However, many psychologists expected to supplement their salaries with other sources of professional income. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)