Roles, functions, and training in clinical psychology: A survey of academic clinicians.

Describes a questionnaire sent to 239 academic clinical psychologists in American Psychological Association (APA)-approved clinical training programs to obtain their attitudes towards a number of critical issues in clinical psychology. 75% returned the questionnaire. A PhD degree in psychology, with equal emphasis on scientific and applied training, was endorsed by most respondents, as was the training of MA and MS clinicians. Other doctoral programs for training clinicians, including PsyD degrees, did not receive strong endorsement. Activity areas of clinical psychologist were rated from 6 reference points ranging from adequacy of present training to training emphasis expected in 7 yr. Results indicate that: (a) therapy and research were rated high by most respondents; (b) many respondents believed that consulting and teaching should be emphasized more and that their clinical training programs did not adequately train in these areas; (c) the emphasis on diagnosis was expected to decline in training and future usefulness; (d) in addition to research, respondents believed that APA should support other interest areas; and (e) clinical psychology should be more attuned to social problems. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

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)     

Learning styles as predictors of self-efficacy and interest in research: Implications for graduate research training.

The literature on research training in professional psychology has yet to address the role of student learning styles on training outcomes. A mail survey of graduate students (N = 132) in professional areas of psychology from 11 universities assessed four dimensions of learning styles, research interest, and research self-efficacy. Students with more active (vs. reflective) and more intuitive (vs. sensing) learning styles reported greater research self-efficacy, and students with more intuitive (vs. sensing) and more verbal (vs. visual) learning styles reported greater research interest. The authors discuss implications for improving graduate research training by encouraging student self-assessment and by providing instruction using balanced pedagogies. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Awards for Distinguished Contributions to Psychology in the Public Interest: 1986.

The awards for Distinguished Contributions to Psychology in the Public Interest recognize persons who, in the opinion of the Committee on 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. These contributions might include the identification or solution of significant social problems; unusual initiative or dedication to activity in the public interest; or the integration of the science and/or profession of psychology with social action in a manner beneficial to all. The Committee is authorized to present two awards per year, each with a prize of $2,000. The second award, for which recipients may not have held a Ph.D. for more than 15 years, was established to recognize the large number of excellent psychologists who have made significant contributions to the public interest during the early stages of their careers. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Charlatanism, scientism, and psychology's social contract. 103rd Annual Convention of the American Psychological Association: Presidential address (1995, New York, New York).

Three problems are identified that the author believes must be addressed in order for psychology to achieve its full potential as a science and profession: the pretension of some practitioners to more knowledge and skill than they possess (charlatanism), the use of scientism (i.e., the misapplication of restrictive definitions of science) to make unwarranted attacks on the profession, and a general failure of the discipline to use fully its resources to meet its implied contract with society. These problems erode public confidence in both the profession and science of psychology. If not corrected, they may well lead to a public perception that psychology has little to contribute to the problems of greatest concern to today's society. General suggestions for addressing each of the problem areas are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Social support as a focus for integrative research in psychology.

Examines contemporary interest in the nature and health-protective effects of social support in light of the historical evolution of community psychology. Fostering of social support systems offers an avenue toward primary prevention, and the social network as a unit of social structure lends greater meaning and psychological import to the term community. Priorities for research on the topic of social support are discussed, with particular attention given to potential contributions from other branches of psychology, including the personality, social, developmental, and cognitive areas. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Psychological problems relevant to business and industry.

Psychologists' interest in problems related to industry has grown phenomenally over the past 10 years. Within the area of industrial psychology 3 subfields are distinguished: personnel psychology, developing out of the tradition of individual differences; human engineering, developing out of applied experimental psychology; industrial social psychology, developing from social-psychological theory. Each of these subareas are examined in the light of their conceptual history and the research problems they have raised. 98 refs. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Automation, human engineering, and psychology.

"The age of automation presents a challenge for the industrial psychologist. At the same time it clearly presents problems of interest to other areas of psychology besides industrial—social, counseling, and experimental among them." "Broadly defined, human engineering is a phase of engineering which applies knowledge of human factors to design of machines—or of products." "The age of automation confronts not only the industrial psychologist but the entire profession with changes in research and training." "Let the engineer learn more about man—and the psychologist more about the machine. Together with other human factor experts, they will help industry to supply all of us products of greater efficiency, comfort and safety." (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The prophetic vision of Giambattista Vico: Implications for the state of social psychological theory.

Discusses 3 heuristic themes that emerge in Vico's writings and their implications for social psychology: (a) that human nature and society are in perpetual flux; (b) that there are recursive trends in social behavior influenced by human events; and (c) that it is possible, by transhistorical analysis, to identify these cyclical patterns, as well as their systematic influence upon trends in theories of human nature and society. The question is raised whether some motive explanations and psychological norms or processes that are presumed to be space–time universals may, analogous to Newtonian physics, turn out to be "closed theories," which in the case of social psychology are dependent upon what Vico conceived of as the course and recourse of events. A discussion of current research examples is presented that illustrates the applicability of these themes pursuant to a genetic social psychology, which emphasizes the origins (genesis) and development of social behavior. (42 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Research training in counseling psychology: Some preliminary data.

Surveyed 35 current students (aged 21–40 yrs) and 34 PhD graduates (aged 28–52 yrs) from a graduate program in counseling psychology to assess (a) whether attitudes toward research changed during and after graduate school and (b) what activities/factors within graduate training affect research skill and interest. Using a combination of current and retrospective reports, it was found that although Ss at all levels perceived their training program's expectations for research as greater than students' own wants, students' interest in research (doing and valuing) increased as they progressed through training and afterwards. Three factors within graduate training that facilitate interest and skill in research are hypothesized: (1) social/interpersonal interaction; (2) training in applied, practical, and less traditional approaches to research; and (3) early, active involvement in research. (11 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Psychology and the juvenile justice system.

In recent years psychology has applied its accumulated knowledge to broad problems affecting all levels of society. Some of the contributions of American psychology to the well-being of children under the jurisdiction of the juvenile justice system are described. Important areas for further research, theory building, and program development are highlighted. It is suggested that psychology's greatest potential for contributions to the juvenile justice system and to the welfare and well-being of children and youth is through the continued use of psychological theories, research and evaluation data, and techniques of service delivery based on psychological principles in the development of public policies. (25 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Specialty Guidelines for the Delivery of Services by Counseling Psychologists.

The present Specialty Guidelines are based on the generic Standards for Providers of Psychological Services originally adopted by the American Psychological Association (APA) in September 1974 and revised in January 1977 (APA, 1974b, 1977b). Together with the generic Standards, these Specialty Guidelines state the official policy of the Association regarding delivery of services by counseling psychologists. Specialty guidelines serve the additional purpose of providing potential users and other interested groups with essential information about particular services available from the several specialties in professional psychology. The present Guidelines are intended to educate the public, the profession, and other interested parties regarding specialty professional practices. They are also intended to facilitate the continued systematic development of the profession. These Guidelines have been established by the APA as a means of self-regulation to protect the public interest. They guide the specialty practice of counseling psychology by specifying important areas of quality assurance and performance that contribute to the goal of facilitating more effective human functioning. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Specialty Guidelines for the Delivery of Services by Clinical Psychologists.

The present Specialty Guidelines are based on the generic Standards for Providers of Psychological Services originally adopted by the American Psychological Association (APA) in September 1974 and revised in January 1977 (APA, 1974b, 1977b). Together with the generic Standards, these Specialty Guidelines state the official policy of the Association regarding delivery of services by clinical psychologists. Specialty guidelines serve the additional purpose of providing potential users and other interested groups with essential information about particular services available from the several specialties in professional psychology. The present Guidelines are intended to educate the public, the profession, and other interested parties regarding specialty professional practices. They are also intended to facilitate the continued systematic development of the profession. These Guidelines have been established by the APA as a means of self-regulation to protect the public interest. They guide the specialty practice of clinical psychology by specifying important areas of quality assurance and performance that contribute to the goal of facilitating more effective human functioning. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Obligation of Psychologists.

Contends that while Brayfield's paper (American Psychologist, 1967, 22, 182-186) was a most commendable effort, its emphasis was solely on the role of organized psychology in public affairs. The present author feels that beyond the role of organized psychology, psychologist members of society have a further obligation: to contribute to social, national, and world affairs by helping to resolve critical and major problems. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Guidelines on multicultural education, training, research, practice, and organizational change for Psychologists.

Presents the Guidelines on Multicultural Education, Training, Research, Practice, and Organizational Change for Psychologists. These guidelines reflect the continuing evolution of the study of psychology, changes in society at large, and emerging data about the different needs of particular individuals and groups historically marginalized or disenfranchised within and by psychology based on their ethnic/racial heritage and social group identity or membership. These guidelines reflect knowledge and skills needed for the profession in the midst of dramatic historic sociopolitical changes in US society, as well as needs of new constituencies, markets, and clients. The specific goals of these guidelines are to provide psychologists with (a) the rationale and needs for addressing multiculturalism and diversity in education, training, research, practice, and organizational change; (b) basic information, relevant terminology, current empirical research from psychology and related disciplines, and other data that support the proposed guidelines and underscore their importance; (c) references to enhance ongoing education, training, research, practice, and organizational change methodologies; and (d) paradigms that broaden the purview of psychology as a profession. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Specialty Guidelines for the Delivery of Services by School Psychologists.

The present Specialty Guidelines are based on the generic Standards for Providers of Psychological Services originally adopted by the American Psychological Association (APA) in September 1974 and revised in January 1977 (APA, 1974b, 1977b). Together with the generic Standards, these Specialty Guidelines state the official policy of the Association regarding delivery of services by school psychologists. Specialty guidelines serve the additional purpose of providing potential users and other interested groups with essential information about particular services available from the several specialties in professional psychology. The present Guidelines are intended to educate the public, the profession, and other interested parties regarding specialty professional practices. They are also intended to facilitate the continued systematic development of the profession. These Guidelines have been established by the APA as a means of self-regulation to protect the public interest. They guide the specialty practice of school psychology by specifying important areas of quality assurance and performance that contribute to the goal of facilitating more effective human functioning. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of Readings in social psychology: Classic and Canadian contributions.

Reviews the book, Readings in social psychology: Classic and Canadian contributions edited by Brian Earn and Shelagh Towson (1986). Earn and Towson argue that students should know that social psychology is an active discipline with significant contributions from their own nation, that there are areas of research of particular relevance to the Canadian context, and that they should be able to gain from incidental learning about their own society. The format of the book is rather conventional. Readings are grouped into content areas: social motives (aggression and altruism), social influence, attitudes, social interactions (attraction and loneliness), attribution and cognition, ethnic relations, prejudice, and applications (TV influence, social support, law). It includes contributions by many of the most prominent social psychologists in Canada, and several "classic" papers by U.S. social psychologists. As one who has long regretted the fact that we are compelled to teach social psychology with only foreign materials, the reviewer welcomes the publication of this book. The reviewer hopes that in the second edition the editors take more seriously the purpose of a book of readings, and set out to communicate to undergraduate students what social psychological research is all about. The reviewer also hopes that the publisher is able to produce a volume that looks more professional and is easier to read. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 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)     

Environmental psychology and the real world.

Describes factors that led the author to move his field of interest from laboratory social psychology to the emerging field of environmental psychology. Environmental psychology is defined as the attempt to establish empirical and theoretical relationships between the behavior and experience of the person and the built environment. The writer points up his dissatisfaction with the laboratory approach and the need to find a new methodology focused on complex environmental problems. Five methodological requirements for research in environmental psychology are described: the absolute integrity of person-physical-setting events; the distinction between behavior system reactions and psychological system reactions; a content orientation to problems; the time orientation of environmental psychology; and a context orientation in the analysis of problems. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)