Comments on The Brain Watchers.

Comments on The Brain Watchers by M. L. Gross (see record 1964-04809-000), which presents a documented account of application of psychological tests, mostly personality, in industry and education at all levels. The present author argues that Gross presents his case with obvious hostility, and that exaggerations, sweeping generalities, and half-truths are found throughout the book and may tempt many serious psychologists (as human beings) to reject him outright. It is suggested that a realistic defense by the psychology profession should include at least two major elements at the beginning. First of all, it is argued that Gross has not revealed anything about test validity which is not common knowledge to any professionally trained psychologist. Second, it should be clearly emphasized that much of the writer's comments pertain to a certain segment of the psychological profession, and that many of his observations have been made on self-appointed testers with no professional status or recognition of any sort. Further, it should be added that we in the profession are much concerned about the unethical and haphazard uses of tests and the unsubstantiated claims of pseudopsychologists, and that we have ethics committees in the American Psychological Association and in most states which are endeavoring to protect the public through certification procedures and public education. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of The voice of neurosis.

In this volume, the author focuses on attributes of voice, not on verbal communication or speech in the usual sense. Resonance, melody, register illustrate the elements emphasized. Not sharply organized or sufficiently substantiated to serve as a firm introduction to the method or as a convincing summary of research, the book nevertheless opens up intriguing potentialities. The major thesis presents voice as an expressive technique. Just as a graphologist uses handwriting, so Moses uses voice in all its varied aspects to understand personality. He compares a blind analysis with a Rorschach, and integrates other analyses with case material. His ideas about sound approaches to interpretation hold interest for those who use projective or expressive methods. The aspects of voice he emphasizes and his guidelines in analysis suggest that he may have hit on one of the potentially most fruitful areas of expressive behavior-with elements subtly modified throughout important stages of life history and remaining identiiably fixed in adult vocal behavior. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of The integration of behavior.

Reviews the book, The integration of behavior by Thomas M. French (1952). In this fundamental contribution to Ego psychology French undertakes to elucidate the workings of integrative mechanisms, using as illustrative material the record of the analysis of an asthmatic patient. The first volume--Basic Postulates (see record 1952-05902-000) presnts, in a first approximation, the conceptual framework evolved by French, exemplifying the "basic postulates" by instances taken from everyday normal behavior and from some of the patient's dreams. In the second volume--The Integrative Process in Dreams (see record 1954-05671-000) the author brings detailed analyses of several sequences of the patient's dreams, elaborating the integrative processes and the system of personal patterns reflected in these dreams. French's undertaking can be considered as one of the most valuable among the current attempts to evolve a systematic "ego psychology," centering it on the successfully integrated behavior, on constructive, rather than defensive, functions of the psychic organization. Through a judicious selection of concepts and theories that have both a high explanatory power and a close fit to facts, he tries to "bring into resonance" not only the rational and irrational behavior, but also many other dichotomous areas and approaches of the personality study. Personality psychologists will certainly welcome this attempt at overcoming the segregation of various approaches to the study of human behavior, even if one may disagree with the specific selections French makes, and regret the fact that the inclusion of so many theories and speculations tends to obliterate the main outlines of the work. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of Behavior and personality: Psychological behaviorism.

Reviews the book, Behavior and personality: Psychological behaviorism by Arthur W. Staats (1996). Staats' latest book provides a brief introduction to his philosophy of science known as unified positivism and a comprehensive review of his specific theory known as psychological behaviorism (PB). Readers unfamiliar with Staats' work can, through this book, become acquainted with his earnest, if not somewhat totalitarian, strategy for uniting psychology under a single theoretical framework. Although Staats' earlier publications provide a more clear and accessible exposition of his project than the current work, this book nonetheless constitutes an important contribution to the literature of fragmentation. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of The organization of behavior: A neuropsychological theory.

Reviews the book, The organization of behavior: A neuropsychological theory by Donald O. Hebb (2002). Although scientists and philosophers had long speculated about the involvement of biological factors in psychological phenomena, it was not until the 20th century and the publication of The organization of behavior in 1949 that Physiological Psychology emerged as an active field of scientific research. The book also served as a launching pad for revolutionary developments in a wide range of other fields. What can be said to have emerged from the publication of this volume in 1949? Hebb had produced the first comprehensive theory about how brain activity might produce various complex psychological phenomena. The field of biopsychology did emerge and the widely held view that psychological functioning was too complex to have its roots in chemistry and physiology of the brain was discredited. His theorizing did stimulate transdisciplinary research. A significant number of biological scientists began to ask questions about the brain that were relevant to the understanding of psychological processes such as learning and memory. It also resulted in a change in the philosophic outlook of behavioural scientists. Models of thinking began to be built out of neurocircuits as scholars adopted a monistic position about mind and brain. Undergraduates and graduate students should be very grateful to Richard Brown and Peter Milner for their efforts in re-publishing this seminal book. The arguments outlined in the book remain just as compelling and transparent as they were 40 years ago. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of The addiction-prone personality.

Reviews the book, The addiction-prone personality by Gordon E. Barnes, Robert P. Murray, David Patton, Peter M. Bentler, and Robert E. Anderson (see record 2000-08683-000). In the first section of this text, Barnes et al. embark on a review, almost exclusively of the alcohol-personality literature using l979 as the point of departure. This date marked the publication of a previous review by Barnes, in which the traits of stimulus augmenting-reducing, ego strength, neuroticism, and field dependence were featured. The literature to that date, viewed sympathetically, was replete with untestable theoretical ideas, methodologically limited investigations, and suspect and contradictory conclusions. These facts, recognized by Barnes, nonetheless resulted in a conclusion emphasizing these four traits and the initiation of a 20-year journey chronicalled in this text. Thus, the present review, in part, represents an effort to evaluate this 1979 conclusion in light of more recent findings. As one might suspect, this attempt though laudable is only partially successful. Although embarking on a treacherous time-consuming voyage with prospects of disaster and time wasted, Barnes et al. have produced a composite, cogent, and consistent picture of the role of personality in alcohol problems, which is both highly informative and challenging. Barnes, Murray, Patton, Bentler, and Anderson have not only survived the passage, justifying years of concentrated effort, but also have provided interested researchers and therapists with a relatively consistent picture to guide inquiry and practice. In particular, the challenge is raised to the treatment community to begin to account for these predictors in their efforts, and to develop appropriate treatment and prevention strategies. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of The Cambridge handbook of personality psychology.

Reviews the book, The Cambridge handbook of personality psychology edited by Philip J. Corr and Gerald Matthews (see record 2010-05179-000). A comprehensive review of personality psychology, this book covers a range of topics, including those that are standard in personality texts (conceptualisation, biological and cultural perspectives) as well as more unique additions (social pain and hurt feelings, animal models, and politics). Although the introductions are lengthy (approximately 33 pages), these chapters do provide a useful guide to the book and key issues addressed in remaining chapters. The chapters are generally written in a manner appropriate for graduate students, professionals, or academics. Given the broad scope and careful attention to the defining of key constructs and methods, this book will appeal to an audience with varying familiarity with personality psychology. Overall, I would highly recommend this book as a comprehensive source on the broad field of personality psychology. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of The Doomsday Book.

Reviews the book, The Doomsday Book by Gordon R. Taylor (1970). The subject of the book is ecology, people pollution, oxygen depletion, melting the ice cap, metals in the human system, the dangers of asbestos, and other noisy topics. The arguments are well documented and point to his ultimate concern which is not pollution as such but the rape of the biosphere and the radical change in the conditions of man which will follow. The reviewer is not optimistic about solving the problems of human behaviour posed by Taylor or that these problems will have impact on behavioural scientists. (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 The body and psychology.

Reviews the book, The body and psychology by Henderikus J. Stam (see record 1998-06784-000). Considering this collection as a whole, it is striking how many of the authors, some of whom have been proponents of social constructionist thinking, feel social constructionism is unable to articulate an adequate theory of the psychological body. This refreshingly critical edge will no doubt lead to more sophisticated debates on the psychological body. Overall, this book is probably best read by graduate students and scholars who have some familiarity with social constructionist theory (e.g., Harré), as well as poststructuralism (e.g., Derrida, Lacan) and social theory (e.g., Bourdieu). Moreover, since the authors rely on other disciplinary discourses, this will be an excellent text for graduate courses on the body in cultural studies and sociology. Teaching this book would be interesting as it contains some analytical contrasts; for example, one could turn Malone and Bayer on Baerveldt and Voestermans, Parlee on Kempen, or the thematic analysis of Frank on the book itself. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of The Psychological Foundations of Culture.

In this article, I review the book by Crandall and Schaller (see record 2003-88101-000), which seeks to reveal how culture is influenced by processes operating at the individual level (e.g., cognitions, goals, information processing strategies) as well as at the interpersonal level (e.g., communication, social influence). The book draws together authors from a number of cognate disciplines to address the issue of behaviour-culture relationships, with an emphasis on how the former might allow us to better understand the origin, development, and distribution of the latter. While the book does deal with the "flip side" of culture-behaviour relationships, it is not unique in doing so; in my view, the field already has a better sense of balance than this book claims. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of The Psychological Assessment of Children.

Reviews the book, The Psychological Assessment of Children by James O. Palmer (see record 1970-20599-000). The Palmer text begins with a nod to the science-practitioner model. It is ego-oriented and depends heavily of the case history approach viewed within developmental constructs. Psychiatric taxonomy is largely avoided. The organisation of material covers 5 parts; I Hypotheses of Assessment, II Methods of Data Collection, III Procedure in Assessment, IV Analyses of the Assessment, and and V Assessment and Recommendations. The final chapters comprise a linking of assessment for psychotherapy and other kinds of intervention. Test manual kinds of materials, test norms, and scoring procedures are not covered. Nor are specific tests reviewed, the assumption being that the student will be receiving technical training concurrently. Palmer's purpose seems to be the provision of holistic kinds of conceptual frameworks within which the technician can function instead as a professional. Worth examining for class adaption. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of The psychology of sport: the behavior, motivation, personality and performance of athletes, 2nd edition.

Reviews the book, The psychology of sport: the behavior, motivation, personality and performance of athletes, 2nd edition by Dorcas Susan Butt (1987). The book discusses: a motivational model; the nature of the athlete and his/her adaptation; athletes' personality; assisting the athlete; practices and issues in consultation; and social values and sport. In summary, theory and research on sport psychology is well integrated in this book. This is accompanied by an abundance of anecdotal data and case studies that make enjoyable reading. This book is an invaluable addition to a sport consultant's collection and would be well received by students if adopted as a course text in sport psychology. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of The parent-child connection.

[Correction Notice: An erratum for this article was reported in Vol 31(2) of Canadian Psychology Psychologie Canadienne (see record 2007-08913-001). In the October 1989 issue (Vol. 30, No. 4, p. 697), Arnold Rincover's affiliation with the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education was incorrectly given as Associate Professor. He has been an Extramural Instructor at O.I.S.E.] Reviews the book, The parent-child connection by Arnold Rincover (1988). The parent-child connection is a well written book that offers valuable advice to help parents of young children evaluate and understand their children's behaviour. It also offers useful suggestions on managing child behaviour, although these parenting tips are most likely to be useful to those parents who least need them (i.e., those with numerous personal and social resources, whose children are presenting only minor behavioural difficulties). The two general themes of the book, child behaviour as communication and developmental norms as guidelines for deciding if behaviour is problematic, are well-suited to the purposes of a parent reference book. They offer an appropriate framework for discussing specific child behaviours and helping parents to determine if these behaviours are problematic in their children. This book is a welcome addition to the list of available parenting books, and may prove particularly useful for younger parents in need of accurate and understandable information about normal child development and behaviour. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of The study of personality: A book of readings.

Reviews the book, The Study of Personality (see record 1955-03665-000). The book is a collection of readings, consisting mainly of papers that have previously appeared in journals. The three sections of the book deal, respectively, with theory, methods, and problems. The editor's emphasis, though, is mainly methodological, and even the section dealing with theory stresses principles of theory construction rather than attempts to formulate a single logically consistent theory of personality. The reviewer feels that this collection of readings should fill the need for supplementary reading in a graduate level course dealing with nomothetic approaches to the investigation of personality, or as a supplement to a course in the theory of personality when either the instructor or a good textbook contributes a single consistent theoretical point of view. Psychologists and other social scientists will find it useful as a review of significant and more or less familiar material that should not be allowed to become lost in seldom consulted back issues of the journals. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of The Persistent Problems of Psychology.

Reviews the book, The Persistent Problems of Psychology by Robert B. MacLeod (see record 1976-25095-000). This book demonstrates the relevance of historical inquiry to the contemporary study of psychological issues. The exposition is direct enough to make this book an excellent introduction for those who are new to the history of psychology. The depth of MacLeod's scholarship makes this relevant and interesting reading for people already acquainted with the subject. The book is organized so as to elaborate on persistent substantive and methodological themes as they have emerged in successive historical periods. The persistent problems of psychology provides a sensitive and scholarly introduction to the history of psychology. More important, it gives an intellectual framework within which to think about historical and systematic psychological issues. Above all, MacLeod believed in dialogue and debate. This book is his invitation to reconsider and re-examine current fashionable conceptions of psychology against the views and perspectives of the past. This is most practical advice. The persistent problems of psychology transcend any particular manifestation. In the study of these past forms, we glimpse something of psychology's inevitable intellectual future. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of The Behavior of Animals: Mechanisms, Function and Evolution.

Reviews the book, The Behavior of Animals: Mechanisms, Function and Evolution by Johan J. Bolhuis and Luc-Alain Giraldeau (see record 2005-00777-000). Given the vastness of the phenomena now to be covered, a compelling theoretical framework is absolutely essential if a comprehensive understanding of animal behaviour is to emerge. Fortunately, Tinbergen himself provided just such a framework for organizing research on animal behaviour, and Bolhuis and Giraldeau wisely follow it in their organization of the material in this text. Thus, a short preface rehearsing the history of animal behaviour research by Robert Hinde (one of Tinbergen's students who himself became one of the foremost contemporary ethologists) is followed by 16 chapters by 23 authors. The chapters are organized into three major sections, two of which flow directly from Tinbergen's four "whys" of behaviour. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of The American Psychiatric Publishing Textbook of Personality Disorders.

Reviews the book, The American Psychiatric Publishing Textbook of Personality Disorders edited by John M. Oldham, Andrew E. Skodol, and Donna S. Bender (see record 2005-05013-000). Definitive, encyclopedic, and somewhat daunting, The American Psychiatric Publishing Textbook of Personality Disorders is a monument to the progress of contemporary psychiatry and related disciplines in understanding and treating the Axis II disorders--as well as to its limitations. One may properly ask, how well does this volume succeed in providing guidance for professionals who work with individuals diagnosed with personality disorders? To a large degree, I believe it succeeds. With all its exciting insights into the impact of trauma, the interaction between genes, serotonin and impulsive behavior, and so forth, and with its occasional frustrations, the Textbook of Personality Disorders provides an accurate, in-depth depiction of a true frontier of psychiatry. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)