The behavioral sciences and the federal government: Summary and recommendations.

Reprinted from the Behavioral Sciences and the Federal Government, 1968, No. 1680. Examines how the knowledge and methods of the behavioral sciences can be effectively applied to the programs and policies of the federal government, stressing the need to consider the way behavioral science research is related to planning and management, and to consider the methods used for testing research for quality and relevance. The conditions which are considered to be necessary for the effective use of the knowledge and methods of behavioral sciences are suggested in regard to domestic and foreign affairs, international cooperation in research, science policies, and future-oriented research and public policies. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Behavioral sciences and the federal government.

Examines the changing roles of the behavioral sciences and government leading to their increasing interdependence. Recommendations are presented regarding (a) more effective use of scientific knowledge; (b) "research, education, and training relating to international affairs"; (c) increased representation of scientists in policy-making; and (d) the effect of scientific research on public policy. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Mental health and aging: The need for an expanded federal response.

Discusses the mental health problems that may occur as elderly people must face adjustments because of bereavement, poor physical health, the demands of caring for an ill spouse, drug/alcohol abuse, dementia and cognitive impairments, and multiple health problems. Negative social stereotypes associated with both elderly patients and mental health care, limited access to and a lack of trained professionals in the area of geriatric mental health care, lack of outreach, inadequate benefits under prepaid health plans, Medicare and Medicaid, and special problems of ethnic minority and rural elderly people all contribute to an inadequate mental health care system. The author, a US representative, suggests a redesigning of the system and outlines an initiative that addresses the development of an effective mental health care system for the elderly, modification of Medicare and Medicaid, and improvements in quality assurance and access protection. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The federal role in disease prevention and health promotion.

Comments on articles by J. A. Heffernan and G. W. Albee, J. M. McGinnis, W. S. Cohen, and C. Lenfant and M. Schweizer (see PA, Vol 73:1705, 2593 and 1698, respectively) that summarize representative federal efforts to stimulate academia, the private sector, and the community to become more responsive to problems and opportunities in disease prevention and health promotion. The critical elements are in place for a concerted effort to develop and implement disease prevention/health promotion efforts on a nationwide basis, and the implications of successful outcomes of such activities suggests as ever-increasing demand for health behavior scientists and clinicians. (9 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The federal health scientist-administrator: An opportunity for role integration.

The federal health scientist-administrator is centrally involved in the national health program and serves in the interface between science and public policy. In this middleman role there is a role conflict which derives from the dichotomy between his values as a scientist and as an administrator. He is viewed as an expert in the process of federal grantsmanship as well as in the research area for which he has responsibility. It is suggested that he must be willing to accept this role conflict as an attribute of science administration today and work toward a process of integrating the 2 roles. Psychologists and other behavioral scientists should participate in such an effort at integration. (15 ref.) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Economic productivity and the behavioral sciences: An introduction.

Proposes that a nation whose rates of productivity decline in relation to those of other nations will become less competitive internationally, and maintains that this has happened to the US economy since the days of the Kennedy administration. Articles that support this proposition are discussed, including those by D. Quayle (see record 1984-01644-001), and E. A. Alluisi and D. K. Meigs (see record 1984-02630-001). (10 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The behavioral sciences and survival.

"World peace is the world's Number 1 priority. Reduction of tension is an indispensable precondition to an enduring peace." Many challenges in human relations exist including deep racial tension, problems of elderly retired citizens, frequent crimes of violence, labor-management bitterness, job displacement anxiety, and high rate of high school dropouts; answers are required to such great social problems. A nuclear sword hangs over mankind. "The behavioral sciences can help us resolve the awesome dilemmas we face." Our destiny must not be mutual annihilation. "There can be no more important mission for the behavioral sciences than contributions to human survival." (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Survey of the behavioral and social sciences: Psychology.

Attempted to provide a basis for estimating the support for psychological education and science during the next 10 yrs. Results suggest that there are equal numbers of psychologists in 3 areas: those who work with individuals, those who work with institutions, and those concerned with social development and social psychology. The field of psychology continues to attract graduate students. There are 2 approaches to psychology: one is to solve the problems of social issues, and the other is to perform laboratory research on behavioral problems. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Complex adaptive systems in the behavioral and social sciences.

This article examines applications of complexity theory within the behavioral and social sciences. Specific attention is given to the fundamental characteristics of complex adaptive systems (CAS)—such as individuals, groups, and societies—including the underlying structure of CAS, the internal dynamics of evolving CAS, and how CAS respond to their environment. Examples drawn from psychology, sociology, economics, and political science include attitude formation, majority-minority relations, social networks, family systems, psychotherapy, norm formation, organizational development, coalition formation, economic instabilities, urban development, the electoral process, political transitions, international relations, social movements, drug policy, and criminal behavior. The discussion also addresses the obstacles to implementing the CAS perspective in the behavioral and social sciences and implications for research methodology. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Mental health services and the emerging role of psychology in Greece.

Notes that, of the few mental health services available in Greece, those resources that do exist are centralized in large cities and few psychologists are involved. The majority of persons requesting help receive pharmaceutical treatments; psychotherapy and counseling are rare. The present authors discuss how recently psychology is rapidly emerging as a science/profession in Greece. Licensure now is required of most academic psychologists, who are expected to practice as well as teach and do research. Although all Greek psychologists must be trained abroad, this multicultural education provides opportunity for broader theoretical perspectives; however, this same multicultural orientation may also pose difficulties in establishing standards for practice. Current increasing demand for psychological services may result in needed support for training programs within Greece. (31 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Mental health promotion in children and adolescents: An emerging role for psychology.

Reports that the results of child development research are beginning to make substantial contributions to child and adolescent health and health care. Health promotion is discussed in the context of mental health promotion. Research in developmental psychopathology suggests that particular skills, feelings, and attitudes characterize mentally healthy children. Social competence, cognitive problem-solving skills, coping with emotional stress, and perceiving oneself to have good social support from others appear to be important correlates of positive adjustment in childhood and adolescence. It is suggested that these characteristics deserve consideration in the development of children's mental health promotion initiatives. (French abstract) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The potential of acupuncture for the behavioral sciences.

Discusses the origins of acupuncture in China, the techniques involved, mechanisms of action, and applications to the behavioral sciences. Dangers of acupuncture treatment and the medical-legal status of the techniques are also considered. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Toward a general theory for the behavioral sciences.

Since 1949 specialists in various social and biological sciences including "… history, anthropology, economics, political science, sociology, social psychology, psychology, psychiatry, medicine, physiology, and mathematical biology" have met in the attempt to develop a theory "… embracing all aspects of behavior." A number of terms useful in the consideration of theory including "system," "boundary," "subsystems," and "coding" are discussed. Formal models of behavior and homologies with electronic systems are considered. The paper is concerned with specifying and elaborating 19 propositions "… each empirically testable at the levels of cell, organ, individual, small group, and society… ." (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Mental and physical health of spouse caregivers: The role of personality.

Although personal resources of caregivers, such as coping skills and social support, have been shown to be important in understanding caregiver stress and health outcomes, personality traits have not previously been considered. The purpose of this study was to examine the association between the personality traits of neuroticism and dispositional optimism and mental and physical health outcomes. It was predicted that personality would have direct effects, and indirect effects through perceived stress, on health outcomes. Participants were spouse caregivers of patients diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease (AD). Results show that neuroticism and optimism were significantly related to mental and physical health. Furthermore, neuroticism had significant direct effects on all of the health outcomes, and substantial indirect effects, through perceived stress, on mental health outcomes. Optimism showed stronger indirect than direct effects on all health outcomes. These findings demonstrate the importance of including personality of the caregiver in theoretical and empirical models of the caregiving process. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The federal role in injury control.

Early federal injury control programs in the 1960s and 1970s were centered first in the Division of Accident Prevention (Public Health Service) and subsequently in the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (Department of Transportation) and the Consumer Product Safety Commission. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) in the early 1970s also began to investigate injuries, particularly in the home and recreational environment. The field expanded in the 1970s and 1980s to include injuries that occur in many settings and both intentional injuries (violence) and unintentional injuries. After a 1985 report, Injury in America, CDC was chosen to be the national coordinating agency because of its mission of prevention. The current program also includes acute care, rehabilitation, and biomechanics. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The behavioral sciences in medical education: A view from psychology.

Argues that a number of unsolved issues confront the behavioral sciences in medical education and that the most pressing problem is the type of core basic science curriculum that should be provided. The behavioral sciences often seem to fail in their teaching mission because they do not provide that information which can be "converted" into specific clinical skills. Recent studies of behavioral science programs at 9 major medical schools underscore the fact that there is no unanimity of opinion about the material that should be taught to all medical students. Although diversity is valuable because it promotes experimentation with curricula, the behavioral sciences, particularly psychology, should develop a model of the doctor's job which contains the basic information required for primary patient care. Some examples of clinically applicable behavioral science content that could be included in all curricula are suggested. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

A congressional office of science and technology: Role of the behavioral sciences.

"I want to speak primarily to the limited and specific aspect which is included in Section 6 of H.R. 6866… . This section contains statuatory enactments limiting the scientific disciplines available for science advisory staff appointments. It is limited to biology, physics, and chemistry." Psychologists are associated with the Smithsonian Institution, the National Academy of Sciences, the National Science Foundation, the National Institutes of Health, the National Bureau of Standards, the Department of Defense, and the Human Resources Research Office. "The behavioral sciences give a broadened perspective on science and public policy that is not otherwise available. We sometimes base legislation… on incorrect assumptions regarding the human and the social factors." (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)