Yesterday and tomorrow: Development of early understanding of the terms.

Data from 90 2-, 3-, and 4-yr-old children indicate that there is a differential pattern of comprehension of the terms "yesterday" and "tomorrow" among the 3 age groups. Findings also suggest that the Ss learned the terms in an asymmetrical manner, with "yesterday" being understood as having 2 referential aspects (i.e., a time other than this day and past time) and "tomorrow" being understood only in terms of future reference. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

How are we doing in soft psychology?

Comments on research in "soft psychology" involving more ephemeral and unreplicable areas of study, focusing on the question of how large an effect must be to be considered important. The binomial effect size display (R. Rosenthal and D. B. Rubin; see record 1982-22591-001) is viewed as a useful way to display the practical magnitude of an effect size, regardless of whether the dependent variable is dichotomous or continuous. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Further comment on the risky shift.

In commenting on D. Cartwright's (see record 1973-31210-001) article on "risky shift" research, the author suggests that the term "risky shift" is somewhat misleading and proposes the alternative "shift to increased risk" to reflect that it is the abstract process of reaching group consensus, which is not conceived in terms of risk or caution, that is most interesting. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

In defense of "bootstrapping."

Responds to A. G. Weinstein's (1972) comments on R. M. Dawes's (see record 1971-25701-001) findings supporting "bootstrapping" in Dawes's study of graduate admissions. Bootstrapping can be used when actuarial analysis is impossible (e.g., criterion information is lacking or unavailable until after decisions are made). It is not implied that linear composites based on paramorphic representations are superior to those based on actuarial analysis. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Ominous problem.

Discusses a problem in the educational system in terms of W. R. Looft's (see record 1972-02727-001) concept of the "psychology of more." "More" has been accepted as the criterion of quality in education (i.e., more students and more information). It has been forgotten that information without understanding is as useless as analysis and evaluation without information. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Dunnette's games.

Comments on M. D. Dunnette's (see record 1966-10566-001) article on some unspoken but common attitudes among psychologists and suggests 3 categories of "games" or procedures to which many psychologists subscribe. These are (1) "How to Get into Journals" (i.e., how to get one's article published); (2) "No Controls," in which a psychologist conducts a disastrous research project; and (3) "Dear God," which involves falsification of research data. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Still more about the comprehension of "less."

32 3-4 yr old children were asked to indicate "Which one has less?" in 4 different contexts. Results indicate that performance was the same in all contexts indicating that "more" is acquired before "less" and that those children who do not know "less" treat it as a synonym of "more." Differing results of previous studies cannot be attributed to the type of materials to which the comparative judgments are applied. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

On Mariner's "lay analyst."

Comments on A. S. Mariner's (see record 1967-08073-001) article about professional education in the mental health field and argues against Mariner's use of the term "lay analyst" to refer to nonmedical analysts. Mariner also underestimated the numerical strength and the vigor of such analysts. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Origin and evolution of the term "psychology."

Presents a historical review of the term "psychology." It is noted that while the word contains Greek elements, it does not have origins in Greek antiquity. This study suggests that the word originated in the 16th century "to refer to 1 aspect of spiritual being" and was 1st used as a title of academic lectures by Philipp Melanchton (1497-1560). Further development of the term through the mid-19th century is presented, including a table providing a chronology from Melanchton through Herbert Spencer's "Principles of Psychology" (1855). (25 ref.) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

A creditable beginning.

Replies to comments by E. Hunt, T. Brock et al, and J. Mintz et al (see records 84-04782, 04763, and 04792, respectively) on M. E. P. Seligman's (see record 1996-13324-001) reanalysis of the 1995 Consumer Reports (CR) survey of the effectiveness of psychotherapy. Seligman contends that effectiveness studies that correct for the methodological shortcomings of the CR study will greatly enhance the knowledge of the benefits of psychotherapy and will cement an alliance between science and practice. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The Consumer Reports mental health survey.

Provides an overview of the 1995 Consumer Reports survey of the effectiveness of psychotherapy. Specific issues addressed include the study's goals; the findings for mental health professionals, family doctors, and self-help groups; and methodological strengths and weaknesses related to external validity, sampling, controls, self-reports, and time frame. The data show that, free of the artificial constraints of controlled studies in the real world, a population of consumers can often benefit from psychological intervention services. Real relief can be found at the hands of professional mental health providers. M. Kotkin et al reaffirm their independence from M. E. P. Seligman (see record 1996-13324-001) regarding the interpretation of the data. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Efficacy and effectiveness of psychotherapy: Two paradigms, one science.

Comments on M. E. P. Seligman's (see record 1996-13324-001) reanalysis of the 1995 Consumer Reports survey of the effectiveness of psychotherapy. The authors express concern that readers may draw from Seligman's arguments the erroneous conclusion that the transition from efficacy paradigms to effectiveness paradigms requires a relaxation of methodological rigor. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

A test of the fail-safe N for self-help programs.

A meta-analysis of published studies on the clinical efficacy of selected self-help programs (F. Scogin et al; see record 1990-15222-001) indicated that such conditions were more effective than no-treatment controls. Calculation of a fail-safe N showed that 53 nonsignificant studies would have to exist to render the conclusions of the meta-analysis invalid. Results indicate that unpublished research is unlikely to threaten the validity of the original meta-analysis. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

… and physiological psychology.

Comments on the importance of studying many species in physiological psychology (PHP), if it is to be devoted to an understanding of how behavior is related to biological structures and processes in all organisms, in response to G. Gottlieb's (see record 1976-21254-001) claim that a one-species (PHP) is adequate. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Errors in Seligman's "The effectiveness of psychotherapy: The Consumer Reports study."

Contends that there are 3 methodological errors and an inconsistency in M. E. P. Seligman's (see record 1996-13324-001) reanalysis of the 1995 Consumer Reports survey of the effectiveness of psychotherapy. These errors are directly relevant to the cost-effectiveness of psychotherapy. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

On Dawes' "bootstrapping."

R. M. Dawes (see record 1971-25701-001) presented evidence of "bootstrapping" in a model designed to simulate decisions of a graduate psychology program admissions committee. However, the evidence appears to support an actuarial or ecological model rather than a bootstrapping procedure. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The evolving profession of psychology: Comment on Lowe Hays-Thomas's (2000) "The silent conversation."

[Correction Notice: An erratum for this article was reported in Vol 31(4) of Professional Psychology: Research and Practice (see record 2007-17397-001). On page 346 in the author note, Louisiana Southern University was given as the university where Tommy T. Stigall received his PhD. The correct university is Louisiana State University.] The authors comment on R. Lowe Hays-Thomas (2000; see record 2000-03894-016). The article begins with a few comments about the master's-degree issue and then examines the evolution of professional psychology in relationship to the master's issue over the past 50 years and into the future. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Some semantic constraints of culture-specific geography.

Takes exception to use of the term "Eastern neighbors" in referring to the Japanese in the J. R. Weisz et al (see record 1985-19979-001) cross-cultural study of the psychology of control. Use of such geographically restricted terms places a linguistic constraint on thinking. Direction-free population terms (e.g., Asiatic, European) are preferred. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Correction to Levant et al. (2000).

Reports an error in "The evolving profession of psychology: Comment on Lowe Hays-Thomas's (2000) "The silent conversation." by Ronald F. Levant, Stanley Moldawsky and Tommy T. Stigall (Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 2000[Jun], Vol 31[3], 346-348). On page 346 in the author note, Louisiana Southern University was given as the university where Tommy T. Stigall received his PhD. The correct university is Louisiana State University. (The following abstract of the original article appeared in record 2000-03894-017.) The authors comment on R. Lowe Hays-Thomas (2000; see record 2000-03894-016). The article begins with a few comments about the master's-degree issue and then examines the evolution of professional psychology in relationship to the master's issue over the past 50 years and into the future. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Introduction to the featured section: Psychological and behavioral studies in cancer prevention and control.

Provides an introduction to a featured section in which articles by M. L. Fitzgibbon et al, K. D. McCaul et al, K. D. McCaul et al, and C. Classen et al (see records #199606991-002, #199606991-003, #199606991-004, and #199606991-005, respectively) examine the psychological and behavioral aspects of cancer, both as a risk and as a reality. These articles provide the opportunity to highlight exemplars of prevention and control research. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)