Productivity, reputation, and correlational metric.

Suggests that the correlation metric used by G. S. Howard et al (see record 1988-09385-001) in a study of research productivity in psychology was responsible for the higher correlation between productivity and reputational rating in this study than in a previous study by W. M. Cox and V. Catt (see record 1978-21651-001). (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Some comments about cognitions as causal variables.

Notes problems with the position forwarded by I. S. Schonfeld (see record 1990-31203-001) that cognitive behaviors may play a role in antisocial behaviors. A longitudinal study by L. R. Huesmann et al (see record 1987-15097-001) is cited that is not consistent with Schonfeld's hypothesis but is consistent with the hypothesis presented by G. R. Patterson et al (see record 1989-26278-001) that achievement failures are the result of antisocial behavior. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Publication counts and scholastic productivity: Comment on Howard, Cole, and Maxwell.

Argues that the study of research productivity by G. S. Howard et al (see record 1988-09385-001) replicated the failure of W. M. Cox and V. Catt (see record 1978-21651-001) to use a representative sample by selecting only in-house American Psychological Association (APA) journals and ignoring some journals published by specific APA divisions. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Definitions and levels of analysis.

Presents concerns with the article by D. M. Buss et al (see record 1998-01669-001). The present author states his main concern as being the suggestion by Buss et al that S. J. Gould (see record 1992-11754-001) was inconsistent in his usage of the term "exaptation," and that his stated definitions seem to require these effects to be biological. Additionally, the author takes issue with the suggestion by Buss et al that Gould used the term to "cover novel but functionless uses or consequences of existing characteristics," and offers his own interpretation of Gould's research. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

We Said, She Said: A Response to Loftus (2003).

Responds to the comments by E. F. Loftus (see record 2003-07215-003) on the target articles by A. D. Yarmey (see record 2003-07215-001) and S. Porter et al (see record 2003-07215-002) which both examined the influence of memory (false memory and repressed memory) on adjudication. In Loftus' commentary on the Porter et al article, Loftus agreed with many of their conclusions concerning allegations in "he said, she said" legal cases. However, Loftus focused some criticism on their coverage of recovered memory evidence. It appears that the main difference in their perspectives was not related to the science of memory but rather was one of scientific education versus advocacy in the legal system. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Comment on Putnam, Adams, and Schneider, 'One day test-retest reliability of neuropsychological tests in a personal injury case."

In an article in Psychological Assessment, S. H. Putnam et al (see record 1993-04124-001) presented a case study in which retesting by separate examiners over a brief time period yielded consistent results. Although Putnam et al raised a number of points that deserve attention, some of their suggestions about the relevance of their case to legal assessments seem to extend well beyond what their data and methodology justify, and they misrepresented D. Faust and J. Ziskin's (see record 1989-11643-001) views on psychology and law. The author discusses limits of the case study method and clarifies his views on the use of psychological evidence in the courtroom. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Scanning and form-contingent color aftereffects.

G. K. Humphrey et al (see record 1994-28172-001) and J. Broerse and P. Grimbeek (see record 1994-28160-001) suggested that the form-contingent color aftereffect reported by S. Siegel et al (see record 1992-22207-001) would not be obtained if Ss were instructed to scan the induction and assessment forms. The authors present data from 10 adult Ss who were instructed to scan the forms. These scanning Ss displayed aftereffects that were no different from those described earlier by Siegel et al. Scanning Ss do display spatiotopic contingent color aftereffects. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Self-quitting myths revisited: Responses to Schachter and to Forgays and Forgays.

Replies to the comments of S. Schachter (see PA, Vols 13673 and 68:10809) and D. G. Forgays and D. K. Forgays (see record 1991-13653-001) concerning the article by S. Cohen et al (see record 1990-05833-001) on smoking cessation. Issues addressed include self-quitting vs clinic quitting, the populations examined, procedural and statistical details, and the message contained in the article by S. Cohen et al. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Generalized social phobia versus avoidant personality disorder: A commentary on three studies.

The findings of J. D. Herbert et al (see record 1992-27377-001), C. S. Holt et al (see record 1992-27380-001), and S. M. Turner et al (see record 1992-27401-001) are largely consistent. Avoidant personality disorder and generalized social phobia appear to be overlapping constructs that have only minor differences with respect to severity of dysfunction. This commentary addresses the implications of the findings with respect to the validity of the categorical distinction in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-III—Revised (DSM-III—R) between avoidant personality and generalized social phobia, revisions of their respective diagnostic criteria, and their reclassification as either an anxiety or a personality disorder. Methodological and substantive suggestions for future research are also discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

"Cognitive-behavioral therapy in geriatric depression": Reply to Riskind, Beck, and Steer.

Responds to the challenge by J. H. Riskind et al (see record 1986-12531-001) to the interpretation by J. L. Steuer et al (see record 1984-21146-001) that changes observed on the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) in depressed geriatric patients treated with cognitive-behavioral (CB) group psychotherapy did not demonstrate superiority for CB therapy over a psychodynamic approach. Riskind et al proposed that somatic items on the other rating instruments used might not be valid in geriatric patients and thus might render those scales less sensitive. Reanalyses of the psychotherapy data and data from a placebo-controlled study of tricyclic antidepressants by the present 3rd author et al (see record 1983-21474-001) did not support this assertion. Somatic items proved to be sensitive to change in both studies. (8 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

"Effective dissemination of energy-related information: Applying social psychology and evaluation research": Rejoinder.

Responds to comments by E. S. Geller (see record 1992-37385-001) and P. B. Crabb (see record 1992-37381-001) on the M. L. Dennis et al (see record 1991-08669-001) review of social and behavioral science literature related to energy conservation (EC). The Dennis et al article was not an attempt to recommend a comprehensive EC policy but rather intended to show how prior research and experience could be used to make information more effective in producing changes in public behavior. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Plasticity, person-context relations, and cognitive training in the aged years: A developmental contextual perspective.

Developmental contextualism focuses on changes in fused relations between developing people and their changing contexts. The presence of these relations means that human development is characterized by the potential for systematic change—for plasticity—across life. Research on training cognitive functioning in the aged years provides evidence about plasticity because such investigations attempt to alter developmental trajectories by introducing a revised regimen of person–context relations into people's lives. Moreover, when research is conducted with people in their advanced adult years, it is often interpreted as constituting a conservative test of plasticity. J. I. Campbell and N. Charness (see record 1991-06940-001), P. Gratzinger et al (see record 1991-07064-001), R. Kliegl et al (see record 1991-06962-001), and S. L. Willis and C. S. Nesselroade (see record 1991-07074-001), in the 4 studies reported in this special section, provide evidence that supports developmental contextual ideas about plasticity and about procedures and policies that might create conditions promoting enhancement of cognitive functioning among the aged. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

"Debunking myths about self-quitting: Evidence from 10 prospective studies of persons who attempt to quit smoking by themselves": Reply.

Replies to the comments of S. Cohen et al (see record 1990-05833-001) concerning S. Schachter's (see record 1982-30809-001) study on smoking cessation. Schachter agrees that Cohen's data are evidence that self-selected, hard-core smokers are indeed hard-core smokers, but questions what this has to do with self-quitting over time in the general population. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Cognitive-behavioral therapy with and without exposure plus response prevention in treatment of bulimia nervosa: Comment on Agras, Schneider, Arnow, Raeburn, and Telch.

The conclusions reached in the W. S. Agras et al (see record 1989-26754-001) study of cognitive-behavioral and response-prevention treatments for bulimia nervosa are criticized. Procedural differences and contradictory evidence from prior research are highlighted. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Seventeen authors in search of a myth: A reply to Cohen et al.

Reviews assertions made by S. Cohen et al (see record 1990-05833-001) on smoking cessation and suggests that the article's exposition did not represent a clear interpretation of the main thrust of S. Schachter's (see record 1982-30809-001) and R. Rzewnicki and D. G. Forgays's (see record 1987-16432-001) contributions. It is further suggested that all of these data are reconcilable. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Let's find basic behavioral systems first.

Highlights an issue covered by D. M. Buss et al (see record 1998-01669-001) on evolutionary thinking and its application to psychology, and their critique of S. J. Gould's views (see record 1992-11754-001) concerning exaptations and spandrels. The present author suggests a different direction that can be taken that may demonstrate that Gould's conception of the importance of spandrels and exaptations as "a mountain to the adaptive molehill" is "entirely backward". (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Haviland, McGuire, and Rothbaum's "A critique of Plomin and Foch's twin study."

Replies to the criticism of J. M. Haviland et al (see record 1984-11539-001) of the present authors' (see record 1981-25190-001) twin study of objectively assessed personality in childhood. No merit is found in the criticisms of Haviland et al concerning conceptual validity and stability of the measures, comparability of populations, the accuracy of the literature review, or the appropriate interpretation of broad heritability. (21 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Research productivity in psychology.

Comments on the study of research productivity in psychology by G. S. Howard et al (see record 1988-09385-001) as a follow-up to a study by W. M. Cox and V. Catt (see record 1978-21651-001). The present authors suggest caution in interpreting the 3 indices of productivity used in the previous report. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Neural plasticity and exaptation.

Comments that S. J. Gould (see record 1992-11754-001) posed something of a problem for D. M. Buss et al (see record 1998-01669-001) in his argument that human psychology links not to past evolutionary adaptations but to the coopting of previously evolved functions to do new things, or exaptation. The present author states that Buss et al observed that Gould failed to document this exaptation for any of the examples he mentioned because he could not demonstrate any "special design for the hypothesized function." He suggests that neural plasticity strongly links the brain, exaptation and human psychology. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Rose-colored glasses? Never: If anything, shades of brownp Reply to Choca et al.

In response to the criticism of J. P. Choca et al (see record 1987-19792-001) concerning the present author's (see record 1986-20485-001) study of prospective payment in the Veterans Administration, it is asserted that the present author shares the concerns of Choca et al regarding the severe statistical and clinical limitations of diagnostic related groups. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)