A comment on Zajonc.

Comments that the article by R. B. Zajonc (see record 1987-02628-001) using the confluence model to establish a connection between birth order and Scholastic Aptitude Test scores, is interesting and provides valuable suggestions for future research, but that there are errors of omission and assumption. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

A highly significant comment.

Notes that the term significant has a meaning to statisticians that is very specific and that significant should not be used as a synonym for important. The term reliable is suitable for these situations. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

A response to a comment.

Argues that R. Rianoshek's (see record 1981-05481-001) commentary fails to address itself to the basic thesis in the author's (see record 1979-28675-001) article on "Psychology and the American Ideal." This thesis is briefly reexamined. (6 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

A response to Crittenden's comment.

Refutes R. L. Crittenden's (see PA, Vol. 51:Issue 2) critique of R. Graff, MacLean, and Loving's use of multiple linear regression analysis in their comparative study of reciprocal and reactive inhibition therapy. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Discriminant analysis: A comment.

Discusses 3 topics related to the interpretation of discriminant analyses (DAs): (a) partial F ratios and partial Wilks's lambdas for predictor variables in standard, step-down and stepwise DAs; (b) relation of goals of classification to the definition and evaluation of classification rules; and (c) significance tests for total hit rates in internal versus external analyses. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

A further comment on reafferentiation in psychology.

Questionnaire surveys can be an initial source of information on how the employer in the community service setting views the product of the University training departments. This article presents results from a study in which a questionnaire was mailed from the Psychology Department, University of Calgary to 58 employers or potential employers of psychologists in the Calgary community. Enquiries were made of their present use of psychological services, their needs, their views on adequacy and inadequacy of training, their need for inservice training, their views on academic level of training required, their theoretical orientation, and their interest in involvement in practicum training. The University psychology departments have a responsibility to use ongoing research and promising new discoveries in determining training policies, as well as to help meet the manpower needs in service settings. While University training in many instances will not be perfectly congruent with stated community requirements, it is important that there be communication of knowledge and expectations between University and community in order that graduates be employable and able to contribute their new knowledge to service programs. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

A comment on coding in nonorthogonal designs.

Briefly discusses the controversial issue of dummy variable coding in nonorthogonal designs. It is argued that there is no one single coding method that is "correct." Different coding methods carry different implicit assumptions. The decision as to which coding method should be used depends upon these assumptions. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

A comment on the quality principles.

The 1991 conference on undergraduate education in psychology, held at St. Mary's College in St. Mary's City, Maryland, resulted in two documents that are relevant to anyone concerned with undergraduate education in psychology. The large proportion of students who major in psychology underscore the importance of how psychology is taught to undergraduates. The Quality Principles, one of the documents generated by the conference, is a blueprint for innovation and change in undergraduate education. The Quality Principles are contained in this article. Principles for quality undergraduate psychology programs and steering committee members of the APA National Conference on Enhancing the Quality of Undergraduate Education in Psychology are appended. [A correction to this article was published in the American Psychologist, Vol 51(4), April 1996, page 370. The correction notice provides the names of 2 individuals that were listed in Appendix B incorrectly.] (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Relapse and obesity: A comment.

In commenting on a paper by K. D. Brownell et al (see record 1986-27886-001), the present author suggests that the available information argues against the inclusion of obesity as an addiction along with alcohol abuse and smoking as cornerstones in the continued development of the relapse prevention model. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

A comment from the editorial team.

Introduces this first edition of Training and Education in Professional Psychology, and presents a brief history of its development. In addition, many of the individuals involved in the Journal's development are recognized. The editorial team of TEPP hopes that the journal will provide a professional forum for psychologists to exchange ideas and contribute thoughtful investigations about the challenges, the discussions, and the future direction of education and training in psychology. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The Milwaukee Project: A cautionary comment.

Comments on R. Sommers and B. A. Sommers's (see record 1984-10654-001) suggestions that only the contents of refereed journals are worthy of presentation in support of arguments in textbooks and that built-in replication will be a panacea for spurious research findings in psychology. It is noted that many new ideas and new kinds of research are frequently unacceptable to the scientific establishment of the time and that respected journals are replete with technically precise but ill-conceived and soon-forgotten articles. A more honest and open recognition within the discipline that psychology is not an exact science and appropriate research guidelines and practices are advocated. (3 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Learning theory and schizophrenia: A comment.

In a recent paper by Mednick (see 33: 10749), concerned with a learning theory explanation of schizophrenia, some confusion with respect to the use of the concept "generalization" exists. Pointing out the inconsistencies, it is suggested that further theoretical articulation is required. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

A comment on World War II repression.

B. P. Karon and A. J. Widener (1997) asserted that World War II combat neuroses provide "ample evidence" (p. 339) of repressed memory. The primary item of supporting evidence, an anecdote about an airman injured in a crash and treated by a Veterans Affairs psychiatrist after the war, is contradicted by reference data indicating that the aircraft described in the anecdote (a two-man bomber with a tailgunner in a separate tail turret) did not exist. When informed of this problem, A. J. Widener provided a list of aircraft allegedly fitting the profile, but none actually does so. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Tranquilizers and experimental psychopathology: A comment.

A bibliography is presented in discussing that "Thorazine can be used in conjunction with the experimental method to control certain secondary manifestations of emotional and mental disturbance so that basic psychopathology is more clearly revealed in psychological test scores." (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Varieties of behaviour modification: A comment.

It is suggested that there is more than one version of what behavior modification is all about. The different versions can be considered in terms of a continuum of partially overlapping historical ties and identities. Any discussion of an identity for behavior modification without clarifying which version is being discussed, may be misleading and unfair to particular brands of behavior modification. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

PhD recipients in psychology and biology: A comment.

Comments that the article by H. Schuckman (see record 1988-11977-001), reporting no difference in the rate of publication of male and female biology and psychology students in the 4 yrs following receipt of their PhD degrees, parallels the results of E. Goldstein (see record 1979-25912-001), and are in contrast with results reported by J. R. Cole and H. Zuckerman (see record 1988-15525-001). (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Revolution and resistance: A comment on Witkin.

Contends that S. L. Witkin (see record 1989-40707-001) articulates several important epistemological errors that have contaminated the field of marital therapy, rendering it biased against women. Witkin's work points to the radical nature of change required at the level of theory, research, and practice to eradicate the errors of sexism. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)