The penumbra of religious discourse.

This article addresses the research finding that there is a relative absence of empathic inquiry regarding patients' religious experiences in psychoanalytic psychotherapy. D. Stern's (1985) concept of selective attunement and J. Benjamin's (1988) assertion-recognition processes are used to understand and offer hypotheses about this absence and its consequences. We argue that selective attunement to and recognition of the patient's religious experiences communicates a prohibition to the patient. We hypothesize that the results of this process are that religious expressions are excluded from the intersubjective area; patients associate shame or guilt with their religious representations; and patients will not assert significant and meaning-laden religious experiences, which may lead to nonintegration of aspects of the self. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The many faces of literacy.

Reviews the book, Literacy, language, and learning by D. R. Olson, N. Torrance, and A. Hildyard (1985). Literacy, Language, and Learning has something to offer all students of language. Its breadth is achieved through an interdisciplinary analysis of both written and spoken forms of language. The focus is on the differences between these two language modalities and on the impact, on both society and the individual, of acquiring reading and writing skills. In a very real sense the book highlights the embarrassingly narrow appreciation of language shown by much work in cognitive psychology, particularly the work using an information processing orientation. This book has no lack of breadth, yet offers considerable depth of analysis in many chapters. Arguments are well supported with research and historical findings. The book is not particularly easy to read, but it is worth the effort, in this reader's view. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The many faces of character.

This article discusses the many definitions of character in the psychological and nonpsychological literature. A comprehensive, working definition for character is offered that integrates these definitions, the key points of the authors in this issue, and previous treatments of this topic. The major elements of this model include character (a) as a component of personality, (b) as capacities of the self, (c) as the exercise of good judgment, and (d) as the display of moral development. Finally, reasons are provided to underscore the importance for consulting psychologists to have the skills to assess and develop character and to intervene when character-related issues emerge. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The many definitions of test bias.

Argues that the definition of test bias has many widely disparate aspects stemming from different universes of discourse. The status of each of these is reviewed. It is suggested that all the various aspects of test bias be kept in mind so that the risk of losing perspective when one operational definition is settled on is lessened. The concept, being a public one, cannot encompass all the definitions. Research on these issues is some of the more exciting and significant being done today, but confusion over which is the real issue is unnecessary because they are all the real issue. (24 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The many faces of analytic interaction.

The patterns of interaction between analyst and analysand are discussed with special reference to the participation of both analyst and analysand in the analytic dialogue. The analyst's participation and interaction with the analysand can take place in one or all of the threefold constituents of the analytic relation—transference (and countertransference), real relation, and alliance. Although these components are continually present and mutually interactive in the analytic process, they can be differentiated in the diversity of patterns of interaction and their implications for technical aspects of the analytic process. Although transference and countertransference hold the primary place in analytic interest, other aspects deserve proper emphasis and exploration insofar as they make substantive and significant contributions to the effectiveness or ineffectiveness of the analytic process. The nature and quality of their influence on patterns of interaction are discussed as well as implications of their respective roles in the analytic process. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Socially constructing sexuality: Toward a postmodernist theory of sexual intimacy.

Takes issue with the biological focus of traditional theories of sexuality, drawing on postmodern trends such as hermeneutics and social constructionism. It is argued that traditional theories are characterized by a reductionism that precludes meaningfulness and an individualism that precludes genuine intimacy. The theories thus offer an essentially barren account of what is otherwise a richly meaningful human activity. A more fruitful account of human sexuality begins with acknowledging that sexuality is a fundamentally social and meaningful phenomenon and that it can only be understood in the social, historical, and moral context in which human beings live and act. If the linguistic aspect of sexuality were at the heart of theories, biological information could be given its proper place as context for understanding. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The nature of involvement in academic discourse tasks.

In 2 studies, the nature of the construct of involvement in discourse was explored. The studies focused on academic discourse in typical reading and writing tasks. In the 1st study, interviews with undergraduates about involving and uninvolving tasks were used as the basis for constructing items for questionnaires. Responses to these items were submitted to multidimensional scaling. Results indicated a 2-dimensional solution, with the dimensions of involvement being understanding and concentration. In Study 2, students were asked to report on their levels of involvement during a course writing assignment; significant differences were found in level of involvement and associated moods across phases of writing. Together, the studies suggest that discourse involvement is a state of engagement in a task, influenced by cognitive and motivational/affective factors. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The turn to discourse in social psychology.

We discuss the emerging turn to discursive social psychology as an alternative to experimental social psychology. We note that the barriers to change are rooted in the history of the discipline, in the failure of researchers to recognize the distinction between movements and actions and in their reluctance to switch from positivist to post-positivist criteria. We outline the tenets of discursive psychology and of its associated method, discourse analysis. Illustrations of discourse analysis are drawn primarily from a recent study of date rape. Throughout, we emphasize the centrality of discourse in social life and the definition of the social being as Homo loquens. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Turning lies into truths: Referential validation of falsehoods.

Prior research indicates that repeated exposure enhances the rated truth of both true and false trivia statements, but no prior study has included feedback on the items' actual truth value. In 2 exps, repeated true items were rated as more credible than new true items at all interrating intervals (1 wk, 1 mo, 3 mos), whereas repeated false items showed different trends. When feedback was delayed (Exp 1), repeated false items were rated as less credible than new false statements at 1 wk, but as more credible at 1 mo. With immediate feedback (Exp 2), repeated false items were rated as less credible than new false items at 1 wk, but were rated similarly to new false items at 1 mo and 3 mos. The impact of feedback diminished over time, and participants' initial impression of an item's truth or falsity exerted a lasting bias. Both actual and perceived repetition influenced rated truth for true items, whereas only perceived repetition affected false items. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The many faces of social isolation in childhood.

Eighty-eight Grade 2 children were observed during free play and were assessed by peers and teachers on measures of social withdrawal, popularity, and aggression. The children's perceptions of their social skills were also measured. In Grade 4, 81 children were assessed, 55 of whom had been in the original sample. In addition to the Grade 2 measures, children's reports of loneliness and depression were gathered. In Grade 5, 77 children participated, including 51 from the original sample; all measures taken in this grade were similar to those in Grade 4, with the exclusion of behavioral observations. The data revealed at least two distinct subtypes of social isolation, passive-anxious and active-immature. Passive isolation was stable across the three grades; was consistently and concurrently related to peer rejection, internalizing difficulties, and negative social self-perceptions. Active-immature isolation was infrequent and unstable, and was more often associated with aggression and with externalizing difficulties. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The conversation MOP: III. Timing of scenes in discourse.

The perspective of the conversation MOP (Memory Organization Packet) was used to generate predictions of how the routines of informal, initial interactions can be adapted to differing acquaintance goals. The conversation MOP groups topic-centered scenes into subsets; the subsets are arranged so that people tend to progress through them in an orderly fashion as they engage in initial encounters with others. One source of flexible adaptation of this routine comes in how subsets of topics are timed in the conversational stream to pursue various conversational goals. As a primary goal of initial interaction is to become acquainted, varying people's desire to get to know others was predicted to alter the timing of subsets of scenes in the conversation MOP. Support was obtained for the prediction that the more people wanted to become acquainted, the faster they would move through early subsets of scenes (topics) in the conversation MOP and the more slowly they would move through later subsets of scenes in the conversation MOP. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Psychotherapy and moral discourse.

Argues that psychotherapy's (PT's) claim to be a universal scientific practice that objectively treats ahistorical illnesses is untenable. PT is a cultural product, so it both reflects and reproduces its cultural context. Because cultural context is in part composed of moral traditions embedded in political structures, PT is unavoidably a moral practice with political consequences. Implicit moralities in current practices are discussed. Philosophical hermeneutics in PT practice are offered as an alternative. In a discussion of intersecting traditions, it is suggested that a hermeneutic perspective can portray the keeping of family secrets as a commitment to a particular moral code, rather than the products of a "dysfunctional family." If PT theories can be changed so that they are more historically situated, and if PT practices can be changed to use hermeneutics, then a different moral frame can be put forth. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Two many assumptions.

Responds to M. Kotkin and C. Daviet"s comments (see record 1999-15532-010) on the present author"s criticisms of the 1994 Consumer Reports study of consumers" views on mental health services (see record 1996-13324-001). Kotkin and Daviet suggested that the present author misrepresented the sampling procedure by using an incorrect percentage rate. The present author argues that both rates are literally correct given the different denominators used. He further comments that a convincing case could be made that neither figure gives a very helpful picture of the use of mental health professionals. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

From attribution to argumentation: The case of disappearing discourse.

Argues that attribution theory constructed its own version of F. Heider's (1958) starting position and that the limitations of this construction are only now becoming apparent. The linguistic turn prevalent elsewhere in the social sciences is now showing up the weaknesses in attribution theory's conception of people as explainers, and offers a new way forward with the conception of people as discourse-users. (French abstract) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The many faces of sarcoidosis

An interesting case of congenital double uterus and the intrapartum events associated with it are described. In view of the rarity of the condition, its implication to the patient, her general practitioner and the obstetrician/gynaecologist is discussed, with special reference to contraception, cervical smear and operative surgical technique.     

The many faces of osteosarcoma

Osteosarcoma is the most common primary malignant tumor of bone in adolescents and young adults. It accounts for approximately 15% of all primary bone tumors confirmed at biopsy. There are numerous types of primary osteosarcoma, including intramedullary (high grade, telangiectatic, low grade, small cell, osteosarcomatosis, and gnathic), surface (intracortical, parosteal, periosteal, and high-grade surface), and extraskeletal. Osteosarcoma may also occur as a secondary lesion in association with underlying benign conditions. The identification of osteoid matrix formation and aggressive characteristics usually allows prospective radiologic diagnosis of osteosarcoma. As with all bone tumors, differential diagnosis is best assessed with radiographs, whereas staging is performed with computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging. Understanding and recognition of the variable appearances of the different varieties of osteosarcoma allow improved patient assessment and are vital for optimal clinical management including diagnosis, biopsy, staging, treatment, and follow-up.