The APA study of psychologists.

A preliminary report of the research procedures, findings, and additional questions to be investigated in a study whose major purpose is "the collection of data which may lead to (a) the better understanding of personal and environmental factors that influence the research productivity or the professional contribution of the individual psychologists, (b) increased appreciation of society's demands for and use of psychological services, and (c) an understanding of the influence of various programs of education and training in psychology." (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The training of psychiatrists and psychologists.

Compares the training of psychologists (PSLs) and psychiatrists (PSTs) and concludes that PSTs have little formal training in the study of human behavior and little contact with problems and methods in science, while PSLs have a more extensive background in the study of human behavior and formal training in science. (0 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The psychological value systems of psychologists.

A scale based on historically important psychologists and their contributions was marked by 125 Fellows of the APA. The names represented 9 a priori scales of values. Factor analysis produced 3 bipolar factors: laboratory vs. clinic, psychometric vs. verbal approach to individual, and methodological analysis vs. professional service. Value scores are given for members of the APA divisions. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The proper concern of educational psychologists.

Reviews the questions of the functions of educational psychology and summarizes that the proper concern of their specialty is to "make fundamental contributions to the general understanding of human behavior as well as education theory and practice." 40-item bibliography. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The registration of psychologists in Canada.

A review of current statutes indicates that six provinces in Canada now have acts which provide for the registration of psychologists. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Productive psychologists.

Frequency of citation is suggested "… as an instrument for facilitating the assessment of the influence of a psychologist and of identifying his most influential work." (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The expressed social attitudes of leading psychologists.

The hypothesis "that psychologists can be divided into two broad groups according to their theoretical and practical interests, and that these groups can also be distinguished along a continuum of toughmindedness and tendermindedness" is examined. A modification of a Public Opinion Inventory developed by Eysenck "… was mailed to each of 52 well-known psychologists" previously dichotomized on the basis of their professional contributions. After factor analysis of returned inventories, instead "… of finding our leading psychologists falling into two groups, we find that they range themselves nicely along a single factor… ." (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The impact of September 11 on psychologists.

A variety of recent research studies have investigated the psychological impact on victims of the devastating events of September 11, 2001. The present study adopted a different approach, instead focusing on the experience of caregivers through a brief survey of state psychological association members. Overall, practitioners described modest but significant changes in both their professional work and their personal lives. Not surprisingly, those respondents working closest to Ground Zero reported the greatest changes. The sample also reported more positive than negative feelings regarding their work in the post-9/11 environment. Although the survey return rate was only 15%, the findings shed light on several important professional issues related to disaster relief, including service utilization, preparedness, and vicarious traumatization. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Certification of psychologists.

During the past year, in discussions of the question of certification of psychologists, I have found that many are not familiar with two important problems associated with the trend of certification of the whole title. One consequence of such certification is that an academic psychologist cannot consult as a psychologist for a fee in his own specialty, however remote from contact with individual patients, without being certified or without in some way circumventing the law. This is a restriction that does not exist for nuclear physicists, physiologists, chemists, or others in any academic area. It stands, as such, as a limitation on traditional academic privileges. A second consequence is that restriction of the whole title creates a situation in which misunderstandings arise with sister disciplines that share subject matter or titles. For example, sociologists have trained persons in and claim competence in social psychology. It is concluded that aside from the issues involved and whether or not there have indeed been blunders, the implication is that the profession would not want to change, right or wrong; it would not be possible to rouse any action that would imply an alteration rather than a compromise with the current situation. What is disturbing is that considering the self-conscious concern with ethics in psychology, this seems to be a rather cynical view of the profession. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The past and future of U.S. prison policy. Twenty-five years after the Stanford prison experiment

In this article, the authors reflect on the lessons of their Stanford Prison Experiment, some 25 years after conducting it. They review the quarter century of change in criminal justice and correctional policies that has transpired since the Stanford Prison Experiment and then develop a series of reform-oriented proposals drawn from this and related studies on the power of social situations and institutional settings that can be applied to the current crisis in American corrections.     

Perceptions of nonclinical psychologists toward clinical psychology and clinical psychologists.

Surveyed psychologists outside the clinical realm to ascertain their views on the efficacy of psychotherapy, as well as their views on clinical psychologists. Surveys were mailed to 300 nonclinical psychologists randomly chosen from the American Psychological Association Directory. Results of 109 usable surveys suggest that although the majority had a positive view of clinical psychology, a substantial minority either were uncertain or disagreed that therapy was effective. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The professional nonpsychology graduate program for psychologists.

Describes a graduate program designed to train people for public affairs careers that maximizes the effective use of psychological skills and knowledge. The program covers such areas as community structure and social systems; interorganizational relations; social forecasting and intervention; and research methods and qualitative skills. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The practice of psychological assessment among school psychologists.

A national survey of 274 school psychologists is utilized to evaluate both the current status of psychological assessment in the schools and the most frequently used instruments in 8 different assessment areas—intelligence, achievement (general and specific), perceptual functioning, personality, behavior rating, preschool evaluation, and vocational interest. Implications for training and practice are discussed. (13 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The validity of personnel assessments by professional psychologists.

For a sample of 100 persons assessed over a two-year period, predictor and criterion ratings were obtained on five rating scales. The predictor ratings were made by two psychologists from the case files, the criterion ratings by one or more of the assessees' superiors. In addition, the criterion ratings were correlated with a large test battery. "… These general conclusions are drawn: (1) Compared with most validity findings these results are promising and indicate that the technique investigated has practical value and is definitely worthy of further research. (2) When the research is more rigorously conducted, the resulting estimates of validity are likely to be higher." (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The role of the psychologists in paraprofessional helping.

The role of the psychologist in paraprofessional or lay helping is examined, including the following: training and supervising paraprofessional helpers; serving on boards of directors of lay helping organizations; educating groups about the positive contributions of psychological services; consulting with organizations interested in establishing paraprofessional helping services; serving as a referral source when professional help is needed; doing outcomes research and evaluation of paraprofessional helping; and educating psychologists about the significant role they can have in the development of paraprofessional helpers. These activities facilitate the effective, efficient, and ethical practice of paraprofessional helping. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The role of professional psychologists in promoting equality.

Discusses sex inequalities/biases inherent in many theories of personality, especially the psychoanalytically based ones, and their influences on psychological assessment procedures and interpretations. Studies pointing out some of the inequities in service delivery are examined. It is stressed that psychologists must (a) focus on the concept of androgyny and its implications for therapy, (b) examine their own concepts/prejudices regarding sex roles, and (c) understand the forces that a population/group exerts on an individual. (54 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Victims of crime: The roles of psychologists.

The articles that make up this Psychology in the Public Forum section dramatically portray the pervasiveness of criminal activity and the fact that every criminal act produces at least one victim of crime. The articles further document that victims frequently need the aid of mental health professionals. Unfortunately, psychologists, like other mental health professionals, have traditionally been given little, if any, training in how to work with victims of crime and violence. Psychologists, like members of other disciplines, have focused on the criminal to the neglect of the victim. This Psychology in the Public Forum section is an attempt to inform psychologists about activities initiated by the executive and legislative branches of the federal government and by the APA Task Force on the Victims of Crime and Violence. It will have served its purpose if increasing numbers of psychologists turn their attention and skills to the plight of victims. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)