Some observations on the ideology of professional psychologists.

"Analysis of the value position of psychologists starts with an examination of certain of the intellectual postulates and biases of modern psychology. These contribute to what I call the ideology of professional psychologists… . Modern psychology derives its particular orientations in good measure from the social context of American life. The ideology of professional psychology, I shall argue, is linked to the antiphilosophical, antihistorical, narrowly means-oriented and optimistic character of much American thought and culture." (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The way it was: Remembering David Shakow.

Comments on the obituary for David Shakow (see record 2005-08120-013) and further eulogizes him for his dedication and accomplishments. The author focuses primarily on the twelve years during which Shakow worked at the Worcester State Hospital (WSH). (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Image of industrial psychology among corporate executives.

89 executives attending a 1960 executive seminar of the American Management Association completed a 13 item questionnaire. "Almost twice as many executives stated that they would hire an industrial psychologist as compared with those who would decide against such a decision… . There are many executives still unconvinced that industrial psychology has any real worth at its present stage of development… . The areas of competence in which the industrial psychologist was judged to be most useful were morale, selection and training." (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Industrial psychology in the aircraft industry.

"The objectives of the present study were to get an indication of (a) the degree to which industrial psychologists and their activities have been accepted in the aircraft industry and (b) some of the factors related to this acceptance." "A questionnaire was mailed to 160 personnel executives in plants manufacturing products for the aircraft industry." Inferences are drawn regarding evolving trends, and inferences are drawn which "can be generalized to all the plants in the industry." (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Industrial psychology in Psychological Abstracts: 1927-1959.

By comparing the ratio of abstracts appearing in Psychological Abstracts to membership in American Psychological Association Division 14, the productivity of industrial psychologists over the years 1927-58 was judged not to be increasing as is generally assumed. "Get the academic people to write less; get the people in industrial settings… to write more; get the consulting organization staffs to be interested in research." Influence from psychologists in industry, consulting organizations, and professors of industrial psychology in universities is needed for this to occur. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

Opinions about industrial psychology by different groups of psychologists.

"In general, the findings provide a partial sketch of how industrial psychology is perceived and evaluated by different groups of psychologists. The most common criticism is that industrial psychology is not sufficiently concerned with its ties to basic psychology… . In addition, serious questions are raised concerning the areas of research that are emphasized or slighted, the professional qualifications of many practitioners, tendencies to offer psychological judgments that reach beyond scientific results, frequent overselling of industrial applications, and an excessive accent on the practical in training industrial psychologists. Many psychologists also charge that industrial psychology is too management oriented, that it operates too much within a management frame of reference… . Finally, it should be noted that our results reveal wide differences of opinion among the psychologists questioned, not only between the industrial psychologists and the other professional groups but strikingly also within the ranks of each group." (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Professional education in industrial psychology: A statement of policy.

"The industrial psychologist should be a broadly trained psychologist… . Education in industrial psychology should provide grounding in psychological theory… . The curriculum should provide knowledge of the problem areas of industrial psychology… . Education in industrial psychology should include knowledge in other areas important in business and industry… . The student should become familiar with a very wide variety of research tools, methods, and procedures… . The education of an industrial psychologist should be realistic… . The education of industrial psychologists should include discussion of the ethical problems likely to arise in industry." The stated principles "should be interpreted in a flexible rather than a rigid fashion." (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Licensing and Professional Function.

It is shocking to summarize the ongoing debates on licensing of psychologists and on the relations between psychologists and psychiatrists. We psychologists seem chiefly to place the blame on the psychiatrists for the slow progress in gaining recognition of the professional function of psychologists. I offer a dissent which declares that a restrictive block must be removed from the thinking of psychologists before we are going to get anywhere on the problems of licensing and recognition of professional function. The block is manifested by the efforts of psychologists to imitate psychiatrists and beat them at their own game. This game is the diagnosis and treatment of mental and emotional disorders, illnesses, aberrations, etc. Such diagnosis and treatment involves a mechanistic and concretistic thinking which is proving itself powerless to deal with the behavioral functioning of human individuals in interactive contexts. I am tempted to say "has proven," but there is a sad lack of experimental evidence, for which psychologists must shoulder their share of the blame. For my part, I don't blame psychiatrists for opposing the licensing of psychologists to treat "mental and emotional illnesses." Without realizing it, the psychiatrists are doing us a big favor in warning us away from this fruitless endeavor in which they are themselves experiencing so much heartbreak. We are wasting our time in seeking to crowd with them into a theoretical structure which will not support intense scientific effort. No psychologist should discuss with any citizen the relief of symptoms which are now manifest in the citizen's organic functioning. The psychologist's function should be to teach his interested fellow human beings how to perceive an interpersonal world and interact within that social realm on a more efficient and harmonious basis. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of Ethics in psychology: Professional standards and cases.

Reviews the book, Ethics in psychology: Professional standards and cases by Patricia Keith-Spiegel and Gerald P. Koocher (see record 1985-97634-000). This well written and interesting book offers comprehensive coverage of how the American Psychological Association (APA) Ethical Principles of Psychologists (1981) apply in any setting where psychologists are involved. This book should be of special interest to Canadians who are interested in the new Canadian Psychological Association (CPA) Code of Ethics. The CPA Code organized the areas of concern covered by the APA code, plus new and emerging issues, under an umbrella of four general principles and many associated standards of conduct. Both the book and the CPA Code attempt to raise the level of consciousness about ethical issues and ethical decision-making. The result? They complement each other and together provide a useful combination of philosophy, standards, and concrete examples of unethical or questionable behaviour by a psychologist. All who read this book will become aware of the complexity associated with ethics in the practice of psychology. The authors are to be congratulated on providing a scholarly work, long needed by the public and psychologists alike. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Introduction: Two Archetypes in Search of an Identity.

Counseling psychology, according to Domke's article in this present series, is a specialty that is in its adolescence. The chief reason for saying this is the perpetual agonizing about our professional identity and definition. We seem to be forever wrangling about who we are and what we want to become. In part this is due to the strongly hybrid nature of counseling psychology. We have always had one foot in psychology and the other in education. To the many reasons already put forth for this state of affairs, the author adds a metaphor that he thinks add some perspective to the current situation of counseling psychology. The model of the "psychologist" as an agent for amelioration of human suffering is of relatively recent origin. In the process of defining our unique contribution to the helping services, in general, we have been struggling with the models given to us by history. Using the Jungian perspective, we can identify some of these models of practice as archetypes that have become part of our personal and cultural heritage. The author of this article goes on to name some of the archtypes (or roles) and explains how each will affect counseling psychology in the future. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Reflections of a pioneering woman in industrial psychology.

Reflections on the life and career development of a woman early in the development of industrial psychology are recorded. The future of psychology in industry, particularly as it relates to women, is discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Internships in industrial psychology.

"The Executive Committee of the Division of Business and Industrial Psychology (Division 14) formed a committee to investigate… " the nature of training needs which may exist in the transition of psychologists from the academic situation to the situation of practical application. Results of a questionnaire survey relating to the problem are presented. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Comparisons between psychologists and other professional groups.

It is estimated that as of 1953, there were 22,000 persons working as psychologists in the United States; 95,000 living persons have obtained bachelor's degrees with majors in psychology; 5,000 living persons have the Ph.D. degrees in psychology. About 12% of the students who have received a bachelor's degree in psychology have become professional psychologists; this accounts for approximately half of all the people in the country who are working as psychologists. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Where America's recognized psychologist received their doctorates.

An operational concept of "professional recognition" involves presidencies, chairmanships, and memberships in a variety of professional psychology societies and receiving a variety of honorary awards. "All 67 department in the sample which between 1895-1948 had granted at least 1 doctorate in psychology were analyzed by type of university control, geographic location, and length of time doctorates in psychology had been granted. Departments whose doctorates in psychology filled their predicted share or more than their share of positions of recognition were scored a plus, while departments whose doctorates filled less than their share, or no positions, were given a minus." A 3-page table of doctorates by department (1884-1948) achieving positions of professional recognition is provided. The "contemporary university does not project the image of its Great Men but of its outstanding departments." (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Values and Dilemma.

Replies to comments by Adelson and by Callahan (American Psychologist, 1960, 15, 269-270) on "Value-Orientations--An Ethical Dilemma" (see record 1961-00097-001). Adelson and Callahan propose contradictory solutions to the ethical dilemma. The former feels that the ethical dilemma is solved by empathizing and becoming more emotional, while the latter seems to believe that the solution is to become more rational. The original article was written to describe certain basic values. The value-orientations described need not characterize everyone perfectly. Rather, they are guidelines, which like degrees of latitude, are useful in comparing locations. The value-orientations the author describes are criteria which provide yardsticks for measuring human behavior. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

After Legislation--Comments and Rejoinders.

Karl C. Pratt comments that the issues so cogently stated by C. Deutsch ("After Legislation--What Price Psychology?"; American Psychologist, 1958, 13, 645-652) are fundamental and deserve consideration by our profession. Deutsch has clearly stated the case for a broader conception of the science of psychology than such legislation formalizes. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of Professional psychology in transition.

Reviews the book, Professional psychology in transition by Herbert D?rkin and Associates (see record 1986-97926-000). This edited volume is a must for at least two groups of psychologists in Canada: (1) those interested in expanding and strengthening their share of the psychological services market; and (2) those interested in the development of psychology as a profession. The book contains three sections. The first, entitled "Trends in the Profession," documents the nature, scope, and influence of psychology's 45,000 licensed psychologists in the US. Sections 2 and 3 move us closer to the Canadian experience. Section 2 focuses on training and practice issues, and should be read by all those who train professional psychologists. Section 3 deals with economics and competition and presents us with some intriguing glimpses of our future. The book is highly recommended. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Allan G. Barclay (1930-2006).

Presents an obituary for Allan G. Barclay. Allan G. Barclay, the consummate professional psychologist, was born in Masonville, Iowa, on December 22, 1930, and died at his home in St. Louis, Missouri, on February 2, 2006. He was predeceased by his second wife, Audrey Thaman. He is survived by his first wife, Betty Barclay, and by their two children, Lisa and Allan Barclay. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Intended Consequences.

Comments on Peterson's article (see record 2003-08988-002). The present author maintains that the National Council of Schools and Programs of Professional Psychology (NCSPP) has intentionally and systematically pursued quality and relevance in professional psychology training for nearly 30 years, and asserts that Peterson's article (2003) is a continuation of the old and unsupported claim for the superiority of professional programs based in research universities, and is particularly ill timed. It is further maintained that Schools of Education (professional schools housed primarily in research universities) are actively discussing the crisis of their growing lack of relevance to primary education in the United States, while Schools of Psychology are defining new and essential contributions to primary health care, legal and prison systems, and employment settings. It is also asserted that professional psychology programs housed in a great diversity of settings provide the best array of forums to conduct the necessary dialogues with the world regarding the relevance of psychology. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Introduction.

The three articles presented in this issue reflect different problems encountered by psychologists as each attempted to pursue a career. All three psychologists were trail blazers, developing new applications of psychological knowledge, and each faced different challenges. Stanley Moldawsky, a pioneer in the development of professional psychology, reflects on the establishment of a private practice in the 1950s. He shares how politics had to become an important concern in order to survive, gives us a glimpse of some of the hurdles that had to be crossed to establish a professional school in New Jersey, and impresses on us that professional psychology will grow only if we advocate for it. In contrast to Moldawsky, Jonathan Cummings' career was devoted to the application of clinical and counseling psychology to the medical-surgical areas of the health field. His career was focused on working in the Veterans Administration Hospital system, where he was the first psychologist who was assigned to work outside of the mental health area. Cummings' work was instrumental in the development of the field of health psychology and of the need to focus on the whole person when treating people in these settings. John Jackson, in his poignant essay, reflects on the upward climb of minorities into professional psychology. An African American, Jackson did not have the benefit of more recent civil rights legislation to assist his career. He reflects on his involvements with the American Psychological Association and how he perceives the role of minority psychologists within organized psychology. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)