"If I had it to do over again...": Midlife review, midcourse corrections, and women's well-being in midlife.

Regrets about early adult life choices, expressed in midlife, are examined as a source of motivation for life changes in later midlife in 2 samples of women. Replicated findings with longitudinal data indicate that regret motivates goal setting but is not associated with actually making desired life changes. In both samples, women who had regrets about early adult life choices but did not make relevant life changes were lower in later well-being than both women with regrets who did make such changes and women without regrets. Compared with women who transformed regrets into life changes, women who did not were lower in effective instrumentality and higher in rumination, though they did not appear to face more barriers to change. Analyses with longitudinal data indicated that both rumination and effective instrumentality mediated the relationship between regret and well-being for women who did not translate regret into life changes. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Ethical and professional issues in sex therapy: Comments on Bailey's "Psychotherapy or massage parlor technology?"

Responds to K. G. Bailey's (see record 1979-26555-001) discussion of ethical issues in sex therapy. Sex therapy should be conducted by a skilled therapist who is sensitive to the professional and ethical issues that are inherent in treatment. Potentially adverse side effects of therapy should be continually assessed. To date, however, the findings from sex therapy, including the A. M. Zeiss et al (see record 1978-01520-001) procedure show predominantly positive consequences. It is imperative that the fully informed client have decision-making primacy in setting treatment goals. Value-free therapy does not exist, and therapists must be careful not to impose their own personal biases. The principle of the least intrusive treatment alternative and the nature of intrusiveness are discussed. (37 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

On pseudoscience in science, logic in remission, and psychiatric diagnosis: A critique of Rosenhan's "On being sane in insane places".

Argues that D. L. Rosenhan's (see record 1973-21600-001) report on normal persons who posed as psychiatric patients is pseudoscience presented as science. Just as his pseudopatients were diagnosed at discharge as "schizophrenia in remission," so a careful examination of this study's methods, results, and conclusion leads to a diagnosis of "logic in remission." Rosenhan's study proves that pseudopatients are not detected by psychiatrists as having simulated signs of mental illness. This rather unremarkable finding is not relevant to the real problems of the reliability and validity of psychiatric diagnosis and only serves to obscure them. A correct interpretation of these data contradicts the conclusions that were drawn. In the setting of a psychiatric hospital, psychiatrists seem remarkably able to distinguish the "sane" from the "insane." (19 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

"Learned helplessness" or "learned incompetence"?

Most experiments on learned helplessness (LH) have not dissociated contingency from success, a procedure that has led to the belief that uncontrollability (noncontingency) is the determining feature of LH. Actually, it is not clear whether uncontrollability or failure is responsible for the LH effect, nor is it clear which of these 2 factors would be sufficient to induce the deficits found. This confusion was examined in the present 2 experiments with 80 undergraduates, who completed Rotter's Internal–External Locus of Control Scale, a pretreatment task (a concept formation task in Exp I and a task based on the Revised Minnesota Paper Form Board Test in Exp II), and an aftereffect task (Stroop Color–Word Test). Results suggest that uncontrollability is not a necessary or sufficient condition for producing LH. Both contingent and noncontingent Ss who experienced failure in a pretreatment task subsequently displayed deficits on tasks that did not require a problem-solving strategy. Noncontingent Ss who experienced success did not show performance decrement. It is proposed that "learned incompetence" may better account for what is experienced in this type of experiment. (French summary) (18 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Deceiving ourselves about deception: Comment on Smith and Richardson's "Amelioration of deception and harm in psychological research."

Comments on the conclusions of S. S. Smith and D. Richardson (see record 1984-00117-001) that research Ss who had been deceived evaluated their participation more favorably than Ss who had not been deceived and that effective debriefing eliminated negative effects perceived by Ss who felt they had been harmed. It is suggested that the data they present do not support these conclusions. Although the effect of deceptive studies needs to be researched, the case presented by Smith and Richardson is weak. (3 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

"She," "He," Coexistence, and Bastardy.

Before proposing a solution for the sex bias problems inherent in the generic use of the pronoun he, Spencer (see record 1990-58427-001) reviews some efforts to solve the problem. The attempted solutions are evaluated as "not an improvement ... awkward... jarring ... disturbing" (p. 782), In one case, Spencer notes that coauthors of a book "slip up" twice. To avoid the difficulties and the accompanying unpleasant experiences, Spencer suggests the use of co: "The form is derived from an old Indo-European common form for both male and female English pronouns" (p. 783). While arguing for the "goodness of fit" (p. 783) of co. Spencer acknowledges that "there is currently one exception in our language to this meaning of co-coed, in which the form has been bastardized and debased from its source" (p. 783). A clinical psychologist is assuredly not an expert in psycholinguistics, but one could reasonably argue the following: The concept of bastardy with all of its connotative meaning, including debased, derives from patriarchal, patrilineal, male primary societies and history. In short, it is a sexist concept. Ours is a difficult language to use and avoid the expression of bias. Perhaps we ought to be gentler with those who are trying. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Locus of control and "pseudovolunteering."

Possible bias in social science research is of increasing importance because of the use of volunteer Ss. The present results with 51 college students suggest that a volunteer population ( n = 39) may be an even more select group than previously thought, since they were different from those Ss ( n = 12) who initially volunteered but did not complete their participation in the research project (pseudovolunteers). With respect to Rotter's Internal-External Control Scale, pseudovolunteers were significantly more external in orientation than true volunteers. The implications of using volunteer populations, particularly in relation to the generalizability of results, are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Defining "impaired psychologist."

Contends that D. Laliotis and J. Grayson (see record 1985-31888-001) have failed to provide a definition of the term impaired that would translate into rational policies that serve the best interests of the public and the psychological community. It is suggested that impairment and incompetence must be differentiated to distinguish between psychologists who have provided inadequate professional service and those who are at risk for doing so. (3 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

"Balance of power": A transactional analysis of control in mother-child dyads involving socially competent, aggressive, and anxious children.

The authors compared mother-to-child and child-to-mother control exchanges in dyads involving socially competent, aggressive, and anxious children (aged 2.5–6.5 years) observed in a laboratory setting. Competent children and their mothers influenced each other positively and reciprocally, making prudent use of control exchanges and setting firm limits to coercive attempts. Aggressive children and their mothers were relatively positive, but children made regular use of coercive control and mothers responded indiscriminately and failed to oppose more extreme forms of coercion. Anxious children and their mothers were generally aversive: mothers attempted to control their children by being coercive and unresponsive, and children tried to manage their mothers by being resistant and coercive. Results show that young children are active agents who influence and are influenced by their relationship with their mother and who behave—across contexts and with different social partners—in ways that reflect this relationship. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

"Humanistic" Psychologists.

Having successfully initiated the petition for the establishment of the Division of Humanistic Psychology within APA, I was intrigued by Michael Wertheimer's (see record 1979-22531-001) conclusion that the use of the label humanistic to differentiate this type of psychology from all the rest is unnecessary-particularly since I have arrived at a similar conclusion myself. Outside the APA, many of those who are currently calling themselves "humanistic psychologists" are not really psychologists at all; and the movement seems to be primarily made up of hucksters, charlatans, and perennial therapy shoppers eager to sample the latest far-out techniques--along with a few diehard members of the counterculture left over from the 1960s who are still trying to learn how to be bigger and better hippies. Within APA itself, what is frequently perceived as ideological discrimination is primarily the result of a lack of sufficient intellectual rigor. This in turn has led to the development of a cultic, "us-versus-them" attitude that tends to confuse eccentricity with creativity and to substitute in-group loyalty for the pursuit of excellence. Whatever the situation may have been in the past, humanistic psychology, like Gestalt psychology, may certainly be included in the mainstream of psychological thought today. Henceforth, I shall be happy to think of myself as merely a psychologist, without any identifying ideological label. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Victimized by "victims": A taxonomy of antecedents of false complaints against psychotherapists.

Widespread sympathy for patients who have been victims of abuse perpetrated by predatory psychologists may obscure the possibility that some purported victims fabricate or distort their claims. Civil courts or licensing boards might be used by purported victims to further a variety of personal agendas that involve false claims against psychologists. Anecdotal reports of 6 antecedents of such claims are presented. It is hoped that this discussion will increase awareness by peers and by those involved with relevant litigation that false, but credible, claims of negligence, predation, and malpractice not only are possible but may serve a number of emotional and practical needs on the part of the accuser. Psychologists and those who adjudicate such claims are urged to be wary that the purported victim may be himself or herself the predator. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

"The role of context in interpreting facial expression:" Reply to Ekman and O'Sullivan.

We are not the extremists Ekman and O'Sullivan (1988) assume. Much, but not all, of the apparent disagreement evaporates once misunderstandings are cleared up. They offer no alternative explanation for our findings, which thus remain a challenge to those who think of the perception of emotion in facial expressions as accurate and absolute rather than as relative to the perceptual context. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

"Training group members to set session agendas: Effects on in-session behavior and member outcome": Correction to Kivlighan, Jauquet, Hardie, Francis, and Hershberger.

Reports an error in "Training group members to set session agendas: Effects on in-session behavior and member outcome" by Dennis M. Kivlighan, Carol A. Jauquet, Anne W. Hardie, Anna Maria Francis and Bernard Hershberger (Journal of Counseling Psychology, 1993[Apr], Vol 40[2], 182-187). In Table 4 (p. 186) the values for the means and standard deviations in the second, third, and fourth rows of the "Agenda setting" column were transposed with those in the "No contact" column. The corrected table is presented in this erratum. (The following abstract of the original article appeared in record 1993-26598-001.) Addressed I. D. Yalom's (1983) hypothesis that group members who set session agendas would participate more effectively in group sessions and have enhanced outcomes. The independent variable, agenda, was manipulated by assigning the 24 members of established personal growth groups to 1 of 3 conditions: (1) training in agenda setting, (2) stabilizing interviews, and (3) no-contact control. Group members filled out pre- and posttest measures of enactments of intimate behaviors and attitudes toward these enactments. They also filled out self- and other ratings of in-group enactments of intimate behaviors, and group leaders rated group members' intimate behavior at the end of each group session. Group members who set here-and-now session agendas enacted more in-group intimate behaviors and had better outcomes. Implications of these results and suggestions for group counseling are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

A critique of Bem's "Exotic Becomes Erotic" theory of sexual orientation.

Two critiques of D. J. Bem's (see record 1996-01742-006) "Exotic Becomes Erotic" (EBE) theory of sexual orientation are presented. First, the core proposition of EBE theory is considered; that is, the idea that adults are erotically attracted to the gender-based class of peers (males or females) who were dissimilar or unfamiliar to them in childhood. Studies cited by Bem and additional research show that EBE theory is not supported by scientific evidence. Second, Bem's claim that his theory applies equally to both sexes is questioned; instead the argument that it neglects and misrepresents women's experiences is made. Bem's conceptualization of erotic desire and his analysis of gender nonconformity illustrate this problem. It is suggested that different theories may be needed to explain the development of men's and women's sexual orientation. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Addendum to "Consciousness."

The author extends his previous discussion (see record 1979-22877-001) to encompass the role of a concept of awareness in each of 7 ordinary concepts of consciousness: joint or mutual knowledge, internal knowledge or conviction, awareness, direct awareness, personal unity, normal waking state, and double consciousness. In each case, the crucial involvement of a certain concept of awareness is brought out and references are included of authors who have used similar scientific concepts that implicate the same concept of awareness. (15 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Comment on Widiger and Rorer's "The responsible psychotherapist."

Contends that T. A. Widiger and L. G. Rorer (see record 1984-29794-001) are vulnerable to the criticism that a misunderstanding occurred because of faulty analysis. The doctrine of informed consent has developed out of the application of the basic legal and ethical practices of citizens in the treatment relationship. It is argued that Widiger and Rorer failed to discuss rights and responsibilities as dialectical processes, juxtaposed ethical and effective therapy, and implied that evidence establishes that one or another therapeutic model is so superior that a defense can be made about setting aside basic rights and responsibilities when a person assumes the role of patient. (2 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

On selection and "deselection."

While N. Hirschberg and S. Itkin (see record 1979-27229-001) assume that the key to increasing the number of students who complete doctoral programs in psychology is more accurate selection, the percentage of students who complete these programs could be increased by examining the interpersonal processes of graduate programs in as much detail as the intrapsychic structures of students. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Reply to Spitzer's "Politics–science dichotomy syndrome."

Comments that R. L. Spitzer's (see record 1986-11896-001) reply to the present author's (see record 1986-11891-001) presentation on the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-III) and the politics of truth was like looking into a fractured mirror. The present author contends that Spitzer's objections to the definition of politics, his characterization of what was not included as "overlooked," and his insistence that a politics–science dichotomy has been presented are mistaken. It is suggested that Spitzer's treatment of the present author's efforts to elucidate the situation may illustrate difficulties akin to those addressed with regard to the DSM-III. (3 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The founding of the Psychological Laboratory, University College London: "Dear Galton…Yours truly, J Sully."

The events leading up to the founding of the Psychological Laboratory at University College London are examined in the light of correspondence from James Sully to Francis Galton. The correspondence reveals the dependence of Sully on Galton for detailed advice at every stage of the process, possible reasons for which are discussed. It also provides sufficient clues to enable identification of a hitherto anonymous donor. Although Galton may have inspired and advised on the initial setting up of the laboratory, his influence on its work did not become apparent until after his death. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

A comment on Tolman's "Metatheoretical constructivism."

Clarifies and corrects misunderstandings of J. R. Royce's (see record 1980-20063-001) article on theory construction in psychology as interpreted by C. Tolman (1980) in his critique of metatheoretical constructivism. Epistemological points to be refuted in Tolman's article are also presented. (French abstract) (18 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)