Are there necessary linkages between research practices and the philosophy of science?

Describes articles by D. E. Polkinghorne (see record 1985-07630-001), G. S. Howard (see record 1985-07626-001), and M. J. Patton (see record 1985-07629-001), as representing healthy trends in a liberalizing of approaches to counseling psychology research. All 3 share the implicit position that narrow positivist dogma can be transcended in practice to address core issues of the person as active agent. They suggest that successful research practice does not need a direct infrastructure from the philosophy of science. Eclectic, diverse ways of knowing may be most useful. (20 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Reply to commentaries: Raising a new vision of higher education: Psychology and social issues.

Replies to the numerous comments (see cases 2007-09070-001, 2007-09071-001, 2007-09072-001, 2007-09073-001, and 2007-09074-001) made on the current author's original article (see record 2007-09069-001). The crisis in higher education is far more about psychology than it is about education, and appropriately so. "Crisis" is, after all, a term from personality and clinical psychology. Our interventions must be more akin to the cognitive restructuring of psychotherapy than to the experimental or scientific analysis of a substantive issue. We already understand well enough the education part. We have not yet acknowledged the psychological part and unleased the power of action-research that allows us to combine living and knowing in way which does not make them a mutually exclusive choice. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Constructivism and rational-emotive therapy: A critique of Richard Wessler's critique.

Agrees with R. L. Wessler's (see record 1994-06609-001) view that the theory of rational-emotive therapy is constructivist but takes issue with his view that its practice is still rationalist. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Framing the question: Psychoanalytic process, the unconscious, and home offices--An alternate perspective.

This essay is a personal reflection on articles by Karen Maroda (see record 2007-00135-012) and Robert Langs (see record 2007-00135-013) that concluded that home offices were an example of a self-serving and possibly unethical frame violation on the part of the therapist. In contradistinction to Maroda and Langs, I argue that such an approach misconceives the essence of psychoanalysis in both its practice and in its theory, particularly at issue is Langs' understanding of the unconscious. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Level of generality and clear thinking in theory construction and theory evaluation: Reply to Greenberg (1994) and Patton (1994).

L. S. Greenberg (see record 1994-38238-001) and M. J. Patton (see record 1994-38253-001) both address ambiguities in C. J. Gelso and J. A. Carter's (see record 1994-38236-001) theoretical propositions. In this reply, the issue of how general a theory ought to be in order to have maximal impact on research and practice is discussed. A number of Greenberg's assertions about Gelso and Carter's formulations are questioned. Research on complex constructs, for example, transference, is difficult but viable. The field should not shy away from such constructs because of definitional and measurement problems. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Addressing classism, extending multicultural competence, and serving the poor: Reply.

Replies to comments on "Psychotherapy, classism, and the poor: Conspicuous by their absence" (see record 2005-11834-002). In this article, the current author outlined what psychologists over the past four decades have had to say about the field's neglect of the poor in its research, practice, and theory. Characterizing this exclusion of the poor as a form of classist bias, she shared her experiences of confronting the results of this bias within her own work. In her commentary, Aronson (see record 2006-05893-011) offered some of her own experiences in working with poor clients. As Moyer (see record 2006-05893-012) asserted, nonprofit organizations that make mental health services available to the poor do indeed constitute welcome exceptions to the current author's statements regarding the mostly middle-class purview of psychological practice. Liu's (see record 2006-05893-013) comment illustrated the different and often complementary perspectives that emerge when one considers the same topic from different paradigmatic stances. Although much of the divergence between Liu's views and the current author's seems to be a manifestation of our differing emphases, the current author addresses a few points of frank disagreement, including the use of the word "classism." (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Competing paradigms for anorexia nervosa.

The current author comments on the articles from the April 2007 American Psychologist special issue on eating disorders. The current author states that the contributors to this special issue are to be commended for acknowledging lack of progress in understanding, classifying, and treating anorexia nervosa (AN). They highlighted the acute need to refine diagnosis (see record 2007-04834-004), understand comprehensive causal mechanisms to tune treatments and transcend "hodgepodge diagnoses" (see record 2007-04834-005), study functional neural circuits and link behavior with "genomic, cellular, and systems data" (see record 2007-04834-003), and develop effective treatments (see record 2007-04834-006). (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Comments: Techniques in Teaching Abnormal Psychology.

Author briefly addresses the statement by Eugene S. Mills (American Psychologist, 1955, 10, 74-78), (see record 1956-00173-001), suggesting that material in mental hygiene and abnormal psychology courses can be made more meaningful to the student by giving him contact with existing community facilities. Donald R. Brown, in the same issue (pp. 85-86), (see record 2005-07724-003), described a technique in which the student interprets his own personality test performances without knowing until afterwards that he had been analyzing his own protocol. He describes a technique which makes similar use of the student as his own subject, but which leaves room for the operation of defense mechanisms that had been used successfully at his university. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Is formative measurement really measurement? Reply to Bollen (2007) and Bagozzi (2007).

R. D. Howell, E. Breivik, and J. B. Wilcox (2007; see record 2007-07830-006) examined the use of formative measurement models in theory testing in the social sciences. K. A. Bollen (2007; see record 2007-07830-007) and R. P. Bagozzi (2007; see record 2007-07830-008) have provided comments on this work. In this article, the authors reply to the commentators and suggest that the conclusions reached in the original article and the basis for those conclusions remain sound. They address the issue of misspecification raised by Bollen (2007) and the alternative to their realist philosophy of measurement offered by Bagozzi (2007). They conclude that misspecification as construed by Bollen (2007) will typically be undetectable in practice and cannot be distinguished from interpretational confounding. This can result in substantively different constructs retaining the same name from study to study, hindering the accumulation of knowledge. They further conclude that traditional reflective measurement is a better option for researchers in theory testing. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Special Review: Some Recent Texts in Educational Psychology.

Reviews seven books on educational psychology. The first book reviewed is "Educational Psychology," by Glenn M. Blair R. Stewart Jones, and Ray H. Simpson (see record 1954-07938-000). The second book reviewed is "Principles of Educational Psychology," by W.D. Commins, and Barry Fagin (see record 1955-01422-000). The third book reviewed is "Educational Psychology," by Lee J. Cronbach (see record 1954-07941-000). The fourth book reviewed is "Psychology for Modern Education," by James L. Mursell (see record 1953-02945-000). The fifth book reviewed is "Introduction to Educational Psychology," by Clellen L. Morgan, H.H. Remmers, and Einer R. Ryden (see record 1954-08965-000). The sixth book reviewed is "Psychology in Teaching," by Henry P. Smith (see record 1955-01434-000). The last book reviewed is third edition of "Psychology in Education," by Herbert Sorenson (see record 1954-08966-000). Either explicitly or by implication, the authors are saying that the conceptual schemes that now hold the center of the stage in the laboratories are not, in their present stage of development, useful to them as educational psychologists, and that as a result they have had to develop and use others. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

A reply to Golland's "Politics of Leveling."

In "Psychoanalysis and Psychoanalytic therapy: Is There a Meaningful Distinction in the Process?" J. L. Fosshage (see record 1997-38544-006) reassessed, on the basis of theory, research, and practice, the extrinsic and intrinsic criteria for psychoanalysis and concluded, from today's perspective, that a meaningful distinction with psychoanalytic psychotherapy cannot be made. J. H. Golland (see record 1999-00333-007) coming from a classical psychoanalytic perspective, decried these conclusions about psychoanalysis and psychoanalytic psychotherapy. This article is a reply to Golland. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Special issue on leadership falls behind.

A special issue of the American Psychologist (January 2007) was devoted to leadership. The six articles, by W. Bennis (see record 2006-23492-002); S. J. Zaccaro (see record 2006-23492-003); V. H. Vroom and A. G. Yago (see record 2006-23492-004); B. J. Avolio (see record 2006-23492-005); R. J. Sternberg (see record 2006-23492-006); and R. J. Hackman and R. Wageman (see record 2006-23492-007), were written from an "industrial" perspective that places primary emphasis on positional leaders and their actions. Some readers of this series might conclude that the industrial model best explains leadership. It does not. The ecological perspective offers an alternative that deserves consideration. It is time to end the dominance of the industrial perspective. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Diversity and leadership.

Comments on the six articles contained in the special issue of the American Psychologist (January 2007) devoted to leadership, written by W. Bennis (see record 2006-23492-002); S. J. Zaccaro (see record 2006-23492-003); V. H. Vroom and A. G. Yago (see record 2006-23492-004); B. J. Avolio (see record 2006-23492-005); R. J. Sternberg (see record 2006-23492-006); and R. J. Hackman and R. Wageman (see record 2006-23492-007). The current authors express concern that the special issue failed to include attention to issues of diversity and intersecting identities as they pertain to leadership. A Special Issue Part II on Diversity and Leadership is being proposed to (a) advance new models of leadership, (b) expand on existing leadership theories, and (c) incorporate diversity and multiple identities in the formulation of more inclusive leadership research and theory. The goal of this special issue will be to revise our theories of leadership and our understanding of effective leadership to include gender, racial/ethnic minority status, sexual orientation, and disability status. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Intrapsychic intersubjective conflict and defense in modern Freudian theory: A response to Stolorow (2005).

Stolorow (see record 2005-01622-017) objected to my stating in my discussion of signal anxiety--the modern Freudian notion of conflict--(Shill, see record 2004-11107-008) that intersubjective psychoanalysis does not address conflict "at all." Instead of addressing the issue of intrapsychic conflict, which is the actual focus of my article and the context of my comment, Stolorow counters with his own "vocabulary" of conflict that is confusing and vague. Stolorow rejects the notion of intrapsychically generated conflict and "the intrapsychic" because he focuses exclusively on the intersubjective aspects of conflict and does not consider that, in the last instance, psychological conflict is always internal and intrinsic to the manner in which the mind functions. By contrast, contemporary Freudian conflict theory--signal anxiety theory--is an intrapsychic, intersubjective theory in which the ego rehearses the feared scenario unconsciously in fantasy--intersubjective in nature--and triggers a defensive response aimed at quelling or at least mitigating the signal anxiety being experienced. Signal anxiety is a hypothetical construct and its operation refers to subjectively experienced affect states in an intrapsychic intersubjective conflict. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

More on evolution and psychology.

Comments on the critiques of Tryon (2009a, this issue) (see record 2009-18110-013) and Cunningham (2009, this issue) (see record 2009-18110-014). These critiques provide an interesting contrast: one favoring greater reductionism and one favoring less. I consider each in turn. Tryon (2009a) again has addressed the issue of mechanisms in these pages (cf. Tryon, 2009b). The concepts of function and mechanism are two of the most slippery in the biological sciences. One approach to this problem is to suggest that one person’s mechanism is another person’s function. The real issue may be the level of reductionism that is appropriate for the issue at hand. Cunningham (2009) presented many misunderstandings and misrepresentations of the current state and history of evolutionary theory. First, psychologists and biologists have not been taking Darwinian theories for granted. There is a long history of questioning and refinement of Darwin’s proposals. As I noted in my article (Dewsbury, February–March 2009, p. 68) (see record 2009-01602-013), evolutionary theory is indeed “just” a theory, but it is a dynamic one that is supported by a massive body of evidence. Theories cannot be proven in principle. the unifying theory of all of the biological sciences, has played and can continue to play an important, though surely not the only, part in developing a balanced and comprehensive understanding of humans. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Beyond symbolizing: A response to Bornstein’s review.

Responds to the review by R. F. Bornstein (see record 2010-02522-001) on the current author's book, "Psychoanalysis and cognitive science: A multiple code theory" (see record 1997-08863-000). Although there is not much that Bornstein says with which Bucci can disagree, she responds specifically to a few of Bornstein's points and adds a few that he does not include. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Reply to Einhorn.

Responds to D. Einhorn's (see record 1986-26897-001) comments on the present authors' (see record 1986-11382-001) critique on moral development vs socialization by defending the importance of societalist and individualist analyses and by addressing Einborn's suggestion that the present authors abandon their eclecticism and take issue with the "criticism" of Kohlberg, which implies that Stages 3 and 4 should be viewed more favorably because those stages only involve "mindlessly obeying the letter of the law." (7 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The vitality of old ideas.

Responds to the comments of N. Shpancer (see record 1998-00006-001), R. L. Richmond (see record 1998-00005-001), and J. R. Browning (see record 85-00001) on the article of J. Kagan (see record 83-35876) that discusses the psychological assumptions of: the influence of early experience, the generalizability of psychological processes, the primacy of sensory pleasure, and the issue of the relevance of animal studies and language to the human mind. Addressing Shpancer, Kagan reaffirms his stance on the assumption of the influential nature of early experience, by referencing the February 3, 1997, issue of Time magazine in which there appeared a supportive article entitled "How a Child's Brain Develops." Kagan agrees with Richmond's suggestion that language is unique to the human condition, however, he suggests that human guilt and shame are probably more relevant. Finally, Kagan addresses Browning's suggestion that self-esteem is a motivational variable in social psychology by noting that one cannot know if a behavior does maintain or increase a person's self esteem. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Leadership and attachment theory.

Comments on the six articles contained in the special issue of the American Psychologist (January 2007) devoted to leadership, written by W. Bennis (see record 2006-23492-002); S. J. Zaccaro (see record 2006-23492-003); V. H. Vroom and A. G. Yago (see record 2006-23492-004); B. J. Avolio (see record 2006-23492-005); R. J. Sternberg (see record 2006-23492-006); and R. J. Hackman and R. Wageman (see record 2006-23492-007). The current authors opine that the inclusion of attachment theory in the study of leadership could strengthen leadership theories as a whole. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Bias in defining test bias: Reply to Darlington.

Argues that R. B. Darlington's response (see record 1979-22558-001) to the present authors' original criticism (see record 1977-20109-001) is not satisfactory. It is suggested that Darlington's "rational" viewpoint cannot reconcile the issue of individual rights vs quotas and that his contention that the present authors' article was contradictory is incorrect. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)