Methodological comments on "Teaching thinking skills."

Comments that the study by R. J. Herrnstein et al (see record 1987-08654-001), though important for both educational psychology and teaching, has flaws in design and analysis of data. A reanalysis of the data is recommended. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The new causal principle of cognitive learning theory: Perspectives on Bandura's "reciprocal determinism."

In conceptualizing person–environment interaction, A. Bandura (see record 1979-08427-001) contended that the traditional view of unidirectional causation had to be abandoned in favor of what he called "reciprocal determinism." It is argued that the unidirectional account can be made to work in the cases that Bandura cited and that the criticisms of the neo-Hegelian view of causation can also be applied to Bandura's arguments. In addition, in his Social Learning Theory (1977), Bandura stressed the history of the interaction between a person and the environment, and here "reciprocal determinism" is a misleading expression. (16 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Magical thinking about illness virulence: Conceptions of germs from "safe" versus "dangerous" others.

AIDS-related research has documented overreactions to casual contact and underreactions to sexual risk. This contradiction is explained by "magical contagion," a principle of thinking common in traditional societies, wherein contagion is considered socially discriminating, such that harmfulness depends on the nature of the relationship between source and recipient. In Study 1, 100 undergraduate participants drew germs described as their own, a stranger's, their lover's, or a disliked peer's. Lovers' germs were depicted as less threatening than disliked peers' germs. In Study 2, scenarios described contact with a flu-infected lover, stranger, or disliked peer. New undergraduate participants (N?=?133) rated how likely they were to become ill and how severely. Although likelihood ratings did not differ, severity ratings followed a linear trend, effects of lover contact being least severe and contact with disliked peer most severe. Behavioral implications of the blurring of feelings about germ source with estimates of germ virulence are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

"If only I weren't" versus "If only I hadn't": Distinguishing shame and guilt in conterfactual thinking.

Examined the role of counterfactual thinking in 2 emotions: shame and guilt. In 1 series of studies, Ss read about situations evocative of shame and guilt or described personal experiences of guilt or shame. They then generated counterfactual alternatives to "undo" the distressing outcomes. Consistent with predictions derived from J. P. Tangney (see record 1992-05447-001), Ss tended to undo shame situations by altering qualities of the self and to undo guilt situations by altering actions. In a 2nd series of studies, Ss imagined themselves in a situation that could evoke either guilt or shame. Ss were then led to mutate the self or behavior to undo the situation. Mutation manipulations amplified shame and guilt such that the former Ss anticipated feeling greater shame, whereas the latter anticipated feeling greater guilt. The role of counterfactual thinking in specific emotions and in differentiating shame and guilt-prone personalities is discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The use of differentiation and integration processes: Empirical studies of "separate" and "connected" ways of thinking.

Two studies investigated the prediction that differentiation would be used by individuals concerned with separateness, personal agency, and power, whereas integration would be used by individuals concerned with relatedness, interpersonal communion, and intimacy. In Exp 1, women who reexperienced a personal event linked to communal issues used more integration (relative to differentiation) when evaluating target persons than did men who reexperienced a personal event linked to agency. Exp 2 demonstrated that in situations that were congruent with their motives, intimacy-motivated women and men used more integration (relative to differentiation) when evaluating target persons than did power-motivated men and women. Findings suggest that differentiation and integration may serve different and specific functions related to the concerns of individuals in particular social contexts. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Management "Style."

Some search committees ask applicants to send along with application, resume, references, and so forth a brief statement, not over a few paragraphs, on one's "management style." When I first heard that, I wished desperately to know what some other, any other, psychologist had done. In that spirit, I offer some notes. I do not think it will help in getting appointments. I do not think any responses to such questions do. Perhaps, though, with a little correspondence, psychologists could work out a standard little statement that everyone could copy and send as representing his or her views. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Defining "addiction."

For centuries, the word "addiction" meant being "given over" or devoted to something. However, the 19th century temperance and anti-opium movements used it in a more restrictive way, linking "addiction" to drugs, to illness or vice, and to withdrawal symptoms and tolerance. Both the traditional and restrictive meanings survived into the present. In the ensuing uncertainty about its meaning, some authorities now wish to replace "addiction" with substitute terms like "drug dependence", "substance abuse", etc. We hope to show that the term "addiction" is too valuable to discard. Its traditional sense designates the profoundly important, albeit sometimes harmful, capacity of people to become "given over." On the other hand, the restrictive meaning refers only to a special case, which is defined arbitrarily and inconsistently. It is outmoded because of these problems. The traditional meaning remains useful, but can be improved by clarifying the distinction between "positive" and "negative" addictions originally proposed by Glasser (1976). (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Beyond "competing," beyond "compatible." Commentary on J. Archer.

Comments on J. Archer's 1996 article in which he considers whether observed patterns of sex differences in human social behavior are best explained by social role theory or by the evolutionary principles of Darwinian theory. The author believes that Archer's conclusion that the 2 theories are actually compatible is important and is concerned that such a valuable conclusion may be lost to discussions over the rest of the article. The author argues several points made in the original article and then concludes that Darwinian and cultural perspectives on human sex differences are not opposing theories, nor are they merely compatible but instead are necessarily interdependent. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

"Know thyself."

Explores the understanding of selfhood as a central concern of psychology, the science of human experience. The conscious self defines human beings, fosters socialization, and, to a great extent, determines behavior. The achievement of a mature self-concept is viewed as a developmental process reflecting social experience as well as personal integration. Some implications of the self-concept are considered in relation to the family system, parenting, psychopathology, psychotherapy, and "the promotion of the public welfare." (9 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Determining neuropsychological "strengths" and "weaknesses" on the Luria-Nebraska: Good practice or wishful thinking?

Comments on the proposal by C. R. Reynolds (see record 1982-27041-001) that strengths and weaknesses can be determined statistically from patient profiles on the Luria-Nebraska Neuropsychological Battery. The present authors contend that this proposal is inappropriate because it assumes that construct validity exists for each scale. It is suggested that inappropriate methods of test interpretation should be avoided. (11 ref) (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)     

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)     

Concerning "residual subjectivity."

Further considers residual subjectivity in response to a critique by T. C. Hein (1979) of an earlier analysis of consciousness (T. Natsoulas, see record 1979-22877-001). The author proposed that it is possible to know by objective means all there is to be known about an experience. Such knowledge, however, is anchored by a residual subjectivity that stems from one's first-hand contact with and knowledge of that experience. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Schools of "thought."

Challenges J. Wolpe's (see record 1979-12261-001) assertion that cognitive (COG) formulations add little to an adequate understanding and treatment of psychological disorders. Conceptual and empirical issues are addressed. Although COG therapies may not be unequivocally superior to other methods, preliminary data suggest that COG approaches may contribute to the clinical effectiveness of psychological or behavioral treatments. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

"Psychotherapy" Versus "Treatment".

Presents a comment on "Psychological treatments" (see record 2004-21168-001) by D. H. Barlow. Barlow proposed that we distinguish between the terms "treatment" and "psychotherapy." The author believes that not only is the distinction unnecessary, but that its implications could have negative consequences for the field of clinical psychology. It is the proposed distinguishing feature that treatments are "specifically tailored to the pathological process that is causing the impairment and distress" that is most problematic. Clinical psychology does not need a distinction that further exacerbates the split between researchers and practitioners. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

What Mahoney "knows."

Criticizes M. J. Mahoney (see record 1990-03226-001) for presenting facts about and arguments against behavior analysis (BAN) as though they were context free. This is ironic in light of his own wrongly placed criticism of BAN for being objectivist in epistemology. (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)     

A "humanistic alternative" to "Political ethics."

Challenges E. Gologor's (1978) contention that research concerning positive characteristics of people might be disruptive, as it could be discovered that people possess considerable potential for evil. A paradigm is presented that allows an objective evaluation of the effects of deception-disclosure on a given psychological phenomenon or procedure. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

"Identifying the complexities within clients' thinking and decision making": Response to Heppner.

Agrees with P. P. Heppner (see record 1989-27164-001) that counseling needs to enhance its capacity to empower clients, in spite of the uncertainty of the future. Accepting the uncertainty will be the 1st step. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

On Locke's "Revision" of "Job satisfaction reconsidered."

Responds to comments by E. A. Locke (1978) on W. R. Nord's (see record 1978-30586-001) discussion of assumptions underlying job satisfaction research. Locke's comments are said to be a distortion of the original article; however, issues raised by Locke's comments are discussed, including the attention given to the extrinsic reward of pay. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)