Prescriptive authority in the face of research revelations.

Fox and his colleagues (May–June 2009) listed three occurrences beginning in the 1980s that have dampened psychologists’ desires to procure the right to prescribe psychotropic medications. That research review highlighted the fact that antidepressants produce a very modest effect at best when compared with placebos. I briefly summarize here some of the important findings that emerged from our original survey and two more recent reviews (Greenberg & Davis Goldman, 2009; Greenberg & Fisher, 1997). (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of Handbook of clinical psychopharmacology for therapists.

Reviews the book, Handbook of clinical psychopharmacology for therapists by J. Preston, J. H. O'Neal, and M. C. Talaga (1994). This text is an extremely well-written, carefully organized, and practical volume that is entirely suitable for its stated purpose. The authors comment in their Introduction that their book is "intended primarily for mental health professionals and those in graduate training in psychology, social work, and counseling (p. 3)." The Handbook is organized around the DSM-IV and the attendant conception of mental disorders as having either an explicit or implicit biological basis. The authors do a sound job of specifying typical treatment regimens among the psychotropics, and they also cover the many marginal clinical circumstances which justify moving away from conventional treatment plans. The text is especially strong in addressing some augmentation strategies for treatment refractory mood disorders, the newer or "atypical" anti-psychotics, and utilization of the very flexible and utilitarian Selective Serotonin Re-uptake Inhibitors (SSRI's), such as fluoxetine (Prozac). This volume is especially recommended to two groups of users. The first are graduate-level instructors who are seeking a broad-based, informative, and practical text to introduce students to the burgeoning field of psychopharmacology. The second group of utilizers should be practicing clinicians, who need either to review or to update basic concepts in psychopharmacology as they interface with patients on a daily basis. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Effects of trial complexity on decision making.

The ability of a civil jury to render fair and rational decisions in complex trials has been questioned. However, the nature, dimensions, and effects of trial complexity on decision making have rarely been addressed. In this research, jury-eligible adults saw a videotape of a complex civil trial that varied in information load and complexity of the language of the witnesses. Information load and complexity differentially affected liability and compensatory decisions. An increase in the number of plaintiffs decreased blameworthiness assigned to the defendant despite contrary evidence and amount of probative evidence processed. Complex language did not affect memory but did affect jurors' ability to appropriately compensate differentially worthy plaintiffs. Jurors assigned compensatory awards commensurate with the plaintiffs' injuries only under low-load and less complex language conditions. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Some speculations concerning the selection of clinical psychologists.

The author makes the point that clinical work and scientific research require different intellectual orientations on the part of the psychologist. The ability to be effective and feel comfortable when assuming either attitude is a trait to look for in the selection of clinical psychologists. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

A note on the training of clinical and counseling psychologists.

"In June of 1958, letters were sent to the department chairmen of the 24 institutions approved by the APA Education and Training Board to train PhD psychologists in both the clinical and counseling specialties… . One-third of the 24 institutions are known to differentiate definitely in course requirements between the two specialties, while only one-eight are known to differentiate definitely in the preliminary examinations used for the two specialties… . Only three of the institutions definitely differentiate between the specialties in terms of both course requirements and preliminary examinations… . it seems obvious that little differentiation is being made between the two specialties in our major training institutions even though these institutions are approved to train for each of the specialties." (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Explanation-based decision making: Effects of memory structure on judgment.

This article reports research that supports an explanation-based model of decision making applied to judicial decisions. In Experiment 1, recognition memory responses demonstrated that subjects spontaneously evaluated evidence in a legal judgment task by constructing an explanatory representation in the form of a narrative story. Furthermore, an item's membership in the story associated with the chosen or rejected verdict predicted subjects' ratings of its importance as evidence. In Experiment 2, subjects listened to evidence from criminal trials presented in various orders designed to manipulate the ease with which a particular explanatory summary of the evidence (story) could be constructed. The order manipulation shifted verdict choices in the direction of the more easily constructed story, implying that story structure causes decisions. In addition, the coherence of the explanatory story structure and the strength of alternative stories were major determinants of perceptions of strength of evidence and of confidence in the decision. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Effects of inconsistencies in eyewitness testimony on mock-juror decision making.

In attempting to impeach an eyewitness, attorneys often highlight inconsistencies in the eyewitness's recall. This study examined the differential impact of types of inconsistent testimony on mock juror decisions. Participants viewed 1 of 4 versions of a videotaped trial in which the primary evidence against the defendant was the testimony of the eyewitness. The types of inconsistent statements given by the eyewitness in the 4 versions were manipulated: (a) consistent testimony, (b) information given on the stand but not during the pretrial investigation, (c) contradictions between on-the-stand and pretrial statements, and (d) contradictions made on the stand. Participants exposed to any form of inconsistent testimony were less likely to convict and found the defendant less culpable and the eyewitness less effective. These effects were larger for contradictions than for information given on the stand but not during pretrial investigations. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Conflict of commitment in clinical research.

Some aspects of the problem of research in a psychological or psychiatric clinic are explored. "History leaves little doubt that, so far as we are scientific, we must push for further analysis of our data. At the same time the clinical commitment to the whole person is also irrevocable. The conflict of commitment appears to be an inevitable feature of clinical research. By making psychologists and psychiatrists aware of the inevitability and historical origins of the conflict, one may hope to avoid some of the more unfortunate of its possible manifestations." Major sections are: Research manifestations." Major sections are: Research commitment, Clinical commitment—whole childism, Darwin versus Lamarch—being versus becoming, Lamarckian philosophy in the clinic, Independence of errors, and Function versus ontology. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Effects of anticipatory stress on decision making in a gambling task.

Recent research has highlighted the fact that emotion that is intrinsic to a task benefits decision making. The authors tested the converse hypothesis, that unrelated emotion disrupts decision making. Participants played the Iowa Gambling Task, during which only experimental participants anticipated giving a public speech (A. Bechara, D. Tranel, & H. Damasio, 2000). Experimental participants who were anticipating the speech learned the contingencies of the choices more slowly, and there was a gender interaction later in the game, with stressed female participants having more explicit knowledge and more advantageous performance and stressed male participants having poorer explicit knowledge and less advantageous performance. Effects of anticipatory stress on decision making are complex and depend on both the nature of the task and the individual. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Where have all the students gone? Positions of psychologists trained in clinical/services programs.

This article presents a variety of findings derived from two outcome studies of psychologists who received their doctorates from clinical/services training programs supported by the National Institute of Mental Health in the years 1968-1980. Comparative data are presented regarding the initial positions and geographical distribution of graduates during this period. Despite some erosion in the market for academic faculty positions, the results show a consistent and extraordinary degree of employment consonant with training and virtually no unemployment. Two thirds of the graduates have jobs in a range of organized settings for service, and over 22% of the remainder are in academic or research positions. The most recent study enables analyses of certain factors influencing the initial location of graduates. Particular attention is paid to three topics of national concern. Criteria are developed for designating rural/small town service providers, and evidence is presented showing that programmatic implementation of this priority in training yields results. The issue of clinical research is discussed; the scope of such research and the extent to which students may be engaged in it are examined. Data are provided on the recruitment of minority students, and factors affecting minority student retention and completion of training are discussed. Outcomes of master's-level training programs are presented separately, and characteristics of training at that level are contrasted with those in doctoral programs. In a concluding section, the findings are discussed in the context of changes in psychology graduate education during the past generation, some current value dilemmas that affect education are explored, and certain implications of the revised national policies for support of clinical training in mental health are reviewed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Conference on the professional preparation of clinical psychologists: Progress report II.

The conference will begin an August 27 and end September 1 in Chicago prior to the APA meetings. "It is expected that a total of approximately 80 participants and Os will attend. The major work of the conference will be carried out in 8 groups of about 10 persons each." The 80 participants and 8 recorders are listed; also listed are the "Psychology Groups" invited to send Os. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Effects of uncontrollability on subsequent decision making: Testing the cognitive exhaustion hypothesis.

The cognitive exhaustion model of helplessness (predicting withdrawal from constructive effortful processing after uncontrollability) was applied to decision making. After unsolvable problems (or no preexposure), Ss requested information from a matrix with 5 alternatives (films)?×?10 attributes and then chose the best film. Films in a set were either similar (difficult decision) or dissimilar (easy decision) in attractiveness. As predicted, Ss with an uncontrollable preexposure spent less time on predecisional information search, disregarded their own importance criteria when asking for information, and had attention highly focused on a selected option for the easy decision condition but diffused across options for the difficult decision condition. The implications of these findings for understanding cognitive mechanisms of learned helplessness and depression are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Effects of member participation and commitment in group decision making on influence, satisfaction, and decision riskiness.

Divided 120 psychology students into 40 3-member groups assigned to discuss structured decision issues. Participation in only 1 of 3 decision-making phases (generation, evaluation, or choice) constituted partial participation, in contrast to complete participation. Group members were committed or not committed to carrying out the decisions reached. Results indicate that perceived intragroup influence and satisfaction were greatest with complete participation. With partial participation, influence and satisfaction were greatest in the choice phase. Although perceived influence was greater under commitment conditions, satisfaction was greater under noncommitment conditions. Decision riskiness was affected by neither treatment. (17 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Effects of decision making by group members on recall of finished and unfinished tasks.

The hypothesis is suggested that as a result of decision making, motivational energy tends to be channeled into action which may be indexed by the tendency to recall unfinished tasks; and in the absence of decision making, motivational energy tends to be channeled into wish fulfillment which may be indexed by the tendency to recall finished tasks. The data presented tend to support this hypothesis. 20 references. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Effects of approach to controversy on superiors' incorporation of subordinates' information in decision making.

36 experienced managers took the role of supervisors whose position was to eliminate job rotation. Workers' (3 male undergraduates) positions were that rotation should be retained. Supervisors approached this controversy cooperatively, competitively, or tried to smooth over differences and avoid controversy. Results indicate that supervisors who tried to avoid an open controversy did not explore or understand workers' arguments, but did think the arguments were reasonable and sometimes integrated them into their decisions. Supervisors in the competitive-controversy condition neither explored nor understood the workers' arguments, rejected their position, and made decisions that reflected only their own point of view. Supervisors in the cooperative-controversy condition explored, understood, accepted, and combined workers' arguments with their own to make a decision. It is concluded that controversy within a cooperative context can result in curiosity, understanding, incorporation, and an integrated decision. (10 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Effects of temporal placement of unfavorable information on decision making during the selection interview.

126 male evening school management students rated an applicant for employment after listening to standardized audio tapes of a simulated interview in which the location and content of 1 piece of unfavorable information was systematically varied. An 18-cell analysis of variance design was used which counterbalanced the temporal placement of the unfavorable information, the content area in which it occurred, and the order of the content areas. Scores on the Dogmatism Scale (Rokeach) were analyzed with multiple-regression techniques. The temporal placement effect was significant at the .01 level. None of the other effects were significant. It was concluded that the temporal placement of the unfavorable information accounted for a statistically significant percentage of the variance in the ratings. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)