Letter to The Editor: Canadian Psychologist.

Comments on (1) Anonymous Review of "Readings in General Psychology: Canadian Contributions" by A. W. Pressey and J. P. Zubek (see record 2007-02140-023) and (2) Editorial Policy with Respect to Publishing of Unsigned Book Reviews in the Canadian Psychologist. In the January 1971 issue of the Canadian Psychologist (pages (87-89) there appeared an unsigned review of my co-edited book entitled "Readings in General Psychology: Canadian Contributions". May I state, at the outset, that I was most disturbed by its overall nature which was characterized not only by unwarranted ridicule, some obvious biases, and several gross misinterpretations but also by an almost complete failure to understand the purpose and scope of this book. Even more serious is the reviewer's suggestion or implication that the use of this book might conceivably have a detrimental effect on our beginning university students by providing them with a superficial or even a distorted impression of the nature of "Canadian psychology". Largely because of this allegation, I feel compelled to reply to the review. Furthermore, I also feel compelled to raise a somewhat related issue, viz., the nature of the editorial policy of the Canadian Psychologist regarding book reviews, particularly the publishing of unsigned reviews. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Letter to The Editor, Canadian Psychologist: Dear Mr. Gibson.

In this letter to the editor, O. Spreen reports an error in "Applied Training Programmes of Psychology in Canada: A Survey" by Artur Z. Arthur (Canadian Psychologist Psychologie Canadienne, 1971[Jan], Vol 12[1], 46-65). Page 49 contains an error regarding the available staff for applied training programs at the University of Victoria. The correct figure under column 7 (staff, full-time, psychology) should not be 40. Instead the correct figure for 1971-72 should be 11; under "staff, other departments", 4 should be listed; under "staff, part-time", 1 should be listed; under "staff in applied settings", 3 should be listed. (The following abstract of the original article appeared in record 2007-02140-007.) A survey of professional applied training programmes in the Canadian universities was carried out in 1969. Reported were 29 programmes: 17 in clinical psychology, 4 each in counselling and school psychology, one each in educational psychology and learning disabilities and 2 in experimental psychopathology. The number of places in the universities was related to the expected manpower requirements. Information was also given concerning the numbers of teachers in each programme, the types of applied settings utilized, and the different courses offered. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of Readings in General Psychology: Canadian Contributions.

This reprinted article originally appeared in Canadian Psychologist, 1971, Vol 12(1), 87-89. (The following abstract of the original article appeared in record 2007-02140-023.) Reviews the book, Readings in General Psychology: Canadian Contributions by A. W. Pressey and J. P. Zubek (1970). A collection of seventy articles, sixty-eight of which are written by Canadian psychologists and other psychologists resident at some point in Canada, comprise the content of this set of readings. Two other contributions are by distinguished Canadian physicians. The organization of the book is in fourteen parts following the traditional divisions of an introductory text in psychology. The articles are from a variety of places but predominantly from the Canadian Journal of Psychology. Others are from such prestigious sources as Science and Nature. First-course instructors will find the "readings" well worth examining. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of Readings in General Psychology: Canadian Contributions.

Reviews the book, Readings in General Psychology: Canadian Contributions by A. W. Pressey and J. P. Zubek (1970). A collection of seventy articles, sixty-eight of which are written by Canadian psychologists and other psychologists resident at some point in Canada, comprise the content of this set of readings. Two other contributions are by distinguished Canadian physicians. The organization of the book is in fourteen parts following the traditional divisions of an introductory text in psychology. The articles are from a variety of places but predominantly from the Canadian Journal of Psychology. Others are from such prestigious sources as Science and Nature. First-course instructors will find the "readings" well worth examining. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Letter to the Editor.

This letter is a comment on Dr. P. O. Davidson's report to the Science Council of Canada on "Graduate training and research funding for clinical psychology in Canada" (see record 2007-02137-003). The comments are extracted from a letter that was written to the President of the CPA raising some questions for consideration by the Board of Directors. With regard to the Davidson report, it must be realized that anything a reputable psychologist says as a result of a survey conducted at the request of the Science Council is likely to be taken seriously by the Council and to affect its attitudes and policies materially. On the other hand, the recognition that the CPA should speak for psychology on matters of research funding means that what it says on the same topic will also be taken seriously. More than that, it means that a great responsibility devolves on the Association, since failure to speak up on any matter when it has what amounts to a permanent invitation to do so can only be construed as assent. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

"Letter to the Editor": Reply.

Responds to the comments by D. E. Berlyne (see record 2007-02140-027) on the original article by P. O. Davidson (see record 2007-02137-003) on "Graduate training and research funding for clinical psychology in Canada." Dr. Berlyne's general point is well taken. The intention of Dr. Davidson was to provoke not to offend and he apparently missed the 'fine line distinction' in the paragraph to which Dr. Berlyne refers. The word 'hobby' need not be considered as pejorative term in the 'hobby-horse' sense. In using this term Davidson was indicating that while studies ABOUT the rat may be a favorite (and valuable) research subject for some researchers he was not prepared to assume that it is the main business of psychology. Davidson agrees completely with Dr. Berlyne that much of this research can be justified as both necessary and valuable but given our limited research resources these days and increasing governmental involvement in directions of research spending, such justification must be given and too often is not. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Canadian psychology comes of age.

What has happened to psychology in Canadian universities in the past few years is indeed startling. It has been caught up in a wave of popularity, or public trust, which has produced disproportionately large increases in enrolments in psychology everywhere. Psychology departments now typically carry the largest or one of the largest undergraduate teaching loads, and most have also developed graduate programs. Since 1960, the number of Canadian graduate departments of psychology has more than doubled. By 1966 and 1967 psychology was, of all the traditional academic disciplines, the third largest producer of Canadian PhD's. The rapid increase in the number of faculty required to teach so many students has made it possible for departments to develop along a number of lines. The developments in the universities are only one small part of the story of Canadian psychology in the 1960's, but they are particularly significant because of the promise they hold for the discipline in the years ahead. During the present decade improvements in the state of psychology in this nation have been in every respect spectacular. Canadian psychology has come of age. The evidence is all around us. The question now before us is, will this discipline move forward with confidence into maturity? Will it accept full responsibility for itself? Will it control its own destiny? I believe that it can and that it will. The future holds out much promise if we shape it to our advantage. Opportunities to determine our fate are being presented to us now if we will only seize them. The Canadian Psychological Association is the organization which can provide the fulcrum for the efforts that are required. Hence, we must make it the strong representative organization it should be. There are many problems to overcome if we are to do this, but nothing is impossible if we keep our real goals in sight. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The national flavour versus pan-culturism: A review of Social psychology: The Canadian context.

Reviews the book, Social Psychology: The Canadian Context edited by J. W. Berry and G. J. S. Wilde (1972). The title of this book is likely to evoke a positive or a negative response from the reader depending on how he feels about the need for more Canadian content. Berry and Wilde are not out to prove that Canadian psychologists are as good as any in the world. The editorial effort was directed towards "studies of social behaviour of Canadians, rather than studies done in Canada by Canadians". The first section on "The Canadian People" provides an overview by contributions from other academic disciplines. The second section on "Canadian Dualism", which comprises nearly half of the book, is about the French-Canadians versus the English-Canadians. The third section on the "Canadian Natives" concentrates on the ethnic pluralism of the Eskimos and Indians. The fourth section on "Canadian Pluralism" presents findings on a larger number of different groups. Finally, the Appendix presents five tables containing background and demographic data likely to be useful for undergraduate research on Canadian people. Suggested readings for this purpose are also included in the introduction to each section. This book is most likely to be appropriate for courses emphasizing ethnic group relationships or cultural social psychology. In conclusion, this is a handy sourcebook on the kinds of research and the techniques useful for studying ethnic groups. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Letter to the Editor.

In this letter, D. E. Berlyne, President of the Canadian Psychological Association, explains the organization's decision to co-sponsor the 1972 Survey of Psychologists in the United States and Canada. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Toward a national social psychology: A review of Social psychology: The Canadian context.

Reviews the book, Social Psychology: The Canadian Context edited by J. W. Berry and G. J. S. Wilde (1972). In Social Psychology: The Canadian Context, Berry and Wilde tie their selections from journals and books to the themes of Canadian identity, dualism, and pluralism. National social psychology could turn out to be the most effective way yet conceived for individual scholars to have their pure-science cake and apply it too. Its emergence depends, in part, on continuance of the nationalism, which is sweeping Canada at present. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Letter to the Editor.

What follows is an open letter to the President and Directors, Canadian Psychological Association. This letter addresses the 1972 Survey of Psychologists in the United States and Canada, a survey which emanates from the APA and which has the cooperation of the Canadian Psychological Association. The author of this letter, Susan K. London, Ph.D. believes the willingness of the Board of Directors of CPA to commit Canadian psychologists--without any sort of approval from the CPA membership, which is within your legal rights, but which is nonetheless very disturbing morally--to this sort of thing demonstrates a naiveté if not downright disingenuousness. It is more than time for Canadian psychologists to recognize one of their blindspots. The ordinary Canadian psychologist is usually quite sensitive to political implications--except when it comes to psychology and the United States! When that subject comes up, the usual camouflage is invoked: professionalism, value-free science, the need to rationalize procedures, etc. The most common one, perhaps, is the notion that APA and American psychologists (in the United States and in Canada) only wish to be of help. The camouflage rather reminds me of the squid that emits quantities of ink in the face of danger. It is therefore an indication that the CPA Board of Directors are aware of danger, are in fact acting in full knowledge of that danger. The contradiction is blatant. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Reply to Dr. Rotgers' Letter.

Replies to the letter by Rotgers (see record 2005-09346-005) on the current author's original article (see record 1981-11085-001). Dr. Rotgers' letter is valuable, since it provides an excellent example of the fact that practice does not always conform to the "black letter" of the law. The current author is pleased to learn that New Jersey legislated their custom, for to rely on custom alone for the recognition of professional psychology is dangerous indeed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of Readings in social psychology: Classic and Canadian contributions.

Reviews the book, Readings in social psychology: Classic and Canadian contributions edited by Brian Earn and Shelagh Towson (1986). Earn and Towson argue that students should know that social psychology is an active discipline with significant contributions from their own nation, that there are areas of research of particular relevance to the Canadian context, and that they should be able to gain from incidental learning about their own society. The format of the book is rather conventional. Readings are grouped into content areas: social motives (aggression and altruism), social influence, attitudes, social interactions (attraction and loneliness), attribution and cognition, ethnic relations, prejudice, and applications (TV influence, social support, law). It includes contributions by many of the most prominent social psychologists in Canada, and several "classic" papers by U.S. social psychologists. As one who has long regretted the fact that we are compelled to teach social psychology with only foreign materials, the reviewer welcomes the publication of this book. The reviewer hopes that in the second edition the editors take more seriously the purpose of a book of readings, and set out to communicate to undergraduate students what social psychological research is all about. The reviewer also hopes that the publisher is able to produce a volume that looks more professional and is easier to read. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

Letter to the Editor.

Would you permit me to comment briefly about book reviews in general, and about T. B. Wishart's recent review of my book, Principles of research methodology in physiological psychology, in particular. It goes almost without saying that a book cannot be all things to all readers. Instead, the author of a book must attempt to achieve certain objectives, and these are usually discussed in a preface or introductory chapter. One major purpose of a book review is to evaluate how well those objectives have been met, or to comment on and criticize the objectives if they are in some ways inappropriate. In reviewing my book, T. B. Wishart decided instead to evaluate the book against objectives other than those around which it was written. Specifically, he evaluated the book as a laboratory manual for the "well established laboratory course". It should have been clear from the Preface that the objectives of the book would hardly make it completely suitable for such use. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Enculturation stress in Canadian psychology.

The argument is made that nationally flavoured psychologies exist where distinctive national values and social priorities obtain. These values are discussed in the context of two imported behavioural models, science and profession. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Industrial-organizational psychology research in the Canadian Forces.

Introduces this special issue of the Canadian Journal of Behavioural Science, which focuses on industrial-organizational psychology research in the Canadian Forces (CF). The empirical papers included in the Special Issue represent a limited cross-section of Industrial-Organizational research from the Canadian Forces Human Resources and Evaluation Branch, and include collaborations with various academicians across the country. These studies do not begin to capture the vast array of issues/topics routinely under empirical investigation by the CF. Nonetheless, collectively they provide a sample of some of the diverse areas of research inquiry. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Issues in the education and training of women in Canadian psychology.

The high attrition rate of female students in graduate programmes in psychology is documented. Some of the literature (largely American) on the problems of female students is explored for possible reasons for this high rate. The problem areas identified are: admissions practices, financial support, inflexibility of graduate programmes, faculty attitudes toward graduate students, scarcity of female role models, and psychology as a "masculine" discipline. Recommendations for action by the Canadian Psychological Association are made in each of the problem areas with a special plea for the inclusion, in both graduate and undergraduate psychology programmes, of courses on the female experience. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Letter to the Editor and a Response.

A response by Judy Hall to some of the challenges that Arlene Carsten enumerated in her Forum letter of November 1978 concerning the licensing exam for psychology. I am pleased to see consumer representatives on a licensing board for psychology take such an active interest in the exam. However, it appears that serving on such a board has not sensitized her to the need for interpretation of her scores. Being psychologists, the Executive Committee of AASPB and the professional members of state boards are painfully aware of any imperfections in test construction methods available to date. Knowing that there are no easy, available answers to some of Carsten's challenges makes us proceed carefully and do what we are best at doing-systematically collect data in order to answer the questions. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Training graduate students to be clinical supervisors: A survey of Canadian professional psychology programmes.

Recognising the need for training in clinical supervision, the Canadian Psychological Association (CPA) requires that accredited professional psychology programmes offer graduate students training in supervision. To fill a gap in the existing supervision literature, we surveyed training directors (or designates) of CPA accredited clinical and counselling programmes to understand how this training standard is currently being met in the area of clinical supervision. Responses were obtained from 20 of 28 programmes (71.4% response rate). Approximately 50% of respondents indicated that their programmes required some coursework related to clinical supervision, with wide variability, however, in the number of hours of coursework provided to students (range 3 to 39). Most courses included lectures and group discussion, but also often provided students with practical experience in clinical supervision provision. Only 25% of programmes required a practicum in which students gained experience in clinically supervising other students, although an additional 40% of programmes offered an elective practicum in which students gained some training in clinical supervision. Most programmes (~71%) identified strategies for improving training in clinical supervision (e.g., improving course work, requiring practical experience), but also identified challenges to offering clinical supervision training (e.g., availability of skilled supervisors, insufficient time to devote to supervision, student competency). Based on the findings, we offer some recommendations for how training in clinical supervision could be improved in Canadian professional psychology programmes as well as describe some important directions for future research in this area. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

A note on legislation affecting Canadian psychology: The Ontario model.

New legislation affecting Psychology has been proposed recently in Ontario. If enacted, this legislation would set up a College of Psychology with wide discretionary powers and broad duties. Other legislation is proposed to govern such Colleges (Health Disciplines Act) and to create a College to credential competence rather than profession (the College of Mental Health Practitioners). These developments and their implications are discussed with respect to their impact on psychology across Canada. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)