Misassumptions, misadventures, and the misuse of psychology.

The history of psychology reveals tragic episodes of the misuse of psychological concepts and methods. Some of these misassumptions continue to influence the psychology practices of today. The contributions of people who differ from male, Eurocentric norms are not often appreciated, nor are the cultural differences of these individuals or groups either understood or respected. In this address, the author notes some of the pernicious effects and serious implications of misconceptions about difference within contemporary psychology. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Guidelines on multicultural education, training, research, practice, and organizational change for Psychologists.

Presents the Guidelines on Multicultural Education, Training, Research, Practice, and Organizational Change for Psychologists. These guidelines reflect the continuing evolution of the study of psychology, changes in society at large, and emerging data about the different needs of particular individuals and groups historically marginalized or disenfranchised within and by psychology based on their ethnic/racial heritage and social group identity or membership. These guidelines reflect knowledge and skills needed for the profession in the midst of dramatic historic sociopolitical changes in US society, as well as needs of new constituencies, markets, and clients. The specific goals of these guidelines are to provide psychologists with (a) the rationale and needs for addressing multiculturalism and diversity in education, training, research, practice, and organizational change; (b) basic information, relevant terminology, current empirical research from psychology and related disciplines, and other data that support the proposed guidelines and underscore their importance; (c) references to enhance ongoing education, training, research, practice, and organizational change methodologies; and (d) paradigms that broaden the purview of psychology as a profession. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Darwinian theory, functionalism, and the first American psychological revolution.

American functionalist psychology constituted an effort to model scientific psychology on the successes of English evolutionary theory. In part it was a response to the stagnation of Wundt's psychological research program, which had been grounded in German experimental physiology. In part it was an attempt to make psychology more appealing within the highly pragmatic American context and to facilitate the application of psychology to domains outside of the scientific laboratory. Applications of psychology that emerged from the functionalist ethos included child and developmental psychology, clinical psychology, psychological testing, and industrial/vocational psychology. Functionalism was also the ground within which behaviorism rooted and grew into the dominant form of psychology through the middle of the 20th century. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The explosion of knowledge, references, and citations: Psychology's unique response to a crisis.

The knowledge explosion has created enormous difficulties for researchers to be aware of, access, and process the volume of new literature. Electronic literature retrieval systems and specialization on narrow topics have been strategies used to cope with these problems. In this study, the authors examined the additional effects of the knowledge explosion on researchers' writing, referencing, and citing. Counts of references within sampled empirical journal articles in sociology, physics, biology, and experimental and social psychology revealed impacts of the knowledge explosion in all disciplines but the greatest effects within psychology. Detailed analyses indicated that substantial changes in the numbers of references and citations and in their format and use within the research article are psychology's unique response to the knowledge explosion. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The unity of the discipline: A challenge for the profession.

Examines the issue of disunity within the discipline of psychology, within the profession of psychology, and between the two. References are made to tensions that have existed in or between academic/scientific and applied/professional psychology throughout the history of psychology in Canada and the US. The emphasis, however, is on more recent events and their implications for the profession of psychology in the immediate future. Factors are identified within the discipline and the profession, and in society that could operate to strengthen the links between professional and academic psychology. A shortened French version of the article is also presented. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Clinical, counseling, and school clinical psychology at Purdue University.

"Confusion exists in some quarters about the distinction between clinical and counseling psychology." "Whereas the clinical psychology major most often prepares for work with persons whose behavior represents the extreme of maladjustment and for work within the medical setting, the counseling psychologist will most often apply his training within the relatively normal range of adjustment." Similarities and differences in academic requirements at Purdue University for clinical, counseling, and school clinical psychology curricula are described. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The psychologies of structure, function, and development.

Reviews E. B. Titchner's 1898 analogy between the anatomical, physiological, and morphogenetic aspects of biological research and the structural, functional, and developmental aspects of psychological research. This analogy is applied to contemporary divisions within psychology. In psychology, structural research tends to be described in the cognitive or mentalist vocabulary, and functional research in the behaviorist vocabulary. However, this correlation is accidental. Structural and functional dimensions of psychological problems and their relation to developmental research are examined. It is concluded that much psychological controversy is caused by concern with different problems, and not by different paradigms for studying the same problems. (45 ref.) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Opinions about industrial psychology by different groups of psychologists.

"In general, the findings provide a partial sketch of how industrial psychology is perceived and evaluated by different groups of psychologists. The most common criticism is that industrial psychology is not sufficiently concerned with its ties to basic psychology… . In addition, serious questions are raised concerning the areas of research that are emphasized or slighted, the professional qualifications of many practitioners, tendencies to offer psychological judgments that reach beyond scientific results, frequent overselling of industrial applications, and an excessive accent on the practical in training industrial psychologists. Many psychologists also charge that industrial psychology is too management oriented, that it operates too much within a management frame of reference… . Finally, it should be noted that our results reveal wide differences of opinion among the psychologists questioned, not only between the industrial psychologists and the other professional groups but strikingly also within the ranks of each group." (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Evolutionary psychology: Controversies, questions, prospects, and limitations.

Evolutionary psychology has emerged over the past 15 years as a major theoretical perspective, generating an increasing volume of empirical studies and assuming a larger presence within psychological science. At the same time, it has generated critiques and remains controversial among some psychologists. Some of the controversy stems from hypotheses that go against traditional psychological theories; some from empirical findings that may have disturbing implications; some from misunderstandings about the logic of evolutionary psychology; and some from reasonable scientific concerns about its underlying framework. This article identifies some of the most common concerns and attempts to elucidate evolutionary psychology’s stance pertaining to them. These include issues of testability and falsifiability; the domain specificity versus domain generality of psychological mechanisms; the role of novel environments as they interact with evolved psychological circuits; the role of genes in the conceptual structure of evolutionary psychology; the roles of learning, socialization, and culture in evolutionary psychology; and the practical value of applied evolutionary psychology. The article concludes with a discussion of the limitations of current evolutionary psychology. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Traumatic stress, disaster psychology, and graduate education: Reflections on the special section and recommendations for professional psychology training.

The articles appearing in this special section highlight disaster psychology as a typically neglected aspect of the clinical curriculum, the challenges of operationalizing efficacy measures for program evaluation, and the personal and professional impact of disaster exposure. The authors review literature suggesting the importance of training in disaster psychology. The authors also offer a framework for promoting competency among future psychologists who may serve and conduct research in disaster-affected communities and describe the clinical/disaster psychology specialization within the University of South Dakota's doctoral clinical psychology program as an example of how disaster-related curriculums, research, and practicums may be integrated into existing predoctoral training. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Relationship of solo status, academic rank, and perceived distinctiveness to job satisfaction of racial/ethnic minorities.

The relationships among solo status of racial/ethnic minorities in psychology departments, job satisfaction, and subjective feelings of distinctiveness were examined. Distinctiveness was defined as stigmatizing feelings associated with token status of racial/ethnic minorities in academia. It was hypothesized that minorities in positions of solo (relative to nonsolo) status within their departments, members of more stigmatized groups, and minorities occupying lower academic ranks would feel more distinctive and less satisfied with their jobs and that perceptions of distinctiveness would mediate job satisfaction. The data partially supported these hypotheses, most notably for African Americans. The implications of situational salience and the importance of recognizing differences among and between minority groups are considered. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of The transformation of psychology: Influences of 19th-century philosophy, technology, and natural science.

Reviews the book, The transformation of psychology: Influences of 19th-century philosophy, technology, and natural science edited by Christopher D. Green, Marlene Shore, and Thomas Teo (see record 2001-01476-000). In the following review, I have found it convenient to divide the 11 chapters of this volume into three groups, one devoted to the philosophy of psychological science, one devoted to theoretical and biological psychology, and one devoted to applied psychology. The first of these groups contains chapters by Andrew S. Winston on Ernst Mach, by Charles W. Tolman on G. W. F. Hegel, and by Thomas Teo on Karl Marx and Wilhelm Dilthey. The second grouping of chapters is concerned with theoretical/biological psychology and includes five contributions. The final group of chapters concerns applied psychology. What I liked most about this book was the genuinely innovative character of every chapter; there is no "old hat" stuff anywhere. The editors and contributors are to be congratulated on a fine and timely work of scholarship. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The AASPB story: The beginnings and first 16 years of the American Association of State Psychology Boards, 1961–1977.

At its inception 16 yrs ago, the American Association of State Psychology Boards (AASPB) identified and made provisions to facilitate dealing with the major needs of psychology examining boards in the states and the Canadian provinces. Attention has been given to legal issues, a national examination to help evaluate entry competence, mobility of psychologists across state jurisdictions, communication among boards and within AASPB, continuing education, insurance reimbursement, standards of training and supervision, and problems arising from federal and other initiatives affecting the professional practice of psychology. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The emergency service: A setting for internship training.

The Emergency Psychiatric Service is only recently being added as a training setting for clinical psychology interns within a program of varied rotations. The roles of psychology faculty and trainees on the Emergency Psychiatric Service and the importance of learning to deal with patients in acute crises are discussed. (4 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

G. Stanley Hall, A Man of Many Words: The Role of Reading, Speaking, and Writing in His Psychological Work.

The place of G. Stanley Hall within the history of psychology is both assured and problematic. While he is credited with significant contributions, those contributions are predominantly institutional rather than intellectual or scientific in nature. Further compounding the issue is the fact that those who focus on the development of psychology qua science have emphasized psychology's increasing reliance on empirical observations, its use of quantitative measures, and its subordination of language to objective referents. This has obscured the significance of Hall's work, including his massive, two-volume Adolescence (1904), which is typically criticized for falling short in these regards. A more accurate appreciation can be gained through understanding his intentions and the practices of reading, speaking, and writing that were associated with them. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Training practices in consultation: A national survey of clinical, counseling, industrial/organizational, and school psychology faculty.

Faculty who educate and train psychology students in consulting from clinical, counseling, school, and industrial/organizational graduate programs were identified via mail from department chairs and program directors. Of 197 faculty members identified, 89 (46.9% response rate) completed a detailed survey questionnaire about demographics and professional consulting activities, including teaching practices in consulting in their graduate program. Results were somewhat encouraging within industrial/organizational and school psychology programs and least positive in counseling/clinical programs, especially clinical programs. Detailed results are presented along with some implications for future graduate training in consulting psychology. A call is made for convening a national conference on educational standards in consulting psychology. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Loosely organized "organized psychology": 1988 executive officer's report.

Reviews the important events in the American Psychological Association (APA) during 1988. Conflict and collaboration (CC) that ensued during 1988 is described; however, a brief history of APA shows that such CC has been present since APA's founding in 1892. This CC is ascribed to the range of diversity among psychologists as illustrated by the number of associations that exist. "Organized psychology" is defined and APA's role in organized psychology is discussed. It is noted that APA cannot meet all the needs within the field of psychology, hence the need for state, specialized, and international organizations, as well as other multidisciplinary groups whose interests intersect with psychology. APA as the largest association of psychologists in the world forms the integrative force in the loosely organized "organized psychology." (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Antecedent probability and the efficiency of psychometric signs, patterns, or cutting scores.

It is difficult or impossible to determine the efficiency of most psychometric devices used in clinical psychology, since (1) base rates are seldom provided in the literature and hence comparisons cannot be made between decisions from psychometric devices and from previous experience, (2) insufficient distribution data are provided and samples are too small, (3) cross-validation data are lacking, (4) type of population to which a psychometric device can be applied is not clearly specified, and (5) results are not reported in terms of the number of correct decisions resulting for individuals within the groups studied. Corrective methods are presented. 19 references. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The alcoholic psychologist: Issues, problems, and implications for the profession.

Alcoholism, a major health problem currently being addressed by other professions, has unique features, manifestations, and ramifications for psychologists. Salient aspects of alcoholism in psychology include etiological and motivational factors, characteristic behaviors, and specific risk factors in the work environment of psychologists. Alcoholism, conceptualized as a deeply embedded permanent addiction not resolvable by conscious, planned effort, constitutes a special dilemma for psychologists who hold a strong belief in the powers of the mind and in the capacity to comprehend and alter behavior. Current efforts to effectively and humanely deal with alcoholism within the professions, modeled on self-help principles of Alcoholics Anonymous in combination with professional treatment, are examined, including the present efforts in psychology to deal with distressed psychologists. An advocacy role for the American Psychological Association to assist in the development of a peer-collaborative network for psychologists in recovery is suggested. (58 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Integrating gay, lesbian, and bisexual issues into mainstream psychology.

Despite the growing clinical and research literature dealing with gay, lesbian, and bisexual (GLB) issues, mainstream psychology has tended to ignore much of the work that has been done in this area. This article illustrates how clinical and research writings on GLB issues continue to remain invisible to mainstream psychology in such areas as life span development and aging, teenage suicide, substance abuse, victimization and abuse, and family and couple relationships. It also deals with some of the determinants of well-being among GLB individuals, such as family support, and notes the benefits accruing to mainstream psychology from studying GLB issues. A network of family members within psychology having GLB relatives has been formed--AFFIRM: Psychologists Affirming their Gay, Lesbian, and Bisexual Family--and is dedicated to supporting its own family members, encouraging other family members to do likewise, supporting research and clinical work on GLB issues, and closing the gap between GLB clinical and research work and mainstream psychology. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)