What neuroimaging and brain localization can do, cannot do and should not do for social psychology.

Interest in bridging social psychology and neuroscience has seen a significant upsurge. Much of this interest has centered on brain localization--the attempt to relate psychological events to locations of brain events. Although many articles have sought to localize brain activity that supports social behavior, scant attention has been paid to the specific methods to be used in integrating brain localization data into psychological theory. The authors describe 4 strategies psychologists can use to integrate brain localization data and psychological theory, and they consider whether social psychology presents special considerations in the use of these strategies. They conclude that brain localization offers a useful tool for some but not all problems in social psychology, and they discuss the types of problems for which it may and may not prove useful. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Network models contribute to cognitive and social neuroscience.

Cognitive neuroscience emerged to integrate cognitive psychology and neuroscience. Social cognitive neuroscience has recently emerged to integrate social psychology, cognitive psychology, and neuroscience. This article comments on these theoretical integration efforts because they help reverse psychology's long history of division and disunification. The second point of this article notes that network theories and models are also helping to unify cognitive and social neuroscience. Throughout this article the author refers to the burgeoning parallel distributed processing-connections neural network literature that includes social cognitive neuroscience in addition to most other fields of psychology. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Social outcomes in childhood brain disorder: A heuristic integration of social neuroscience and developmental psychology.

The authors propose a heuristic model of the social outcomes of childhood brain disorder that draws on models and methods from both the emerging field of social cognitive neuroscience and the study of social competence in developmental psychology/psychopathology. The heuristic model characterizes the relationships between social adjustment, peer interactions and relationships, social problem solving and communication, social-affective and cognitive-executive processes, and their neural substrates. The model is illustrated by research on a specific form of childhood brain disorder, traumatic brain injury. The heuristic model may promote research regarding the neural and cognitive-affective substrates of children's social development. It also may engender more precise methods of measuring impairments and disabilities in children with brain disorder and suggest ways to promote their social adaptation. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The emergence of social cognitive neuroscience.

Social cognitive neuroscience is an emerging interdisciplinary field of research that seeks to understand phenomena in terms of interactions between 3 levels of analysis: the social level, which is concerned with the motivational and social factors that influence behavior and experience; the cognitive level, which is concerned with the information-processing mechanisms that give rise to social-level phenomena; and the neural level, which is concerned with the brain mechanisms that instantiate cognitive-level processes. The social cognitive neuroscience approach entails conducting studies and constructing theories that make reference to all 3 levels and contrasts with traditional social psychological and cognitive neuroscientific research that primarily makes reference to 2 levels. The authors present an introduction to and analysis of the field by reviewing current research and providing guidelines and suggested directions for future work. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Social neuroscience: Understanding the pieces fosters understanding the whole and vice versa.

Social science and neuroscience perspectives represent two ends of a continuum of levels of organization studied in psychology. Human behavior as a whole unfolds at social levels of organization, whereas much of the research in psychology has focused on cognitive and biological pieces of this whole. Recent evidence underscores the complementary nature of social, cognitive, and biological levels of analysis and how research integrating these levels can foster more comprehensive theories of the mechanisms underlying complex behavior and the mind. This research underscores the unity of psychology and the importance of retaining multilevel integrative research that spans molar and molecular levels of analysis. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Behaviorism and neuroscience.

The influence of the methods and theories of behaviorism on theory and research in the neurosciences is examined, partly in light of J. B. Watson's (1913; see also PA, Vol 81:27851) original call-to-arms. Behaviorist approaches to animal behavior, particularly in the study of processes of learning and memory, have had a profound and continual influence in the area of neuroscience concerned with animal studies of brain substrates of behavior. Similarly, contemporary behaviorists have not been opposed to the study of neurobiological substrates of behavior. On the other hand, classical behaviorist views of thinking (i.e., as reflex chains) have been largely discounted by developments in neuroscience. Classical behaviorism is viewed by many as being most at odds with the modern fields of cognitive psychology and cognitive neuroscience, particularly regarding "mind" and "consciousness." A modest attempt at reconciliation is offered. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Prominent schools or other active specialties? A fresh look at some trends in psychology.

Past studies investigating trends in psychology have reported some conflicting and surprising results. This article critiques and reevaluates these reports, with a particular focus on those related to the cognitive revolution and the place of neuroscience in psychology. Based on a wide variety of indicators, the following trends are demonstrated: (a) Although cognitive psychology has grown in importance, it has not come to dominate psychology; (b) contrary to prior findings, attention to neuroscience in psychology has grown in a pattern similar to that of cognitive psychology; and (c) there are many signs that cognitive neuroscience is in the process of emergence. Trends are interpreted in light of the argument that psychology is a disunified discipline allowing for many different interests, schools, and approaches. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The dark side of social encounters: Prospects for a neuroscience of human evil.

This article discusses how findings from social, cognitive, and affective neuroscience might contribute to our understanding of human evil. Integrating theories of personality and social psychology as well as the notions of deindividuation and dehumanization with recent neuroscientific insight, the authors elaborate on the nature of human evil and its potential roots in brain systems associated with affective processing and cognitive control. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

Gergen versus the mainstream: Are hypotheses in social psychology subject to empirical test?

K. J. Gergen's (1982) argument that hypotheses in social psychology are not empirical propositions is critically examined and shown to be erroneous. Nevertheless, this article demonstrates that, without necessarily appearing obvious, some hypotheses can be derived from propositions that are like tautologies and that their confirmation as such is of little interest. An analysis of hypotheses in recent articles in the Journal of Experimental Social Psychology and the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology suggests that hypotheses derivable from propositions very much like tautologies may not be infrequent. Implications are considered for what kinds of social psychology experiments are of value to perform. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

A biopsychosocial formulation of pain communication.

We present a detailed framework for understanding the numerous and complicated interactions among psychological and social determinants of pain through examination of the process of pain communication. The focus is on an improved understanding of immediate dyadic transactions during painful events in the context of broader social phenomena. Fine-grain consideration of social transactions during pain leads to an appreciation of sociobehavioral events affecting both suffering persons as well as caregivers. Our examination considers knowledge from a variety of perspectives, including clinical health psychology, social and developmental processes, evolutionary psychology, communication studies, and behavioral neuroscience. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

Neuroscience and mainstream psychology.

Comments on the article by R. W. Robins et al (see record 1999-00297-003) which examined trends in the the prominence of 4 major schools of psychology by analyzing citation index trends and the content of articles in mainstream journals and dissertations. The author disagrees with Robins et. al's suggestion that psychologists must work harder to integrate neuroscience into the field of psychology. He suggests rather, neuroscience may be best viewed as either a subdiscipline or a specialization of psychological study. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

From I to we: Social identity and the collective self.

Social identity theory is a nonreductionist account of the relationship between collective self and social group. Cognitive-motivational processes affect, and are affected by, group, intergroup, and societal processes, to make people behave and think about themselves and others in ways that are generally characteristics of groups and specifically shaped by the social context. The development and current status of social identity theory is described historically, as part of the debate between collectivistic and individualistic perspectives on social psychology, the social group, and the selfconcept. The authors trace the debate from Wundt through Durkheim, LeBon, McDougall, Mead, and the "crisis in social psychology" and show how the development of European social psychology framed the development of social identity theory. The article concludes with a critical discussion of the collectivistic credentials of social identity theory. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Cognitive neuroscience: Origins and promise.

Both Freud and Wundt had hoped to base psychology on an understanding of the neural basis of mental events. Their efforts were unsuccessful because the structure and function of the human brain was not available for empirical study at the physiological level. Over the last part of this century, there has been amazing growth and vitality in the field of human brain function. In this paper, we trace critical developments in the fields of cognitive psychology, neuropsychology, and brain imaging related to the development of cognitive neuroscience. Cognitive neuroscience has established that the decomposition of mental events can be united with an understanding of the mental and emotional computations carried out by the human brain. Cognitive neuroscience has the capability of influencing psychology in diverse areas from how children develop to how adults age; from how humans learn to how we imagine; from volitional control to psychopathologies. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of Social psychology(4th ed.).

Reviews the book, Social Psychology (4th ed.) by Robert C. Williamson, Paul G. Swingle, and S. Stansfeld Sargent (1982). In an area where there are too many textbooks, the social psychology text by Williamson, Swingle, and Sargent contributes an important alternative to the mass look-a-like introductions to the field. What makes this book different is that it is an integrated work of a sociologist (Williamson) and two psychologists which presents the major concepts and issues in social psychology from both a sociological and a psychological perspective. Most introductions to social psychology are either psychological social psychology or sociological social psychology. The Williamson et al. book, which is in its fourth edition, continues to be an exception to such an insular and incomplete view of social psychology. The book is divided into four parts: the first section presents a discussion of culture and the development of the individual; part two deals with fundamental psychological processes; part three presents basic group processes; and part four is an application of social psychology to a number of social issues. In general, the book provides a good overview of topics, emphasizing the major theories, principles, and research studies on each of the topics. Because of the special nature of this book, it will appeal most to those instructors who wish to present a more balanced introduction to the interdisciplinary field of social psychology, including the developments from both psychology and sociology. It is particularly appropriate for courses which include both sociology and psychology students. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Depression research methodologies in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology: A review and critique.

Personality and social psychological studies of depression and depressive phenomena have become more methodologically sophisticated in recent years. In response to earlier problems in this literature, investigators have formulated sound suggestions for research designs. Studies of depression published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology (JPSP) between 1988 and 1993 were reviewed to evaluate how well these recommendations have been followed. Forty-one articles were examined for adherence to 3 suggestions appearing consistently in the literature: (a) multiple assessment periods, (b) multiple assessment methods, and (c) appropriate comparison groups. The studies published in JPSP have not adhered well to these standards. The authors recommend resetting minimum methodological criteria for studies of depression published in the premier journal in personality and social psychology. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Editorial: Into the Second Century.

This editorial discusses the first century of the Journal of Abnormal Psychology and speculates on the second century of the journal. In the early decades of its existence, Abnormal clearly was quite different from the typical psychological journal of today. The articles in its inaugural issue reflect the fact that its early content was heavily influenced by Freudian psychoanalysis and other forms of dynamic psychology. The first major shift in the journal's course occurred in 1921, when its scope was broadened to include social and personality research. For a variety of reasons, this union of social, personality, and clinical psychology ended in 1965, when the content subsumed by the old, expanded Abnormal was resplit into two separate outlets: Articles on personality and social processes were redirected to the newly created Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, whereas psychopathology research was retained for the rechristened Journal of Abnormal Psychology. Abnormal has been extremely well-managed in recent years, and it has maintained its status as the top-tier outlet for basic psychopathology research. Accordingly, the editor does not see a need to institute any fundamental changes in its scope or content. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Tri-Council guidelines for the support of research and training in psychology.

Primary responsibility for the support of scholarly research and research training in psychology in Canada is shared by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC), Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC), and Medical Research Council (MRC). The jurisdiction of the NSERC includes studies on fundamental psychological processes such as perception, cognition, and learning; that of the SSHRC includes experimental social psychology, personality, and communication; and that of the MRC includes psychological processes with direct relevance to human health. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Victor H. Denenberg (1925-2008).

A preeminent researcher in the field of early experience and brain development, Victor H. Denenberg contributed hundreds of articles and chapters, and several texts, to the field of behavioral neuroscience during his lifetime. Denenberg was born April 3, 1925, in Chicago, Illinois. He attended college on the GI Bill and graduated from Bucknell University in 1949 with a bachelor's degree in psychology. He went on to receive a doctorate in 1953 in experimental psychology at Purdue University, with minors in statistics, industrial psychology, and physiology. In 1954, Denenberg was appointed assistant professor of psychology at Purdue University, where he was tenured and remained for 15 years. Over the course of his career, Denenberg published nearly 400 scholarly papers and chapters, including a dozen articles in Science or Nature. Denenberg received many honors during his lifetime, including a Carnegie Fellowship and appointment to the National Academy of Sciences Committee on Brain Sciences. He was also appointed to numerous executive committees of the American Psychological Association (APA) and served as a Board member for the Howard Hughes Medical Institute's Fellowship Committee. Victor H. Denenberg died July 19, 2008. He will be remembered as an outstanding mentor and scientific influence by numerous former students, who carry on his work and influences through their independent research careers. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Le legs de Hebb.

Discusses the influence of Donald Olding Hebb (1904–1985) on the discipline of psychology. The author notes that Hebb's principled opposition to radical behaviourism and emphasis on understanding what goes on between stimulus and response (perception, learning, thinking) helped clear the way for the cognitive revolution. His view of psychology as a biological science and his neuropsychological cell-assembly proposal rejuvenated interest in physiological psychology. Since his death, Hebb's seminal ideas exert an ever-growing influence on those interested in mind (cognitive science), brain (neuroscience), and how brains implement mind (cognitive neuroscience). Specific events in Hebb's career are outlined, with particular attention to the influence on psychology of his book The Organization of Behavior: A Neuropsychological Theory (1949). (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Emotional experience and the problem of vertical integration: Discussion of the Special Section on Emotion.

Neuropsychologists can draw from an increasing array of psychological methods and theories in the rapidly growing field of emotion research. In turn, findings from neuropsychological studies are addressing fundamental questions in the psychology of emotion. The articles in this special section on emotion illustrate the productive interplay between emotion research and brain research. Given that the progress is now substantial, theoretical models can be anticipated that span the domains of interest, describing emotional experience as well as behavior, and describing the brain's hierarchic representation of emotional processes across brain stem, limbic, and cortical networks. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)