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)     

The once and future Hebb synapse.

Suggests that the Hebb synapse has become better known than D. Hebb himself. In this respect he has joined an exclusive club along with the Ising model in condensed matter physics and Parkinson's disease in medicine. This is not to say that Hebb has not made other important contributions, as P. Milner (see record 2003-01537-001) and B. Kolb (see record 2003-01537-003) document, but the Hebb synapse has eclipsed these other achievements. The goal of this essay is to examine how this happened. The Hebb synapse remains a vital organizing concept for both experimental studies and theoretical analysis, as G. Hinton emphasizes (see record 2003-01537-002). (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Le prix Donald O. Hebb honorant une contribution hors-pair à la psychologie en tant que science.

Announces that the 1987 recipient of the Donald O. Hebb Award for Distinguished Contributions to Psychology as a Science is Dr. Fergus I. M. Craik, Professor of Psychology at the University of Toronto. Professor Craik has received many honours. Dr. Craik is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada, the Canadian Psychological Association, the American Psychological Association, and the Society of Experimental Psychologists. He has received Killam and Guggenheim Fellowships, and the Certificate of Merit for Research in Aging, from the Ontario Psychological Foundation. He was editor of the Journal of Verbal Learning and Verbal Behavior from 1980 to 1984, and on the editorial boards of many other journals. He has been Chairman of the Board of Governors of the Psychonomic Society and remains a Member of the Board, a member of the Advisory Council of the International Association for the Study of Attention and Performance, and a Councillor of the Royal Canadian Institute. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

In celebration of the centennial of Ivan P. Pavlov's (1897/1902) The Work of the Digestive Glands.

Introduces American Psychologist's special issue celebrating the contribution of I. P. Pavlov to the history of psychology, and the publication of Pavlov's The Work of the Digestive Glands (1897/1902). The author cites Pavlov's importance for his contributions in the field of physiology (e.g., blood circulation, and the pathology of the gastrointestinal tract) and his work with direct relevance to psychology: his theory of conditioning, and his work in the areas of brain function, personality, and psychotherapy. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Prix Donald O. Hebb 1992 honorant une contribution remarquable à l'avancement de la psychologie comme science.

This article introduces a presentation from the recipient of the 1992 Donald O. Hebb Award for Distinguished Contribution to Psychology as a Science--Peter Dodwell--at the CPA Annual General Meeting, Québec City, Québec, June 12, 1992. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The Hebbian perspective on mind-brain relations.

Reviews the book, Essay on Mind by D.O. Hebb (1980). This is the third book by Canada's most distinguished and influential psychologist, Donald Olding Hebb. Essay on Mind presents readers with an opportunity to see why Hebb and his writings have had such an impact: In this book, Hebb presents a succinct account of the development of cell-assembly theory and its applications, as well as views on important philosophical and scientific issues. Hebb argues that his type of theory is not "mere translation" because the physiological theory and data impose constraints on psychological concepts. Moreover, such theorizing can be useful in that it leads to new evidence or tells a theorist how to look at available evidence from different aspects. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Clinical Psychology: Reprint of Witmer's 1907 article.

Reprints L. Witmer 's (1907) original article which describes the development of the "psychological clinic" at the University of Pennsylvania . Describes the function of the clinic in providing conjoint physical and mental examinations. Illustrates, using case examples of a 10 yr old & 14 yr old male, the operation of the clinic. Outlines a proposed plan of organization for practical work in psychology delivered before the APA in 1896. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

More on Goddard and the Kallikak family photographs.

Discusses retouching of the Kallikak family photographs in H. H. Goddard's (1912) study of mental retardation and heredity, with reference to analyses by R. E. Fancher (see record 1987-31600-001) and S. J. Gould (1981), and concurs with Fancher that the retouching was probably not done for deceitful purposes. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

On interpreting photographs, faces, and the past.

Concurs with R. E. Fancher (see record 1987-31600-001) that the badly retouched photographs in H. H. Goddard's (1912) study of heredity in the Kallikak family were not a fraudulent attempt to make the mentally retarded Ss look sinister or diabolical. The need to interpret historical documents in their multidimensional sociological context is noted. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The Role of Biological and Environmental Contexts in the Integration of Psychology: A Reply to Posner and Rothbart.

The unification of psychology is an important goal, and Posner and Rothbart (this issue) do psychology a great service in proposing Hebb's (1949) model as a basis for unification (see record 2004-20689-003). But Hebb's model deals only with a biological level of analysis. A more comprehensive plan for unification would deal with ecological and cultural levels of analysis as well. In this article, I propose a more encompassing basis for thinking about unification, and give an example of how taking into account cultural context may change one's perspective on psychological phenomena. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Fancher on Gould, Goddard, and historical interpretation: A reply.

Contends that R. E. Fancher's (see record 1988-31600-001) evidence concerning intentions behind retouching of photographs of the Kallikaks in H. H. Goddard's (1912) study of mental retardation and heredity fall far short of challenging S. J. Gould's (1981) findings on the same topic. Further, Fancher's citation may misrepresent J. D. Smith's (1985) work on Goddard. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Animal psychology in journals, 1911–1927: Another look at the snark.

Frank A. Beach's 1950 article, "The Snark Was a Boojum," has been one of the most influential in the history of comparative psychology. A reanalysis of the data used by Beach for the period between 1911 and 1927 reveals flaws in Beach's analyses caused primarily by the inclusion of data from different journals, of much research by biologists during the 1910s, and of research on humans during the 1920s. This reanalysis forces a reinterpretation of historical trends in the field. With a corrected analysis, it becomes evident that the greatest increase in research on rats by psychologists occurred around 1917, not during the 1930s. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The psychology of more.

Proposes that growing social and environmental problems are the natural outcome of the prevailing model of man, whether expressed as formal theories of behavior by scientists or as common-sense notions of human nature by the general populace. This model presents a world view characterized by quantitative increases and continuous growth; the ideal state of affairs seems to be one of accumulating more and more of whatever is deemed important money, materials, people, etc. It is suggested that basic changes in people's attitudes toward themselves in relation to their environment is essential for the resolution of imminent crises. (23 ref.) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Henry Goddard and The Kallikak Family photographs: "Conscious skulduggery" or "Whig history"?

The retouching of several photographs in Goddard's The Kallikak Family has recently been noted, and interpreted as evidence of his fraudulent attempt to exaggerate the menacing and undesirable qualities of retarded people. This article describes a similarly retouched photograph from another, more recent book, in which the retouching was done simply to accentuate facial features that did not reproduce clearly. A similar innocent purpose may have motivated Goddard or the Kallikak publishers, and the accusation of fraud may represent one more example of the selective interpretation of data in the IQ controversy. Some of the difficulties in writing accurate and fair history are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Canadian feminism and psychology: The first decade.

The history of the Canadian Psychological Association's recognition of the validity of a feminist perspective in psychology is outlined, and the current status of women psychologists in the nation is discussed. Documenting the development of a "psychology of women" speciality, a selected review is presented of the research conducted by psychologists in Canada dealing with sex roles, sex differences, achievement, feminism, and psychobiology. In the applied areas of the discipline, analogous developments have occurred in terms of the establishment of a link between sex roles and psychopathology, the critical appraisal of traditional therapies, the creation of alternative therapy approaches, and the generation of ethical standards pertinent to the provision of psychological services to women. The interdisciplinary quality of the psychology of women is discussed and an overview of this new field is provided. (French abstract) (4 p ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

A Blueprint for Training and Practice: A contemporary design for school psychology.

Suggests that School Psychology: A Blueprint for Training and Practice (National School Psychology Inservice Training Network, 1984) and School Psychology: The State of the Art by the 2nd author (1984) are not finished products; detailed designs—the specifications for building contemporary models of practice and training—need to be charted. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Do the Kallikaks look "menacing" or "retarded?"

To extend R. E. Fancher's (see record 1987-31600-001) review of claims that photographs of the Kallikak family in H. H. Goddard's (1912) study had been retouched to make them look more menacing and retarded, 29 Ss (aged 18–69 yrs) were surveyed for their impressions of the photographs. Overall, Ss were strongly inclined to view the photographed individuals as "kind" and "very bright." (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Ending child psychotherapy: Continuing the cycle of life.

Focuses on the termination of psychoanalytic treatment with young children, taking into account the relationship to the parents and its impact on the conduct of treatment, especially at the sensitive ending phase. The author reflects on D. W. Winnicott's (1977) case, "The Piggle," from this perspective. The verbatim notes and comments offer a classic, detailed example of the complex factors impinging upon the conclusion of treating a young child and the wisdom of an outstanding therapist. A 2nd case of a 7-yr-old girl who came to treatment because of a reaction of delayed mourning is also reviewed. The case illustrates the issues involved in the early traumatic loss of a parent, how this loss is reflected within the transference relationship, and the subsequent unfolding of treatment. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

Another look at Meehl, Lakatos, and the scientific practices of psychologists.

This article examines current research methodology in psychology in the context of Serlin and Lapsley's response to Meehl's critiques of the scientific practices of psychologists. The argument is made that Serlin and Lapsley's appeal to Lakatos's philosophy of science to defend the rationality of null hypothesis tests and related practices misrepresents that philosophy. It is demonstrated that Lakatos in fact considered psychology an extremely poor science lacking true research programs, an opinion very much in line with Meehl's critique. The present essay speculates on the reasons for Lakatos's negative opinion and reexamines the role of null hypothesis tests in relation to the quality of theories in psychology. It is concluded that null hypothesis tests are destructive to theory building and directly related to Meehl's observation of slow progress in soft psychology. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)