Covert sensitization with a homosexual: A controlled replication.

Describes the application of covert sensitization to a 22-yr-old male homosexual to determine the feasibility and effectiveness of the technique as described by J. Cautela (see record 1967-08999-001). Covert sensitization was effective in eliminating the deviant behavior, but therapeutic problems arose in that the client developed an intense transference toward the therapist as well as a strong desire to understand his homosexuality. In addition to having to cope with these new aspects of the therapeutic process, a "setback" occurred which required "working through." Results raise the question of whether a behavioral technique itself is sufficient treatment for homosexual behavior, or whether behavioral therapy should be complemented by a psychotherapeutic approach. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The behavioral sciences and survival.

"World peace is the world's Number 1 priority. Reduction of tension is an indispensable precondition to an enduring peace." Many challenges in human relations exist including deep racial tension, problems of elderly retired citizens, frequent crimes of violence, labor-management bitterness, job displacement anxiety, and high rate of high school dropouts; answers are required to such great social problems. A nuclear sword hangs over mankind. "The behavioral sciences can help us resolve the awesome dilemmas we face." Our destiny must not be mutual annihilation. "There can be no more important mission for the behavioral sciences than contributions to human survival." (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Preparedness for progress.

The extensive problems of mental illness are reviewed. "Either we must develop new kinds of mental health personnel or we must develop new skills in the personnel we already have. This is no longer a pious statement; it is an absolute necessity in the imminence of approaching events." Problems involved in training specialists are considered. Efforts must be made "to identify those areas in which our skills… can be useful." Efforts should be made "to find answers to social needs where our contribution can be effective" and we must "accept responsibility for handling the wide range of truly psychiatric problems, whether or not they fit our individual preferences." (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

On the social psychology of the psychological experiment: With particular reference to demand characteristics and their implications.

Taking part in an experiment is "a special form of social interaction." The S plays a role and places himself under the control of the E; he may agree "to tolerate a considerable degree of discomfort, boredom, or actual pain, if required to do so." The very high degree of control inherent in the experimental situation itself may lead to difficulties in experimental design. The S "must be recognized as an active participant in any experiment." With understanding of factors intrinsic to experimental context, experimental method in psychology may become a more effective tool in predicting behavior in nonexperimental contexts. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

In the matter of juries, democracy, science, truth, senators, and bugs.

An investigation by the Internal Security Subcommittee of the Senate Judiciary Committee of a research inquiry at the University of Chicago involving the recording of jury deliberations is reported in detail. "In this instance freedom of enquiry… clashed… with the value society holds at least as dear as freedom of inquiry—the right to privacy." The incident illustrated "… some of the current hostility to social scientists." "It is vastly important, both for democracy and for behavioral science, that ways be found whereby our behavior and our institutions can be studied with greatest profit and least harm to the sanctities we live by." (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Committee on the Scientific and Professional Aims of Psychology: Preliminary Report.

"This report concerns some of the issues involved in the increasing diversification of psychology." Focus was "on problems of professionalization in clinical psychology in order: (a) to deal with the problems involving the largest number of psychologists, and (b) to make it possible to speak more specifically about issues." The "training of clinical psychologists for the practice of psychotherapy should be established as a new doctoral program within the university." Interdisciplinary training is encouraged. "Generally we favor awarding a degree other than the PhD at the end of such doctoral training." "None of the present models for training of psychotherapists, whether within clinical psychology, medicine, or social work, are satisfactory means for developing competent practitioners able to meet the needs or expectations of society." Guidelines for legislation are suggested. It was suggested that "perhaps as much as 50% of the [APA Convention] program should be composed of invited talks and papers which would be either integrative in their nature or which would open up new areas in which significant advances are being made." The Committee has proposed suggestions rather than solutions to problems. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

All-or-none processes in learning and retention.

"However much we might prefer things to be otherwise, learning, as measured by available techniques, appears sometimes to be an essentially continuous, sometimes a sharply discontinuous process. Thus in current research we need models suitable to represent both kinds of data, while we await further evidence to determine which aspect is the more fundamental and which the derivative… . While awaiting more definitive clues concerning underlying properties, I myself have come to operate on the working assumption that all instances of apparently incremental changes in behavioral dispositions during learning are simply cases of incomplete analysis." (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Toward a concept of personality integration.

A central idea in thinking about effective behavior is "organismic integration" which suggests an inclusive phenomenon and suggests also "some form of interaction which takes place among subsystems of the organism—more specifically, an interaction which is adaptive or self-enhancing." Personality integration "is a many vectored thing, that is defined by events which go on within a variety of specific behavioral planes within the organism." Systems are grouped "on a continuum ranging from microcosmic to macrocosmic, or from molecular to molar, or even from the inside of the organism out… . The model covers events from a single heartbeat to the behavior of peoples… . The variables tentatively identified as relevant to personality integration include stability, high environmental contact, high internal communication, and affective complexity." (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Reinforcement today.

The discovery of facts and practices concerning reinforcement in the past 25 years "have increased our power to predict and control behavior and in so doing have left no doubt of their reality and importance." In the acquisition of a bowling response in pigeons 3 points are relevant: (a) The temporal relationships between behavior and reinforcement are very important. (b) Behavior was set up through successive approximations. (c) Behavior gradual "shapes up" by "reinforcing crude approximations of the final topography instead of waiting for the complete response." The maintenance of behavior through various schedules of reinforcement is discussed. "The world in which man lives may be regarded as an extraordinarily complex set of positive and negative reinforcing contingencies… . In any social situation we must discover who is reinforcing whom with what and to what effect." The modern study of reinforcement is: (a) difficult and relatively expensive; (b) usually single-organism research, in which a statistical program is "unnecessary" and "wrong"; (c) not theoretical. "The new principles and methods of analysis which are emerging from the study of reinforcement may prove to be among the most productive social instruments of the twentieth century." (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

A Technique in Teaching Abnormal Psychology.

Recent issues of the American Psychologist have been devoting some space to techniques in teaching abnormal psychology. Mills (1955, 10, 74-78) suggested field trips to existing community facilities; Brown (1955, 10, 85-86) reported on a technique of having students analyze, without their knowing until afterwards, their own personality test protocols; and more recently Wertheimer (1955, 10, 826) wrote on a method of the students writing short papers on "abnormal" behavior from their own or their friends' experiences. Only the latter demonstration comes close to meeting one of the fundamental problems for the student of abnormal psychology: the meaning of the concepts of "normal" and "abnormal." This article presents a simple classroom demonstration that has been used successfully at Trinity College during the early part of the course to emphasize two fundamental ideas: (a) behavior which is different from that of the group is not necessarily abnormal behavior, and (b) our labels of normal and abnormal have more meaning for us if we are aware of the circumstances underlying the deviant behavior observed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Conformity and character.

In 1953 "… one hundred men visited the Institute of Personality Assessment and Research… to participate in an intensive three-day assessment of those qualities related to superior functioning in their profession." Conformity is discussed with regard to individual differences, relations to personality variables, conformity behavior in different populations, psychological processes involved in expressions of conformity to group pressure, and the reinforcement of conformity behavior. The author suggests that "… we have what appears to be a powerful new research technique, enabling the study of conformity behavior within a setting which effectively stimulates genuine group interaction, yet preserves the essential requirements of objective measurement." (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

"Inferences from personnel tests and their validity": Correction to Lawshe.

Reports an error in "Inferences from personnel tests and their validity" by C. H. Lawshe (Journal of Applied Psychology, 1985[Feb], Vol 70[1], 237-238). On page 238, line 4, the word "each" appears and should be "such." The sentence will, therefore, refer "to the use of such cognitive processes as inductive and deductive reasoning and such characteristics of temperament as emotional stability and self-esteem." (The following abstract of the original article appeared in record 1985-16032-001.) Contends that despite clear definitions in standard sources, psychologists persistently refer to the validity of tests instead of the validity of inferences from test scores. This persistence leads to references to "kinds of validity" when, in fact, there are "kinds of validity analysis strategies" whereby data are collected or generated to determine or defend the extent, degree, or strength of the inference or inferences that can be made from a set of test scores. It is concluded that content validity analysis strategies are appropriate only when the job behavior under scrutiny falls at the observation end of the continuum; when such behavior approaches the abstract end of the continuum, a construct validity analysis strategy is indicated. (5 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

And Esau was an hairy man.

Attention is focussed on "certain aspects of the professional behavior of industrial psychologists… . It is within the realm of possibility for legitimate PhDs in the profession of psychology to exhibit various shades of professional behavior under various levels of motivation. Both inside and outside the profession of psychology, alarms have arisen about the potential misuse of behavioral sciences in the control of human behavior." Attributes of professional and nonprofessional occupations are distinguished. What can be done to preserve our present status as professionals and also insure true professional behavior on the part of industrial psychologists? Realistic ethical codes will only guide the way. "Industrial psychology cannot operate under the rules of the open market. Either we develop acceptable rules of professional service to society or society will define the conditions of psychological practice by legal restrictions. The choice is up to us as to who will shape the future of industrial psychology. Smooth men or hairy ones." (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Motivation and learning in medieval writings.

Quotations from writings during medieval times (the span in the Western World from 400 to 1400 A.D.) provide discussions and examples of conditioning or substitute stimulation, compensation, rationalization, projection, learning problems, individual differences, and "the importance of the formative years and of the significance of childhood impressions in the formation of attitudes and resultant behavior." However, "there does not seem to be much that is cumulative, no temporal development or drift, in behavioral knowledge." But "one can grant to many medieval persons rich insights into the behavior of their fellows." (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The two disciplines of scientific psychology.

"No man can be acquainted with all of psychology today." The past and future place within psychology of 2 historic streams of method, thought, and affiliation—experimental psychology and correlational psychology—is discussed in this address of the President at the 65th annual convention of the APA. "The well-known virtue of the experimental method is that it brings situational variables under tight control… . The correlation method, for its part, can study what man has not learned to control or can never hope to control… . A true federation of the disciplines is required. Kept independent, they can give only wrong answers or no answers at all regarding certain important problems… . Correlational psychology studies only variance among organisms; experimental psychology studies only variance among treatments. A united discipline will study both of these, but it will also be concerned with the otherwise neglected interactions between organismic and treatment variables. Our job is to invent constructs and to form a network of laws which permits prediction." (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of Psychotherapists in clinical practice: Cognitive and behavioral perspectives.

Reviews the book, Psychotherapists in clinical practice: Cognitive and behavioral perspectives by Neil S. Jacobson (see record 1987-98176-000). Behavior therapy is known for, indeed in some circles notorious for, its commitment to procedural specificity. It is thus ironic how little has been written about the concrete, session-to-session work of outpatient behavior therapists. Neil Jacobson, a behavioral marital therapist and a veteran editor of clinical compendiums, has stepped into the breach with this most recent volume. As he notes in his introduction, "The impetus for this book is the belief that there is not enough material in behavior therapy literature to support a practicing clinician working in settings where outpatients must be treated." (p. 4). It is Jacobson's intent to help remedy this deficit. Altogether, Jacobson's latest collection is a worthwhile addition to any clinician's library, whether or not the practictioner is of a behavioral bent. The usefulness of the contributions may vary, but the volume as a whole is likely to serve as a valuable reference for the outpatient therapist. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

N + 1 ways not to run a railroad.

Although "attacking what I consider to be a series of simplistic fallacies in thinking about social control, it is my intention to encourage a responsible realistic discussion of the issues." One fallacy is that it is possible to establish a completely unchanging social order, a "total state" which once established will continue running in unchanging form. "A second fallacy in thinking about social control in the 'total state' is that the major problems are those of political loyalty." A third fallacy is "the tacit assumption that the problem of social control is solely one of the control of individual behavior." The determinism versus free-will controversy is irresolvable. Complete determinism "can never be proven or disproven for one reason: our knowledge is and must always be finite." (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The uses of naming and the origin of the myth of mental illness.

"When we say that someone has or suffers from a mental illness, we assert a logically highly dubious proposition. It is virtually impossible to ascertain whether this proposition is true or false, because of the wide range of meaning that may be assigned to the term 'mental illness.' " Certain psychologists have used "the expression 'mental illness' to depreciate and injure others (particularly fellow professionals), but they also used its converse, 'mental health,' to promote the good fortune of those whom they liked and respected." It is desirable "to examine carefully the precise nature of the present status of our scientific (as well as everyday) attitudes toward problems of so-called mental illness." From Psyc Abstracts 36:02:2JA59S. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Behavioral medicine: The contribution of the experimental analysis of behavior to medical care.

There has been a great increase in research and clinical activity using psychological methods and procedures for understanding and modifying patterns of behavior that affect physical health. The term "behavioral medicine" has come into use to describe some of these activities. The present article reviews the contribution of the experimental behavioral sciences in the understanding and treatment of medical disorders and disease and examines some of the implications of the new field for psychology. Current definitions, which emphasize either a biopsychosocial or a behavioral framework, are discussed. Major themes in clinical behavioral medicine are identified, including the modification of overt behavior or physiological responses that constitute problems in their own right, the modification of behavior of health care providers, the improvement of adherence to prescribed treatment, and the modification of behavior or responses that constitute risk factors for disease. (95 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The nature of religious controls.

"Religion is certainly one of our most important institutions for influencing human behavior. Since religions, of one form or other, occur so regularly in almost all known human societies, one may examine the proposition that religion performs an important biologic function for the group, which creates survival value for the religion." 5 devices "by means of which behavior can be influenced: imitation, communication of affect, intervention in the pursuit of instinctual gratification, obedience, and disarming by vulnerability" are discussed with reference to organized religion. A sixth mechanism, "controlled regression," is "encouraged by religion to facilitate the regulation of behavior." On the assumption "that we are able to learn and to use effective technics of behavior regulation, are we sure that we can use them more wisely than religion has?" (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)