Status, job satisfaction, and factors of job satisfaction of state institution and clinic psychologists.

"In this report we will compare psychologists with other mental hygiene professionals—psychologists in state schools and hospitals with psychologists in clinics." Ss were 80 psychiatrists, 80 psychologists, 80 social workers, 80 teachers, 80 nurses (40 of each group in state institutions and 40 in nonstate institutions) and, in addition, 59 upper middle class and 51 lower middle class Ss. There is "limited support for the hypothesis which states that status and job satisfaction are related." The hypothesis that "the status of state institution psychologists is lower than that of clinic psychologists, is generally substantiated." The hypothesis that "there are differences in the job satisfaction of the two groups of psychologists finds some support." (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Counseling psychology.

"This paper is a proposal to establish counseling psychology as a functionally unique pattern of practice." Three hypotheses are proposed, one of which holds that "… counseling psychologists resemble industrial psychologists to a greater extent than they do psychotherapists." Eight points are made in summarizing "… a relatively unique pattern of function for the counseling psychologist. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Counseling psychologists in Veterans Administration regional offices.

Surveyed 223 27–70 yr old counseling psychologists employed in VA regional offices to obtain data on their professional memberships, licenses and certificates, job duties, and theoretical orientation (primarily client centered). Most of the Ss held master's degrees in rehabilitation counseling or counseling and guidance and appeared to be more strongly identified with rehabilitation counseling than with traditional counseling psychology. Their major professional activity was vocational educational counseling. Results are discussed in relation to the role of counseling psychologists and the definition of "psychologist." (27 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Research survey: State mental health programs.

"In preparation for the 1959 meeting of chief psychologists in state mental health programs a questionnaire on research was prepared and sent to 77 psychologists who were either functioning as chief psychologists in state programs" or in similar positions. Replies were received from 39 individuals, representing 30 states. "Evaluation of treatment was listed most frequently as an area in need of research." At least 45 different types of ongoing research projects were listed. "Three factors were emphasized as the main obstacles to research in the state programs: lack of personnel… lack of funds… emphasis on service, with subsequent lack of time for research." Psychologists were "seen as the individuals most involved in mental health research in state programs." (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Survey of civilian psychologists in the Federal Government.

"In order to investigate the problem associated with the recruitment and retention of civilian psychologists by the United States Government, a questionnaire was sent in the Spring of 1962 to 49 ranking psychologist-administrators in 43 governmental organizations… . The overall response rate was 88%." 9 tables indicate types of psychologists employed, psychologist vacancies, and psychologist losses by federal departments and by type and grade as well as summarizing reasons for psychologist losses and problems in obtaining and maintaining psychologists. The "survey covered about 1500 or 90% of civilian psychologists employed by the federal government." Most reporting organizations were in 3 major departments: Defense, HEW, and the VA. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Infighting in Psychology: An In-House Proposal.

Currently, many psychologists are experiencing an "embarrassing moment." As a result of licensing, psychologists with master's degrees cannot achieve full guild status (except for "grandfathering") and have been given titles such as "assistant." What is needed is some resolution of the PhD-MA schism, coupled with licensing legislation that delineates what psychologists can do that sister professions are ill equipped to provide and are unlikely to protest. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Legislative activity in Washington.

"On June 9 Washington became the ninth state to acquire legislation relating to the practice of psychologists. From the background of experience in the state of Washington a number of suggestions are offered: "No attempt should be made to push a bill through prematurely, that is, prior to the positive endorsement of a large majority of the state's psychologists." "It should be anticipated that a campaign for legislation will cost at least $500, in addition to the cost of a lobbyist." "Competent legal service in the final stages of drafting will save time and possibly the bill itself." (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Citing References Accurately.

The Council of Editors of the American Psychological Association (1, p. 43) states that "Accuracy in citations is of major importance." How accurately do psychologists cite references? This note deals with this question. Discrepancies in journal references to 15 psychologists are presented. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Criteria of Adjustment.

Research on counseling is impeded by the difficulty of formulating acceptable criteria for determining whether or not psychologists have achieved their purposes. Many psychologists seek to improve the clients' "adjustment," but they do not always agree on what adjustment is. The author offers 5 criteria of adjustment with which they can start: health, earnings, percentage of time unemployed, satisfaction in human relations, and job satisfaction. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

What kinds of APA members belong to APA divisions and to state psychological associations?

A "sample of the membership who responded to the 1962 National Register of Scientific and Technical Personnel and which was described earlier [Lockman, 1962] was further analyzed." Division and state members "were older, had higher 1961 gross incomes, and were self-employed to a significantly greater extent than the members of the other 3 subgroups. The division only members indicated research as a primary work activity to a significantly greater extent than the members of the other 3 subgroups. The state only members identified themselves as clinical psychologists to a significantly greater extent than the members of the other 3 subgroups. The subgroups with no division or state association memberships identified themselves as engineering psychologists to a significantly greater extent than the members of the other 3 subgroups." (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Dispositional empathy in scientists and practitioner psychologists: Group differences and relationship to self-reported professional effectiveness.

Dispositional empathy, job satisfaction, and perceived effectiveness at a variety of professional activities were assessed in a sample of 290 psychologists. The participants were randomly chosen from four divisions of the American Psychological Association. Analyses indicated that psychologists from divisions chosen to represent a "Practitioner" orientation (Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy), compared to psychologists from divisions chosen to represent a "scientist" orientation (Evaluation, Measurement, and Statistics), scored lower on personal distress. For females only, practitioner status was also associated with higher scores on empathic concern and perspective taking. Also, regardless of sex, among participants who reported regularly engaging in therapy, higher scores on empathic concern and perspective-taking, and lower scores on personal distress, were associated with greater satisfaction with therapeutic work. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

On electing the APA president.

"A large number of psychologists do not participate by either nominating candidates or in expressing a choice among candidates on the final presidential ballot… . The number of different psychologists nominated for president is large… . In 1954, of the ten highest ranking nominees, five are most identified with general experimental psychology, three with social, and one each with developmental and measurement." The Policy and Planning Board urges: "1. That all members of the Association actively participate in the nomination and election of the president by casting ballots; and 2. That in the final election members pay particular attention to the rank order of all five choices." (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Contemporary counseling psychology: Results of a national survey.

Conducted a national survey of counseling psychologists to examine counseling psychology in its current state of development. A 6-page questionnaire, which examined such variables as demographics, professional activities, institutional affiliations, and training satisfaction, was mailed to 980 members of Division 17 (Counseling) of the American Psychological Association (APA). Of these, 716 (73%) usable questionnaires were returned. Counseling psychologists (aged 29–84 yrs) were found (a) to spend the majority of their professional time providing individual psychotherapy, (b) to be primarily eclectic in theoretical orientation, (c) to be increasingly identified with the work setting of private practice, and (d) to be generally satisfied with their graduate and internship training. Additional information about counseling psychologists' professional self-views, research and publication efforts, career satisfaction, and satisfaction with the APA was also obtained. Findings are discussed in relation to the present and future of counseling psychology. (60 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Some glimpses of Soviet psychology.

"Our major purpose was to see psychology at work in a variety of experimental laboratories at institutes, universities, and hospitals and, through conferences with Soviet psychologists, to learn as much as possible about their spheres of scientific interest, their aims, problems, theories, instruments, and techniques." Major subtopics are: How Psychological Research is Organized; Basic Tenets of Soviet Psychologists; Some Examples of Current Investigations (Experimental Studies of Higher Nervous Processes; Studies of Voluntary Activity, Work Operations, Productivity; Studies of Higher Mental Processes). "Wherever we went we found dedicated Soviet psychologists fully set to tell us about what they had last done, were then doing, and were planning to do next. They were more intent on reporting their performances in research than in debating their theories and hypotheses." (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

On the expansion of professional psychology.

"My aim has been to discuss some of the effects which present-day training in clinical psychology may have upon the role and identity of professional psychologists; how the consequences of professional expansion and the interaction with other groups affect training programs in psychology; and how in turn the circumstances of the latter, by determining the range and quality of experiences, may affect the intellectual and professional orientation of clinical psychologists." (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The organization of a large department of psychology.

Considers the question of whether psychologists should be "affiliated with a single department or identified only with the unit in which they work." The experience of 1 university's psychology department which participates in the selection and recruitment of any psychologist employed by the school is described. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Military psychology in the United States of America.

"Between World War I and World War II, there was almost no interest of American psychologists in military problems, perhaps because there was almost no interest of the military in gaining the assistance of psychologists." The 1948 APA Directory identifies 98 psychologists as working for the Departments of Defense, Army, Air Force, or Navy. "This represents about 2% of the 5,047 members of the APA at that time. In the 1957 APA Directory, I have counted 729 psychologists who are listed as working for agencies of the military departments." This represents "almost 5% of the 15,000 members listed in the 1957 APA Directory." Various branches of military psychology within the Army, the Navy, and the Air Forces are indicated "to give appropriate emphasis to the great diversity of uses to which psychologists are put and to the consequently great variety of projects these agencies must, by their very titles and associations, engender." It also provides a statement "about how military psychology is organized within the Armed Forces in the States." The roles of the psychologist in military personnel management and in weapons development are discussed. (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)     

An evaluation of criteria used by clinicians to infer pathology from figure drawings.

6 psychologists and 8 nonpsychologists were given a mixture of figure drawings made by 30 normal and 30 psychiatric adolescents and instructed to infer which drawings were by patients and to state the criteria used. All criteria were cross-validated on a new sample (N = 86). Valid criteria of pathology were "bizarre," "distorted," "incomplete," and "transparent." Valid criteria of normality were: "happy expression" and "nothing pathological." Many criteria used by clinicians led to inaccurate inferences. Nonpsychologists discriminated as well as psychologists (65% and 64% accuracy, respectively). An empirically based prediction formula discriminated with 79% accuracy on cross-validation. It is concluded that elimination of invalid criteria can lead to a sharpening of clinical judgment and more accuracy in evaluation of figure drawings. (59 ref.) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)