Review of Schools of Psychology: A Symposium.

Reviews the book, Schools of Psychology: A Symposium edited by David L. Krantz (1969). This volume contains five papers which were delivered at a symposium held on September 4, 1967 at the seventy-fifth anniversary meetings of the American Psychological Association. The participants and their topics were E. G. Boring (Titchener, Meaning and Behaviorism), Edna Heidbreder (Functionalism), R. J. Herrnstein (Behaviorism), Wolfgang Kohler (Gestalt psychology), and David Shakow (Psychoanalysis). In addition there is a discussion by Gardner Murphy and an additional paper, by the editor, on the Baldwin-Titchener controversy. An index is provided. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of Physiological Psychology.

Reviews the book, Physiological Psychology by Peter M. Milner (see record 1971-03512-000). Milner points out that studies in the field of Physiological Psychology generate at the rate of over 1,000 per year and that for both student and teacher critical evaluation of the literature is increasingly difficult. Accordingly Milner presents a text which, while up to date in content areas, stresses a theory based evaluation approach to the galloping research enterprise. The text begins with elementary matter on physiology and anatomy on the assumption that psychologists are not well grounded in these subjects. Milner has prepared a well organized, well written text. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of The Practice of Psychology: The Battle for Professionalism.

Review of book, Rogers H. Wright and Nicholas A. Cummings (Eds.) The Practice of Psychology: The Battle for Professionalism. Phoenix, AZ: Zeig, Tucker & Theisen, 2001, 266 pp. ISBN 1-891944-73-8. Reviewed by T. Richard Saunders. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of Psychology of reading.

Reviews the book, Psychology of reading by John Downing and Che Kan Leong (1982). This book is a comprehensive survey of the wide range of topics related to reading, including the role of perceptual, cognitive, and linguistic processes in reading, environmental influences on reading, and disorders of reading. The book is well organized and the writing is clear. Many of the sections are quite informative--for example, those involving orthography, reading in different languages, and the social and cultural aspects of reading. The authors provide an up-to-date account of what is known about the neurological basis of reading but wisely caution against excessive "neurologizing" and assigning each hemisphere completely distinctive functions. This book is well organized and covers most areas in depth. It could form the basis of a graduate seminar or advanced undergraduate course. It can also provide a comprehensive view of the field for the specialist. The authors have done a fine job of integrating many different kinds of studies. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of History of Academic Psychology in Canada.

Reviews the book, History of Academic Psychology in Canada edited by Mary J. Wright and C. Roger Myers (1982). The title of this book is to be taken seriously. It is a history of academic psychology in Canada in which history of the academy moves prominently to the fore, often leaving the reader with only tantalizing glimpses of the psychology that gave meaning to the effort. Substantively, it is a history of university departments of psychology in Canada. Each departmental history is written by a person or persons having a long association with the department and a sufficient interest in its history to write it. At its best, this book provides well-written and penetratingly thoughtful accounts of the struggle to build psychology as an academic discipline in Canada. Often obscured in the effort, however, is the psychology itself. What was the psychology advocated by these personalities? What did they contribute to it? The reader will have to turn elsewhere for the answers. Regardless of limitations or faults, however, this book deserves full credit as the first attempt to rescue Canadian psychologists from their "social amnesia." It is an important step toward establishing a national consciousness and identity, which by itself would be sufficient reason for a positive reception. Fortunately, it has many other features that recommend it as well. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

Inaugural editorial for Journal of Experimental Psychology: Animal Behavior Processes.

When applying for the editorship of the Journal of Experimental Psychology: Animal Behavior Processes, I was asked for my “vision” for the Journal, which I have outlined here as an inaugural editorial. My vision is in essence conservative in that I shall take the core of my brief to be that of maintaining the conception of the Journal established by Allan Wagner over 30 years ago and maintained so admirably by the subsequent editors over the intervening decades. I see this conception as having two main components, the first relating to content and the second to procedures. As far as the content is concerned, the primary aim of the Journal is to publish reports of empirical research that use behavior to investigate the psychological processes mediating learning, memory, motivation, and other forms of cognition in animals as diverse as invertebrates and humans. The criterion for publication is that the experimental research addresses issues of significant theoretical import. Although I shall retain the option of publishing Brief Communications, I intend to maintain a very high criterion for these communications. The primary goal will remain that of publishing substantial reports of integrative research that produce closure on an issue or analysis rather than piecemeal work. As far as procedures are concerned, over the last three decades the Journal’s editorial and refereeing process has made an important contribution to the intellectual climate of the research area. I hope to maintain this tradition by resisting pressures to constrain and truncate the refereeing and editorial processes in service of reducing the feedback and publication lags. The Journal publishes papers that have a substantial and sustained impact and therefore can tolerate a reflective and thoughtful editorial process. It is these two features that have enabled the Journal to maintain its position as the premier archival journal in the field, and I take my prime duty to be that of maintaining this preeminent status. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of The Experimental Psychology of Sensory Behaviour.

Reviews the book, The Experimental Psychology of Sensory Behaviour by John F. Corso. The evaluation of John Corso's book depends to a great extent upon the use for which it is intended. As a text for an experimental psychology course, this book unfortunately has some serious limitations. This is of considerable value for some types of courses; however, for a course in experimental psychology it would seem desirable to give students a broader range of methodologies than those used in sensory psychology. This is a good, but somewhat limited, experimental psychology text that would need considerable supplementation from other sources in order to be adequate for general experimental courses in psychology. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of Readings in General Psychology: Canadian Contributions.

Reviews the book, Readings in General Psychology: Canadian Contributions by A. W. Pressey and J. P. Zubek (1970). A collection of seventy articles, sixty-eight of which are written by Canadian psychologists and other psychologists resident at some point in Canada, comprise the content of this set of readings. Two other contributions are by distinguished Canadian physicians. The organization of the book is in fourteen parts following the traditional divisions of an introductory text in psychology. The articles are from a variety of places but predominantly from the Canadian Journal of Psychology. Others are from such prestigious sources as Science and Nature. First-course instructors will find the "readings" well worth examining. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of Readings in General Psychology: Canadian Contributions.

This reprinted article originally appeared in Canadian Psychologist, 1971, Vol 12(1), 87-89. (The following abstract of the original article appeared in record 2007-02140-023.) Reviews the book, Readings in General Psychology: Canadian Contributions by A. W. Pressey and J. P. Zubek (1970). A collection of seventy articles, sixty-eight of which are written by Canadian psychologists and other psychologists resident at some point in Canada, comprise the content of this set of readings. Two other contributions are by distinguished Canadian physicians. The organization of the book is in fourteen parts following the traditional divisions of an introductory text in psychology. The articles are from a variety of places but predominantly from the Canadian Journal of Psychology. Others are from such prestigious sources as Science and Nature. First-course instructors will find the "readings" well worth examining. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of Principles of Research Methodology in Physiological Psychology.

Reviews the book, Principles of Research Methodology in Physiological Psychology by William G. Webster (1975). This book is aptly described as a laboratory manual in physiological psychology. This book is well-written, in a style which is easily read. Students should have little problem in comprehending even the most complex material. The book is fairly comprehensive. However, the major consideration in the production of a laboratory manual must be the degree of specialization of techniques and topics to be included. The manual must be general enough to serve diverse interests. This is the point where Webster's book fares poorly. This book will be, for those who adopt and follow it closely, a good laboratory manual. Unfortunately, its limitations and deficiencies severely reduce its acceptability as a manual for well established laboratory classes. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of Annual Review of Psychology Vols. 5 & 6.

Reviews the fifth and sixth volumes of the book "Annual Review of Psychology," edited by Calvin P. Stone, and Quinn McNemar (1954, 1955). Where the topic itself provides the organization, as for instance in the chapters on the special senses, the factual approach works admirably, and the relevance of the data presented is established by a fairly well-articulated context. Looking back over this review it seems that too much time has been spent trying to tell a body of able and energetic psychologists how to do better what they are already doing extremely well. The Annual Review fulfills an indispensable function in the psychological world, and the 1955 volume worthily continues a short but honorable tradition. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of Toward a Psychology of the Scientist.

Reviews the book, Toward a Psychology of the Scientist by Sonja C. Graver (1981). The major themes of this highly condensed 92 page book are that all sciences are philosophic and that psychological research provides insight into how scientists formulate and revise theories. The author further contends that the development of science would be enhanced if all scientists (including psychologists) understood the primary importance of the role of theory, imagination and creativity in experimentation. The scientific model suggested is that progress in science occurs by way of reformulations of arbitrary world views, and that scientific activities would be enhanced if the subjective and psychological, particularly cognitive, aspects were stressed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of The organization of behavior: A neuropsychological theory.

Reviews the book, The organization of behavior: A neuropsychological theory by Donald O. Hebb (2002). Although scientists and philosophers had long speculated about the involvement of biological factors in psychological phenomena, it was not until the 20th century and the publication of The organization of behavior in 1949 that Physiological Psychology emerged as an active field of scientific research. The book also served as a launching pad for revolutionary developments in a wide range of other fields. What can be said to have emerged from the publication of this volume in 1949? Hebb had produced the first comprehensive theory about how brain activity might produce various complex psychological phenomena. The field of biopsychology did emerge and the widely held view that psychological functioning was too complex to have its roots in chemistry and physiology of the brain was discredited. His theorizing did stimulate transdisciplinary research. A significant number of biological scientists began to ask questions about the brain that were relevant to the understanding of psychological processes such as learning and memory. It also resulted in a change in the philosophic outlook of behavioural scientists. Models of thinking began to be built out of neurocircuits as scholars adopted a monistic position about mind and brain. Undergraduates and graduate students should be very grateful to Richard Brown and Peter Milner for their efforts in re-publishing this seminal book. The arguments outlined in the book remain just as compelling and transparent as they were 40 years ago. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of Introducing Psychology; an Experimental Approach.

Reviews the book, Psychology; an Experimental Approach by D. S. Wright, Ann Taylor, et al. (see record 1970-13650-000). British undergraduate texts in psychology have been generally poor over the years. Recent offerings suggest a change. Among these is Wright and Taylor's 736 paperback "Introducing Psychology; an Experimental Approach". This text covers in a no-nonsense way the traditional material but minus the expense of visual aid and other teaching crutches so typical of North American texts. The approach gives a good dose of structural factors in behavior. There are, for example, chapters on behavior genetics and on the autonomic nervous system. On the whole, the offering represents a refreshing change from the expensive introductory psychology "artwork" that we are accustomed to in Canada. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of Introduction to Clinical Psychology: An Evidence-Based Approach.

Reviews the book, Introduction to Clinical Psychology: An Evidence-Based Approach by John Hunsley and Catherine M. Lee (2006). Introduction to Clinical Psychology: An Evidence Based Approach is intended to be a textbook for a senior undergraduate or beginning graduate course in clinical psychology. This goal is easily met and the text is a welcome addition to the choices that are available. The authors are leaders within the field, advocating for the use of empirically supported treatments for children, adolescents, and adult clients. It is well organized, clear, and interesting to read, making it appealing to most students. The first chapter does a good job of emphasizing the impact of mental health issues and the need for the profession of clinical psychology. The breadth of the field is covered in Chapter 2. The next sections cover classification, diagnosis, research methods, and assessment. In Chapter 5 (Assessment Overview), the various purposes of assessment are reviewed. Chapter 6 discusses interviewing and observation. The chapter on intellectual and cognitive measures provides a good review of the concept of intelligence and of all of the Wechsler scales. The chapter on prevention is excellent and the narrowing of focus to children and youth was a good decision. The chapters on intervention are among the strongest in the text. The focus is on approaches that have the most empirical support. A broad range of interventions are included. Throughout the text, several themes appear and are embedded within all of the topics and interwoven in the discussions. These include ethical considerations, empirical findings, and the applications of these findings to clinical practice. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of The Development of Modern Behavioural Psychology.

Reviews the book, The Development of Modern Behavioural Psychology by John McLeish (1981). The title of McLeish's book contains two terms that may be somewhat misleading. Describing his efforts as encompassing the "Development" of ideas suggests that the approach is historical, while the term "Modern Behavioural Psychology" might be taken to mean almost anything depending upon one's restrictive use of the term. McLeish, as it turns out, attaches a very restrictive meaning to "Behavioural Psychology". There will probably always be argument about what constitutes a proper historical approach but the reviewer doubts that the tact McLeish takes will ever satisfy. In his review of the history of radical behaviourism, McLeish highlights the work of some writers who have not been given a prominent place by other historians, and discusses, or notes only in passing, authors who have ordinarily been considered prominent. As a history, then, McLeish's book is a disappointment and often annoying. Perhaps the best that can be said about this book is that McLeish hints at a form of behavioural theory which would expand the present boundaries of our thinking. In his enthusiastic advocacy of an account that would recognize the historical, social and cultural origins of human behaviour as well as its complexity (including language, thinking and consciousness), McLeish points to the biological rather than the physical (or mathematical) sciences as the source of appropriate models to develop a science of behaviour. In this he is to be congratulated. It is too bad he did not devote the book to a full development of these notions. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of Les concepts fondamentaux de la psychologie sociale.

Reviews the book, Les concepts fondamentaux de la psychologie sociale by Gustave-Nicolas Fischer (2010). This work is intended as an introduction to social psychology and will be a welcome contribution to the field. It consists of eight chapters presenting various concepts of social psychology, each of which is covered with a level of detail that is appropriate for a text aimed at undergraduate university students. Certainly this text will help meet the need for French-language works in social psychology. Overall, the work is quite successful in achieving its objective, presented in the Foreword, namely to provide readers with a better knowledge of the psychosocial processes at work in the world in which they live. This work, divided into eight chapters, presents the key concepts of social psychology. Definitions, approaches and concepts are clearly stated. Sometimes a critical analysis of a theme is offered, other times not. Few practical applications and examples from everyday life are included. The author does, however, provide a wrap-up question at the end of each chapter, and also a list of supplementary readings. The overall quality of the work is very good and it is well suited to the target population. One weakness, though, is the lack of references to recent studies and texts, the latest being from 2004. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of Exploration in the Psychology of Stress and Anxiety.

Reviews the book, Exploration in the Psychology of Stress and Anxiety by Byron P. Rourke (ed.). This book is the result of a symposium held to mark the opening of new facilities for the Department of Psychology at the University of Windsor in 1968. The title of this little volume may be viewed by some as being pretentious. The knowledgeable reader in the area of stress and anxiety who expects a systematic attack on current problems may be somewhat disappointed. Not only are the chapters uneven, but they represent a global "hodge-podge" of theoretical, empirical and philosophical essays loosely bound together under a general rubric. Yet, in spite of the inconsistent style and presentation, there is probably something of interest to every general reader. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of The Psychology of Sex Differences.

Reviews the book, The Psychology of Sex Differences by Hilary M. Lips and Nina Lee Colwill (1978). This small book covers a lot of territory. In 300 pages Lips and Colwill, along with five collaborators, provide a broad summary of the available theory and research on the psychology of sex differences. After an introductory chapter on the problems of studying the topic, the book has orienting chapters on theories of female and male nature, sexual differentiation, hormones, the social process of learning sex roles, and the concepts of masculinity, femininity, and androgyny. Then the areas of ability, achievement, aggression and power are systematically examined for the presence and the correlates of sex differences. Finally, the issues of marriage, family and sexuality are considered. The book is an excellent starting point for the novice who is willing to give 300 pages of reading effort to the current work on sex differences. It is a good book for a psychologist or psychology student who wants a quick overview of what is being done and thought about in a rapidly expanding area of psychological research. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)