The cybernetic epistemology of Gestalt therapy.

Discusses G. Bateson's (1972) position that the dualism of Western thought creates serious problems for the individual and society. Gestalt therapy is viewed as based on nondualistic premises with the attempt to ground it in cybernetic or systems theoretical terms. The 4 cybernetic principles that seem to underlie Gestalt therapy are as follows: (1) An organism is a self-corrective, open system inseparable from its environment. (2) An open system is capable not only of energy exchange but also of entropy transport. (3) An open system must be efficient at transmitting and receiving data from the environment. (4) All open systems display the property of equifinality. Each principle is explained in terms of cybernetics and psychotherapy. (8 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Raven Progressive Matrices: An item and set analysis of subjects grouped by race, sex, and social class.

Investigated whether the internal structure of Raven's Progressive Matrices could account for race and social class differences in the responses of 5th and 6th graders obtained in a previous study by S. Tulkin and J. Newbrough (see record 1968-17225-001). Analysis confirms previous findings that the items are not linearly ordered across the entire test nor within sets. It is concluded that group differences may reflect the perceptual rigidity of lower-class Ss rather than reasoning ability per se. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

A Model for Predoctoral Psychopharmacology Training: Shaping a New Frontier in Clinical Psychology.

Patients routinely ask psychologists questions about psychoactive medications. In addition, psychologists frequently encounter patients having problems with their medications. How will doctoral training programs respond to the dilemma of providing their students with a basic level of knowledge in psychopharmacology without adding to the length of the doctoral curriculum? Although postdoctoral training models have been developed for psychologists who seek extended specialized training in Psychopharmacology, the authors propose that some predoctoral training in psychopharmacology and related topics is critical to prepare graduates to meet mental health needs, particularly for underserved populations. The authors present a model through which psychopharmacology course work can be integrated into the predoctoral curriculum without compromising course work in basic psychology or extending the length of training. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Show versus no show: A comparison of referral calls to a suicide prevention and crisis service.

Conducted an exploratory content analysis of 20 pairs of taped telephone calls to a suicide prevention and crisis service. Variables that might differentiate between referrals resulting in "show" and those resulting in "no show," were studied. A show and a no show call for each of 20 telephone therapists were coded. It is concluded that a scale based on 6 indexes would differentiate between the 2 groups. Motivation of the caller for getting help and the concreteness of the therapist emerged as most important factors in the 6-item scale. The relationship between this research and a crisis intervention model is discussed. (28 ref.) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The changing role of psychologists in health maintenance organizations.

Discusses the functioning of health maintenance organizations (HMOs) with reference to characteristics that make them receptive to interdisciplinary programs involving psychologists. Interdisciplinary cooperation is considered in relation to status issues and the importance of consultation skills. Two HMO programs on smoking cessation and coping with chronic pain are described to illustrate the role of psychologists in the treatment of medical conditions in which behavior change is important. (22 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Need for approval and popularity: Sex differences in elementary school students.

Children's Social Desirability Scale (CSD) and a sociometric measure were group administered to 192 5th- and 6th-grade Ss. Intelligence and achievement scores were also obtained. High need for approval girls (as measured by CSD) were found to be most popular, while high need for approval boys were least popular. Partialing out the effects of intelligence did not significantly alter these sex differences. Sex role theory was used to explain the findings, hypothesizing that behaviors associated with a high need for approval are consistent with the female sex role model but contrary to the male model. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Process and outcome in the evaluation of telephone counseling referrals.

Attempted to replicate an earlier finding that 2 process variables ("concreteness" of volunteers' verbal expressions and "motivation" of callers for receiving help) would predict whether callers to a suicide and crisis service would show for appointments for face-to-face counseling. The sample included all callers to a suicide prevention and crisis service during 1 mo (N = 1,302). An attempt was also made to operationalize R. R. Carkuff's (1969) concreteness construct by use of a new coding system for specificity focus of volunteer talk. In addition, a follow-up questionnaire was administered to shows, no shows, and cancels. It was found that caller motivation (referral responsiveness) predicted referral outcome but that volunteer concreteness did not, and that the specificity-focus coding system did not correlate with concreteness. Callers' responses on the follow-up questionnaire challenged the assumption that not showing for an appointment is a sign of "failure" in telephone counseling. (15 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)