American Psychologist

ENGEL, MARY

doi: 10.1037/h0023905pmid: 5941072

"FOR MANY CENTURIES 'THESIS' MEANT SOME KIND OF PUBLIC PERFORMANCE, EITHER A CEREMONY OR AN EXAMINATION OR BOTH. THE EDUCATION OF RESEARCHERS DID NOT BECOME A SALIENT MATTER UNTIL AFTER THE SCIENTIFIC REVOLUTION." IN THE 19TH CENTURY THE IDEA DEVELOPED THAT EVERY STUDENT THROUGH THE THESIS WOULD ADD AT LEAST "1 BRICK TO THE EVER GROWING TEMPLE OF KNOWLEDGE . . . ." AT PRESENT IN AMERICA, HOWEVER, IT APPEARS THAT GRADUATE SCHOOL EDUCATORS ARE BEGINNING TO CONSIDER THE THESIS A "TRAINING INSTRUMENT" RATHER THAN AN "ORIGINAL CONTRIBUTION TO KNOWLEDGE." PROBLEMS WITH THE THESIS IN GENERAL AND ITS UTILITY IN RESEARCH EDUCATION ARE DISCUSSED. IT IS ASSERTED THAT THE THESIS "IS STILL AN EXPENSIVE, TIME-CONSUMING, PAINFUL KIND OF HIGHER EDUCATION IN DESPERATE SEARCH OF A RATIONALE . . . . APPRENTICESHIP IS THE SINE QUA NON OF THE EDUCATION OF RESEARCHERS . . . . MINING THE VARIETIES OF PERSONAL QUALITIES IN THE CANDIDATE-PROFESSOR DYAD WOULD SOON RENDER THE THESIS-ANTITHESIS DILEMMA QUITE OBSOLETE." (17 REF.)

CRAWFORD, MEREDITH P.

doi: 10.1037/h0023974pmid: 5941073

PRESENTS 3 INTERESTING CONNOTATIONS OF SIMULATION: (1) REPRESENTATION OR SUBSTITUTION OF 1 THING FOR ANOTHER; (2) PORTRAYAL OF THE ENVIRONMENT, WHICH SUGGESTS THE STUDY OF PERCEPTION; AND (3) DYNAMIC SYSTEMS AND THE FUNCTION OF COMPUTERS IN THEIR REPRESENTATION. EXPLORES THE USES OF SIMULATION FROM THE POINT OF VIEW OF RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT IN TRAINING. MAJOR SECTIONS ARE THE FIELD OF SIMULATION, OPEN-LOOP ENVIRONMENTAL SIMULATION, SIMULATION NOT INVOLVING PEOPLE, ANALYSES OF OCCUPATIONS, SIMULATION FOR TRAINING, REAL-SIZE SYSTEM SIMULATION, TECHNIQUES OF MINIATURIZATION, SIMULATION WITH EMPHASIS ON THE PEOPLE INVOLVED, AND SIMULATION FOR PROFICIENCY MEASUREMENT. 5 DIMENSIONS OF SIMULATION ARE IDENTIFIED. (31 REF.)

ASH, PHILIP

doi: 10.1037/h0023906pmid: 5941074

"IN PROHIBITING DISCRIMINATION ON THE BASIS OF RACE, COLOR, RELIGION, SEX, OR NATIONAL ORIGIN, THE ACT SETS FORTH A NUMBER OF EMPLOYER ACTIONS, THE COMMISSION OF WHICH CONSTITUTES UNLAWFUL EMPLOYMENT PRACTICES . . . ." THE TOWER AMENDMENT TO THE ACT SAYS IN PART "IT SHALL NOT BE . . . AN UNLAWFUL EMPLOYMENT PRACTICE FOR AN EMPLOYER TO GIVE AND TO ACT UPON THE RESULTS OF ANY PROFESSIONALLY DEVELOPED ABILITY TEST, PROVIDED THAT SUCH TEST, ITS ADMINISTRATION OR ACTION UPON THE RESULTS IS NOT DESIGNED, INTENDED OR USED TO DISCRIMINATE BECAUSE OF RACE, COLOR, RELIGION, SEX, OR NATIONAL ORIGIN." THE IMPLICATIONS OF THE ACT, AND PARTICULARLY OF THE TOWER AMENDMENT, ARE DISCUSSED, AS IS POSSIBLE COURT INTERPRETATION. QUESTIONS CONCERNING THE NATURE OF ABILITY TESTS ARE CONSIDERED. PSYCHOLOGISTS HAVE RESPONSIBILITIES FOR EDUCATION, RESEARCH, SOUND PROFESSIONAL CONDUCT, ETHICAL ACTION, AND TO RECOGNIZE THE LIMITATIONS OF TESTING. (20 REF.)

SISKIND, GEORGE

doi: 10.1037/h0023963pmid: 5941075

AN ANALYSIS OF 67 LETTERS OF RECOMMENDATION FOR 33 DIFFERENT INTERN APPLICANTS FROM 19 UNIVERSITIES INDICATES THAT 87% OF THE STATEMENTS ABOUT THE APPLICANTS ARE POSITIVE; ONLY 6% ARE NEGATIVE.

STARKMAN, STANLEY

doi: 10.1037/h0023972pmid: 5941076

DEBATE ON THE ROLE OF THE SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGIST "SEEMS TO HAVE CRYSTALIZED INTO . . . 2 POSITIONS: 1 SIDE, THE 'OLD GUARD,' STRESSES ATTENTION TO THE CHILD INDIVIDUALLY, THE CLINICAL APPROACH-WHILE THE OTHER POINT OF VIEW, THE 'UPLIFT' POSITION ARGUES FOR GREATER DIVERSIFICATION TO INCLUDE EMPHASIS UPON RESEARCH, IN-SERVICE TRAINING, AND CONCERN WITH GENERAL EDUCATIONAL PROCESSES, AS WELL AS CLINICAL PROBLEMS . . . . THE IMPACT OF THE 'UPLIFT' POSITION ON PSYCHOLOGISTS WORKING IN SCHOOLS HAS BEEN LESS THAN PERVASIVE." THE SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGIST OFTEN IS CONFRONTED WITH A PARADOXICAL SITUATION IN WHICH HE IS TOLD HE HAS CONTROL AND THEN DECISION MAKING AUTHORITY, OR CONTROL, IS ASSUMED BY THE SCHOOL ADMINISTRATOR. "IT IS APPARENT THAT 1 WAY A PSYCHOLOGIST IN THE SCHOOLS CAN GAIN CONTROL IS TO 'EXPOSE' THE PARADOX BY STATING IT." HOWEVER, HE MUST ALSO BE AWARE OF THE ADMINISTRATOR'S GOALS AND PROBLEMS.

Josey, Charles C.

doi: 10.1037/h0021030pmid: N/A

I should like to make three criticisms of Irwin Katz' timely and stimulating article, "Review of Evidence Relating to Effects of Desegregation on the Intellectual Performance of Negroes" . My first criticism is that the author failed to include in his extensive bibliography reference to several pertinent studies/papers. My second criticism is directed against the author's failure to consider the possibility of hereditary differences between Negro and white children. My third criticism is directed toward the widespread tendency of psychologists to neglect the importance of heredity as a determinant of behavior, personality, and even of the environment.

Russell, James W.

doi: 10.1037/h0021032pmid: N/A

Comments on articles by Sanford , Berg , and Bakan concerning human nature, human problems, and the behavioral sciences. The author states that it would seem reasonable to suppose that much greater attention should be given to the question of the problem with problems and humans. Sanford's idea of an institute seems reasonable. We should not wait for grants, institutes, and time off for thought. The priority of this business is very great. On the other hand, if many of us were given the opportunity to work on this full time, human problems, cultural trends, and the mystery-mastery complex would receive more attention. The discontent of Sanford, Berg, and Bakan would be alleviated much sooner.

Frank, Irving H.

doi: 10.1037/h0021031pmid: N/A

On November 18, 1965, the second annual joint meeting of the respective statewide organizations of psychologists and psychiatrists was held at the Yale Medical School in New Haven, Connecticut. The meeting, an outgrowth of its predecessor, was directed to the particular impact of community mental health programs upon present and future training within our two professions. A brief summary is provided.

Ryder, Robert G.

doi: 10.1037/h0021033pmid: N/A

Work at the Child Research Branch presently includes the application of several thousand (binary) content codes to interview typescripts. The expectable complexities of doing the coding and having the resulting data transcribed accurately for keypunching purposes can easily be imagined. The present procedure, however, virtually eliminates clerical errors, because it virtually eliminates purely clerical operations.

Wrightsman, Lawrence S.

doi: 10.1037/h0021034pmid: N/A

While running a study of college-student subjects recently, I made a serendipitous discovery which may be of use to other experimenters. It is that scores on the Revised Social Responsibility Scale (RSRS) (Berkowitz & Daniels, 1964) discriminate significantly between students who appear and fail to appear for experiments. These findings are discussed in detail.