American Psychologist

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1978 American Psychologist

doi: 10.1037/0003-066X.33.4.305

Argues that in order to promote the evolution of an effective program of national health insurance, a system of continuing evaluation must be made an integral part of the development, delivery, and management of services. The objectives of an evaluation system are discussed, including to (a) specify the goals of the national health insurance system in measurable terms so that progress toward those goals can be assessed and effective components of programs can be identified, (b) provide a mechanism for effective cost management, (c) promote the provision of effective and safe services, and (d) further the accountability of providers and system administration for the conduct of the insurance plan. 16 characteristics that an evaluation and accountability system should possess in order to meet these goals are discussed, as are a number of practical difficulties in implementing such a system.

Gottfredson, Gary D.; Dyer, Sharon E.

1978 American Psychologist

doi: 10.1037/0003-066X.33.4.314

Information about health service providers in psychology based on a stratified random sample of over 7,300 American Psychological Association members shows that about 56% report providing some health services. A detailed examination of the characteristics of these health service providers implies that 81% of the doctoral-level providers are licensed and that the extent of licensure varies markedly according to the primary setting in which services are provided––90% of private practitioners, in contrast with 64% of those providing services in public mental hospitals, are licensed. Other details of employment settings, as well as time spent in research, service, and other activities, ethnicity, gender, age, salaries, and fees are summarized in 33 tables. Taken together, evidence suggests that doctoral psychologists provide about one-third of a million hours of services each week and that the number of people who receive services from a doctoral psychologist in a year is on the order of 2–4 million, with over half of the services provided in private practice. (28 ref)

Lubin, Bernard; Nathan, Ronald G.; Matarazzo, Joseph D.

1978 American Psychologist

doi: 10.1037/0003-066X.33.4.339

Chief psychologists in the 115 schools of medicine in the US were surveyed (100% response rate) with a mail questionnaire and asked to list all psychologists holding academic appointments at the medical school. They also were asked to indicate the number of these psychologists who were full-time and part-time and the number of them who received budgetary support from the school of medicine. Data from this survey were compared with data from J. D. Matarazzo and R. S. Daniel's 1957 survey and N. N. Wagner and K. L. Stegeman's 1964 survey. Overall results show that 2,336 psychologists now hold academic positions in schools of medicine, as compared to 993 in 1964 and 346 in 1955.

Bandura, Albert

1978 American Psychologist

doi: 10.1037/0003-066X.33.4.344

Notes that explanations of human behavior have generally favored unidirectional causal models emphasizing either environmental or internal determinants of behavior. In social learning theory, causal processes are conceptualized in terms of reciprocal determinism. Viewed from this perspective, psychological functioning involves a continuous reciprocal interaction between behavioral, cognitive, and environmental influences. The major controversies between unidirectional and reciprocal models of human behavior center on the issue of self influences. A self system within the framework of social learning theory comprises cognitive structures and subfunctions for perceiving, evaluating, and regulating behavior, not a psychic agent that controls action. The influential role of the self system in reciprocal determinism is documented through a reciprocal analysis of self-regulatory processes. Reciprocal determinism is proposed as a basic analytic principle for analyzing psychosocial phenomena at the level of intrapersonal development, interpersonal transactions, and interactive functioning of organizational and social systems. (62 ref)

Clarke-Stewart, K. Alison

1978 American Psychologist

doi: 10.1037/0003-066X.33.4.359

Notes that we are witnessing a proliferation of parenting "primers" as Dr. Spock is joined by a host of other child-care "experts." The present paper examines the extent and characteristics of the audience for these practical child-care manuals by integrating information from 4 of the author's studies. Data are presented from (a) a survey of 100 child-care publications, (b) the responses of 48 parents to a questionnaire about sources of child-care advice, (c) the questionnaire responses of 60 readers of parenting books owned by a public library, and (d) interviews with 104 mothers participating in a larger study of child-care. Results indicate that the publication and the reading of this literature have increased over the past several decades. Almost all parents read at least one such book, and a substantial proportion read more than 5. Those who read the most books are relatively young, worried about being parents, and isolated from family sources of child care. Although the number of books parents read is related to their education, it is not related to occupation. The characteristics and reactions of parents reading child-care books are discussed (a) in the context of current social conditions that may increase reliance on "expert" advice about child care, and (b) in light of the goals and shortcomings of the advice that is offered. (23 ref)

Sarason, Seymour B.

1978 American Psychologist

doi: 10.1037/0003-066X.33.4.370

The nature of scientific problem-solving has been assumed to be appropriate to all problems, including those in the social realm. There are no intractable problems. If problems in the social realm seem intractable, it is assumed that it is because they have not been formulated and attacked scientifically. The social scientists who entered social action after World War II, armed with theories and scientifically tested knowledge, found a world that would not bend to their paradigms. They entered a world governed by values, not facts, where persuasion and power were in the service of different definitions of age-old questions, where the relationship between action and values was more crucial to living than was the requirement that action lead to a solution. Many social scientists reacted with either petulance or bewilderment, and their attempts at social change fared poorly. A malaise set in, a crisis of confidence. How does one justify trying to cope with what may be intractable problems? The nature of the questions belies its origins in the assumption of science that one has to believe that all problems are solvable.

Bryant, Fred B.; Wortman, Paul M.

1978 American Psychologist

doi: 10.1037/0003-066X.33.4.381

Argues that it is becoming increasingly important for psychologists to archive their research data so that it can be reexamined and reanalyzed by others. The utility of such secondary analysis rests on the growing cost, complexity, and social significance of psychological research; its value for the field has already been demonstrated. Nevertheless, it is often difficult or impossible to obtain research data. A number of contributory reasons involving research competence, subjects' privacy, proprietary rights, and costs are discussed. Recommendations for dealing with these problems and for the establishment of data archives are presented. (40 ref)

Dallas, Dan

1978 American Psychologist

doi: 10.1037/0003-066X.33.4.388

Describes a brutal murder of a father by his 23-yr-old son that was witnessed by at least 50 elementary school children from kindergarten age through 6th grade on their way home for lunch. In anticipation of the event's emotional impact on the children, the school's counseling services went into action immediately. The services of the author, director of social services at a nearby hospital, were enlisted by the school administration to assist in the counseling of the pupils and their parents. Intervention techniques, reactions of the children and parents, and recommendations made to the families are described.

Chemers, Martin M.; Fiedler, Fred E.

1978 American Psychologist

doi: 10.1037/0003-066X.33.4.391

C. Argyris is incorrect in concluding that the leader match training method cannot be effective because it does not follow Argyris's Model 2 learning principles. He has yet to provide empirical data based on objective measures that his method improves organizational performance or that it is cost-effective.

Colotla, Victor A.

1978 American Psychologist

doi: 10.1037/0003-066X.33.4.394.a

Comments that M. J. White and K. G. White neglected to cite E. Garfield's (1975) citation study of psychology and behavior journals, a very important reference relevant to their work on the citation analysis of psychology journals.

Colotla, Victor A.

1978 American Psychologist

doi: 10.1037/0003-066X.33.4.394.a

Comments that M. J. White and K. G. White neglected to cite E. Garfield's (1975) citation study of psychology and behavior journals, a very important reference relevant to their work on the citation analysis of psychology journals.

Shaffer, Howard; Gambino, Blase

1978 American Psychologist

doi: 10.1037/0003-066X.33.4.394.b

Suggests features that should be incorporated with the skills building model suggested by W. A. Anthony . This model of rehabilitation emphasizes the identification and elimination of skills deficits, that is, those performance deficits that have prevented Ss from functioning in the community. Reintegration of Ss into the community is the main goal.

Selby, James W.; Calhoun, Lawrence G.

1978 American Psychologist

doi: 10.1037/0003-066X.33.4.396.b

Comments on L. Wright's discussion of the shortcomings of the traditional concept of psychosomatic disorders (PSD). The concept of PSD is outmoded because it sets up a false dichotomy by suggesting that few physical disorders are caused by psychological factors. Current evidence indicates that psychosocial factors are of varying importance.

Hart, Larry S.

1978 American Psychologist

doi: 10.1037/0003-066X.33.4.396.a

Agrees with W. A. Anthony's article on psychological rehabilitation (REHAB) and points out that both the construct and process of REHAB are foreign to most mental health practitioners. The distinction between treatment and REHAB must be made if practitioners are going to develop programs that affect REHAB outcomes.

Selby, James W.; Calhoun, Lawrence G.

1978 American Psychologist

doi: 10.1037/0003-066X.33.4.396.b

Comments on L. Wright's discussion of the shortcomings of the traditional concept of psychosomatic disorders (PSD). The concept of PSD is outmoded because it sets up a false dichotomy by suggesting that few physical disorders are caused by psychological factors. Current evidence indicates that psychosocial factors are of varying importance.