Hasidic Thought and the Holocaust (1933–1947): Optimism and Activism

Polish hasidic thought during the Holocaust exhibited optimism about the outcome. This was tied in part to the power of the inner point of faith (nekudah penimit) to impact upon the dialectical movement from darkness to light, on both the historical (sin-punishment) and metahistorical (exile-redemption) levels. Exponents of this view included the Admorim (rebbes, hasidic leaders) of Alexander, Bobov, and Gur, and Kalonymus Kalman Shapira (Warsaw). Immediately after the war, other Admorim from these streams continued with their optimism and faith-activism, even though they viewed the Holocaust through the lens of its non-redemptive aftermath. There was also a pessimistic and passive strain, shared by representatives of the Kotsk, Sokhachev, and Sokolov dynasties, in apparent response to the failure of inner faith to affect the catastrophic historical reality.     

Behavior under the microscope: increasing the resolution of our experimental procedures

Behavior analysis has exploited conceptual tools whose experimental validity has been amply demonstrated, but their relevance to large-scale and fine-grained behavioral phenomena remains uncertain, because the experimental analysis of these domains faces formidable obstacles of measurement and control. In this essay I suggest that, at least at the fine-grained end of the behavioral spectrum, we have not taken sufficient advantage of all available procedures. Specifically, I propose that an examination of eye movements, joint control, and response latency in intraverbal tasks might help us to formulate more complete accounts of complex human behavior.     

Characterological psychology and German political economy in the Weimar period (1919-1933)

In the mid-1920s, applied (and theoretical) psychologists in many countries turned from studying elementary abilities to studying character or personality. This article examines this shift within the offices of the German labor administration, which aimed to place all German youths in appropriate jobs. Contrary to recent works on the history of psychology, which have emphasized the importance of cultural context, this article explains the turn to characterology in terms of German industry's evolving production strategies. As German companies developed a niche in flexible production, they came to value the highly skilled worker, who needed such character qualities as reliability, diligence, and conscientiousness. The article thus argues that historical analyses of applied, and perhaps even theoretical, psychology should also consider political economy as a potentially important context.     

Panel report: Biotechnology Resources Program (BRP)

During the past few years it has become increasingly apparent that even some of the most distinguished biomedical research institutions throughout the country are unable to provide their member scientists with either up-to-date health-relevant research tools or the opportunity to collaborate with innovative experts at the technology/medicine interface. Accordingly, a concerted effort in Biotechnology Resource Sharing was initiated and promoted during fiscal year 1974 and will continue for the forseeable future. The objective is to effect a more nearly equitable distribution of highly specialized research support capabilities in the nation, including especially those institutions having limited biotechnology capabilities but strong biomedical research programs and compelling biotechnology needs.     

Menstruation and crime: A critical review of the literature from the clinical criminology perspective

The authors review the literature on the relationship between menstruation and crime, focusing upon the methodological limitations of these studies in the broader context of criminological and menstruation research. Based on this review, they conclude: the present state of scientific knowledge is such that it is unknown whether there is an association between any phases of the menstrual cycle and crime; there is no evidence linking fluctuations in reproductive hormones to criminal behavior; and, this lack of scientific knowledge is so glaring that evidence regarding menstruation and crime should not be admissible in criminal trials.     

Validity of the Overcontrolled-Hostility (O-H) Scale: a brief report.

In order to further assess the validity of the MMPI O-H (overcontrolled hostility) Scale, high and low O-H youthful offenders were administered the Rosenzweig Picture-Frustration Study and their responses classified as extrapunitive, impunitive or intropunitive. Results indicated that high O-H subjects were significantly more impunitive than low O-H subjects and conversely, that low O-H subjects were more extrapunitive than high O-H subjects. Such findings are consistent with the O-H personality typology and lend further support to the construct validity of the Scale.     

The Early Motor Questionnaire (EMQ): A parental report measure of early motor development

Children's early motor skills are critical for development across language, social, and cognitive domains, and warrant close examination. However, examiner-administered motor assessments are time consuming and expensive. Parent-report questionnaires offer an efficient alternative, but validity of parent report is unclear and only few motor questionnaires exist. In this report, we use cross-sectional and longitudinal data to investigate the validity of parent report in comparison to two examiner-administered measures (Mullen Scales of Early Learning, MSEL; Peabody Developmental Motor Scales, PDMS-2), and introduce a new parent-report measure called the Early Motor Questionnaire (EMQ). Results indicate strong correlations between parent report on the EMQ and a child's age, robust concurrent and predictive validity of parent report with both the MSEL and PDMS-2, and good test–retest reliability of parent report on the EMQ. Together, our findings support the conclusion that parents provide dependable accounts of early motor and cognitive development.