The Levels Hypothesis: A Re-Examination and Reorientation

The levels-hypothesis appears to be derived from psychoanalytic theory, and in its most popular interpretation is concerned with levels of consciousness. However, it is argued that a gradient of consciousness has no application to projective techniques, essentially because there are no principles of differentiation. It is for this reason that the studies which have been done have concerned themselves with such concepts as pathology, concepts which have a tenuous relation to the original levels-hypothesis. The paper has proposed that consciousness in the sense of awareness can more meaningfully be applied to projective material, and that when it is used in this sense a levels-hypothesis can be derived which is both testable and has an adequate rationale.     

Psychosomatic Illness and Projective Tests: The Rorschach Test

Abstract

Fingermann, Gregorio. Fundamentos de Psicotecnica. Buenos Aires: El Ateneo, 1954. Pp. 346.

Aliaga Lindo, Pedro. Estudio comparativo de la Prueba de Rorschach en 238 ninos de Huachac y Lima. Lima: Universidad Mayor de San Marcos, 1955. Pp. 188.     

Stimulus Properties of the Blacky Pictures Test

Abstract

Buss, A. H. Psychology of Aggression. New York: John Wiley and Sons, Inc. 1961, Pp. X + 307, $7.95. Reviewed by Leonard D. Eron

Eiduson, Bernice T. Scientists—their psychological world. New York: Basic Books, Inc., 1962. pp. 299, $6.50. Reviewed by John R. Weir

Ginott, Haim G. Group Psychotherapy with Children. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1961, pp. 208. Reviewed by Gordon Filmer-Bennett

Holtzman, Wayne H., Thorpe, Joseph S., Swartz, Jon D., &; Herron, E. Wayne Inkblot perception and personality. Austin: University of Texas Press, 1961. 417 pp. $8.00. Reviewed by A. Barclay, Ph.D.

Ittelson, William H., Kutash, Samuel B., ed: Perceptual Changes in Psychopathology. New Brunswick: Rutgers University Press, 1961. 262 pp. $9.00. Reviewed by Donald L. Weston

Levitt, E. E. Clinical Research Design and Analysis in the Behavioral Sciences. Springfield, Illinois: Charles C. Thomas, 1961, pp. 199–xxii. $8.50. Reviewed by Wilson H. Guertin

Lindzey, Gardner. Projective Techniques &; Cross-Cultural Research. Published by Appleton, Century-Crofts, Inc., N.Y., 1961, 339 pp., $6.00. Reviewed by Sohan Lal Sharma, Ph.D.

Clifton, James A. and Levine, David. Klamath Personalities: Ten Rorschach Case Studies, University of Oregon Press, Eugene, 1961, 80 pp. Reviewed by Sohan Lal Sharma, Ph.D.     

Emotional Labels and Projective Test Theory

A significant but often overlooked aspect of the circumplex structure of the domain of interpersonal functioning is its systematically continuous ordering of the quality of the behavioral variations addressed. It is a domain, in other words, explicitly lacking in categorical boundaries wherein a given behavior can be sharply discriminated from others proximal to it within a shared circumplex space; any identified border is at best a fuzzy one characterized by blending and interpenetration. it is argued that this observation has extended generalizability in respect to the organization of personality, rendering moot and suspect taxonomic systems that postulate categorical entities. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (4th ed.; American Psychiatric Association, 1994) used in the diagnosis of purported derangements of personality is one such system, one that would therefore be expected to yield certain predictable anomalies. These problems are illustrated with reference to the widespread occurrence of artifactual "comorbidities" among psychiatric diagnoses.     

Test of the Ratio Judgment Hypothesis

The hypothesis that we are capable of judging ratios of subjective intensities is widely used in psychology. Here, experimental results are reported that more stringently verify prior findings that people respond to sensory intensity differences while they execute the task of judging sensory intensity ratios. This verification was made on brightness and heaviness and for verbal and matching responses, suggesting that the results may be general for both sensory intensive dimensions and response systems. The results have implications for the comparisons of scores on evaluation scales based on ratio judgment.     

The Differential Validity of Items in a Liberalism-Conservatism Test

Summary

The purpose of this study was to provide a large sample validation of the Family Attitude Measure (FAM) developed by Delhees et al. (7). The FAM was given to the parents of 250 junior high school children, and the items factored. The results of the analyses on two of the subtests were found to be interpretable and are described in detail. Few of the factors identified were as interpretable in the sense of the Delhees et al. factors, but this could be due to the fact that this study involved the factoring of items rather than the “packages” which served as variables in the Delhees article.     

The Effect of Prior Fear Levels on UCS-expectancy Ratings to a Fear-relevant Stimulus

This study investigated the effect of levels of prior fear to a fear-relevant stimulus on UCS expectancy ratings in a threat conditioning procedure. The results suggested that UCS-expectancy ratings are independently influenced by both the nature of the stimulus (whether it is fear-relevant or fear-irrelevant) and the level of prior fear to the stimulus. Furthermore, significantly higher UCS-expectancy levels caused by prior fear and stimulus type were accompanied in some stages of the experiment by greater magnitudes of skin conductance responses during the stimulus.     

焦虑症状的绘画评定研究

目的:利用回归分析探讨绘画测验对焦虑状态的评定作用。方法：对290名被试实施了房子-树-人绘画投射测验和Scl90焦虑分量表测验,结果：在所考察的11种绘画特征中,有5种对焦虑具有预测性。可以建立绘画特征对焦虑进行预测的回归方程,方程具有中等程度的解释水平。两名主试评价的Kappa一致性系数均达到较高水平。结论：可以通过绘画测验评定和预测焦虑,焦虑症状的绘画测验方法具有较好的评分者信度。     

Evaluating the Equal-Interval Hypothesis with Test Score Scales

The axioms of additive conjoint measurement provide a means of testing the hypothesis that testing data can be placed onto a scale with equal-interval properties. However, the axioms are difficult to verify given that item responses may be subject to measurement error. A Bayesian method exists for imposing order restrictions from additive conjoint measurement while estimating the probability of a correct response. In this study an improved version of that methodology is evaluated via simulation. The approach is then applied to data from a reading assessment intentionally designed to support an equal-interval scaling.     

铆题比例对等值精度的影响

在非等组铆测验设计中,铆题量占测验长度的多大比例比较合适,这个比例随测验长度的增大可否发生变化？这些是实际工作者和研究者非常关心的问题。该文在固定被试数和测验长度的条件下,探查铆题量所占测验长度比例（简称铆题比例）的变化对等值精度的影响,讨论了在实际等值中如何在等值精度和铆题比例之间取得平衡的问题。并在模拟研究的条件下,给出了几个反应实际等值精度的指标。     

A Laboratory Test of the Mirror Image Hypothesis1

Chinese and American nationals participated in an experimental internation simulation as a test of Bronfenbrenner's mirror image hypothesis. Perceptions of own and opposing nations were measured for (1) a rebel movement, and (2) a large power fighting a rebel movement in a foreign nation. The effects of information availability (relevance), and of increasing threat from a third power were also investigated. It was found that evaluative mirror image perceptions of the opposing nation as “bad” and one's own as “good” were easily established. Mirror image perceptions of “they are the aggressors” were found for Chinese, but not for Americans. Information relevance had only limited effects. Threat from a third power produced, in general, decreased mirror image perceptions for subjects representing the large power, but did not affect subjects representing the rebel movement.     

神经症躯体化倾向的绘画诊断研究

通过问卷、绘画测验和回归分析,7项绘画特征被验证能够有效反映神经症躯体化倾向。根据这些绘画特征建立的回归方程经检验具有中等的解释效果。同时,评分者一致性程度较高。研究结果表明,通过“树人绘画测验”,能够建立对神经症躯体化倾向进行有效测量的临床诊断工具。     

抑郁倾向的绘画诊断研究

通过问卷、绘画测验和回归分析,8项绘画特征被验证能够有效反映神经症抑郁倾向.根据这些绘画特征建立的回归方程经检验具有中等的解释效果.同时,评分者一致性程度较高.研究结果表明,通过"房子树人绘画测验",能够建立对神经症抑郁倾向进行有效测量的临床诊断工具.     

The Bears Family Projective Test: evaluating stories of children with emotional difficulties

The aim of this study was to describe and analyze the storytelling of children with emotional difficulties. Forty children with emotional and relational difficulties (inhibited and impulsive), ages between 5.5 and 9.4 years old, were assessed by a multiaxial procedure and the bears family projective test. The bears family test is a constructive-thematic-projective method based on an anthropomorphic family of bears that children can manipulate to tell a story. The stories of 40 children without emotional difficulties (matched by IQ, socio-economic status, and gender) and 322 typically developing children, aged between four and 10 years old, were used as a reference for comparisons. Results indicated that the stories of children with emotional difficulties showed many unsolved problematic events, unclear characters, negative relationships, and negative behaviors. Unlike the stories of children without emotional difficulties, positive contents didn't prevail over negative, and there wasn't a positive compensation for negative elements.