Family psychology from an Israeli perspective

A perspective of family psychology in Israel is drawn against a background of evolving indigenous elaboration suited to Israel's unique circumstances (J. I. Good & A. Ben-David, 1995). Its development shows a progression from the original source of an enriching but dominant culture (J. J. Gergen, A. Gulerce, A. Lock, & G. Misra, 1996; E. Halpern, 1985) to a discipline growing within the Israeli geopolitical reality, constraints of academic infrastructures, and training resources. One can currently recognize a discipline that is increasingly congruent with its cultural texture as well as the histories and traditions of individual families in a multifaceted society. This evolution is thought to bear similarities to the course that family therapy originally took and to where the roots of family psychology can be found. To echo F. W. Kaslow's (1987, 1991) analysis of this evolution in the United States, the heritage of family psychology in Israel also basically lies in mainstream psychology.     

The psychology of engagement with indigenous identities: a cultural perspective

In a questionnaire study among 124 students at Haskell Indian Nations University, the authors investigated the hypothesis that engagement with Indigenous identity--assessed along three dimensions including degree (identification scale), content (panethnic or tribal nation), and context (reservation or nonreservation)--can serve as a psychological resource for well-being and liberation from oppression. Consistent with this hypothesis, degree of identification was positively correlated with community efficacy and perception of racism. Apparently inconsistent with this hypothesis, degree of identification among students who had resided on a reservation was negatively correlated with the Social Self-Esteem subscale of the Current Thoughts Scale. Rather than evidence against the identity-as-resource hypothesis, this pattern may reflect the cultural grounding of self-esteem and tools designed to measure it.     

History of experimental psychology from an Estonian perspective

A short review of the development of experimental psychology from an Estonian perspective is presented. The first rector after the reopening of the University of Dorpat (Tartu) in 1802, Georg Friedrich Parrot (1767–1852) was interested in optical phenomena which he attempted to explain by introducing the concept of unconscious inferences, anticipating a similar theory proposed by Herman von Helmholtz 20 years later. One of the next rectors, Alfred Wilhelm Volkmann (1800–1878) was regarded by Edwin Boring as one of the founding fathers of the experimental psychology. Georg Wilhelm Struve (1793–1864) played an essential part in solving the problem of personal equations. Arthur Joachim von Oettingen (1836–1920) developed a theory of music harmony, which stimulated his student Wilhelm Friedrich Ostwald (1853–1932) to study colour harmony. Emil Kraepelin (1856–1926), the founder of modern psychiatry, is by far the most important experimental psychologist who has worked in Estonia. His successor Wladimir von Tchisch (1855–1922), another student of Wilhelm Wundt, continued Kraepelin’s work in experimental psychology. The lives of Wolfgang Köhler (1887–1967), who was born in Reval (Tallinn), and Oswald Külpe (1862–1915), who graduated from the University of Dorpat, extended the link between the history of experimental psychology and Estonia. Karl Gustav Girgensohn (1875–1925), the founder of the Dorpat School of the psychology of religion, stretched the use of experimental methods to the study of religious experience.     

A training program for family psychology: Evaluation,prevention and therapy

Abstract

Family psychology differs from family therapy on a variety of dimensions. Philosophically, family psychology emphasizes the relationship of the individual to the family rather than considering the family as a system, deemphasizing the individual, as in systems family therapy. In addition, family psychology is interested in the whole spectrum of functionality-dysfunctionality, while family therapy is interested mainly in dysfunctional families. Substantively, in terms of differences in training, family psychology stresses the importance of theory testing, evaluation of process and outcome of interventions, and prevention with functional or at-risk families. An academic curriculum in family psychology, which has been operational at Georgia State University for the last 10 years, is presented. Clinical training follows a gradual approach, starting with relatively simple Structured Enrichment, progressing to more complex training in Covenant Contracting and Systematic Homework Assignments, and finally family therapy.     

Family psychology and family therapy in Japan

The development of family psychology and family therapy in Japan has occurred mostly since the 1980s. This development was originally activated by the major social issue in contemporary Japan of school refusal, in which more than 127,000 children either overtly refuse to or claim that they cannot go to school. From a family perspective, this problem is analyzed as it relates to the confusion that children experience from unbalanced and unclear boundaries in family relations or "membranes." An approach to family therapy that adapts systems theory and integrates a clay sculpting medium has been developed to work with Japanese families confronting this problem. The design and implementation of preventative family psychology programs applied at the community level are also an important part of the future development in these fields.     

Culture and personality: toward an integrated cultural trait psychology

Two theoretical perspectives currently dominate research on culture and personality, the cross-cultural trait psychology approach, in which the trait concept is central, and the cultural psychology approach, in which the trait concept is questioned. Here I review theory and research from both perspectives and propose that the tenets of cultural psychology, at least in their more moderate forms, can be synthesized with the trait psychology approach, resulting in an integrated cultural trait psychology perspective.     

Existentialism and family therapy: a neglected perspective

This article describes an approach to therapeutic work with families based more on a value-system about persons in relationship than on an objectively validated scientific view and makes a claim for the contribution of existential philosophy to such endeavour.     

Paradigms in the study of creativity: Introducing the perspective of cultural psychology

This article identifies three paradigms in creativity theory and research in psychology. The He-paradigm, focused on the solitary genius, has been followed, mainly after the 1950s, by the I-paradigm, equally individualistic in nature but attributing creativity to each and every individual. Extending this view, the We-paradigm incorporates what became known as the social psychology of creativity. The cultural psychology of creativity builds upon this last theoretical approach while being critical of some of its assumptions. This relatively new perspective, using the conceptual and methodological framework of cultural psychology, investigates the sociocultural roots and dynamics of all our creative acts and employs a tetradic framework of self - community - new artifact - existing artifacts in its conceptualization of creativity. The theoretical basis of the cultural psychology approach is analyzed as well as some of its main implications for both the understanding and study of creativity.     

Challenges of an outcome-based perspective for marriage and family therapy education

Marriage and family therapy (MFT) and marriage and family therapy education (MFTE) have undergone many changes during the short history of MFT. This article describes the current trends and controversies in MFTE, including shifts toward outcome-based education (OBE). We present recommendations for MFTE, including the move toward OBE, the development of core competencies of MFT, attention to interdisciplinary issues, and recognition of the need for both foundational education and encouragement of trainees' unique styles and approaches.     

Health psychology in international perspective: A summary and some thoughts for the future

This article reviews the progress made by the field in its short history and attempts to look at developments which seem likely to occur as the field matures.

Recommendations are made for training of health psychologists in the future and a plea is made for international standardisation of health psychology training programmes at the Ph.D. level which incorporate research and clinical training. Health psychologists are further encouraged to take a more active public and political role in order to provide needed visibility for their work.     

Evolutionary psychology,biology, and cultural evolution

Evolutionary approaches to behavior, so far from indicating that human behavioral patterns must be universal and wired, actually provide us with good reasons for expecting cultural diversity and good tools for showing how it might develop. Even gender-role related behavior may be very plastic. Highly macho male behavior may be an adaptation to dangerous ecological and economic constraints. Similarly, homicide rates differ massively from culture to culture and may be under the control of specificable ecological and economic constraints.Adapted from a symposium talk given at the annual meeting of the Society for Experimental Social Psychology, October 13, 1990, Buffalo, New York. David Buss, Nancy Cantor, and Claude Steele made helpful comments on earlier versions of this paper.     

Spirals and circles: potential contributions of developmental psychology to family therapy

Developmental psychology offers much of value to family therapists in both its concepts and its information about child and adult development. Current work is reviewed selectively to emphasize those aspects which are most relevant for family work. The material is organized under five headings: 'Theories'; 'Major current issues'; 'Developing capabilities'; 'Developmental tasks'; and 'Current trends'. Abnormal development and childhood psychopathology have largely been excluded as these constitute rather separate areas. References have been chosen to provide useful background as well as to extend the specific points being made.     

Medical family therapy: an emerging arena for family therapy

This paper describes an important recent development in American family therapy. Medical family therapy uses a biopsychosocial systems model to work with families who have a member with a chronic illness or disability. The authors maintain that family therapy has tended to embrace the mind–body split and to view itself too narrowly as a mental health specialty. Medical family therapists work collaboratively with physicians and other health professionals to help families achieve a sense of agency and communion in facing some of the greatest challenges that life brings.     

Discourse on medicine: meditative and calculative approaches to ethics from an international perspective

Heidegger’s two modes of thinking, calculative and meditative, were used as the thematic basis for this qualitative study of physicians from seven countries (Canada, China, India, Ireland, Japan, Korea, & Thailand). Focus groups were conducted in each country with 69 physicians who cared for the elderly. Results suggest that physicians perceived ethical issues primarily through the lens of calculative thinking (76%) with emphasis on economic concerns. Meditative responses represented 24% of the statements and were mostly generated by Canadian physicians whose patients typically were not faced with economic barriers to treatment due to Canada’s universal health care system.