Critical comments on the theory and practice of behavior therapy from the viewpoint of Marxist-Leninist philosophy

By analyzing previous critical studies of the theoretical and methodological positions of behavioral therapy, which were conducted on Marxist-Leninist principles, the authors discuss the complex relationship of one-sided philosophical assumptions, simplifying elements of psychological theories, and radional moments of successful practical application in certain fields. Both critical delimitation from untenable theoretical interpretations and the inclusion of rational forms of therapy in a complex system of psychotherapy are considered essential.     

Cognition and emotion from the ret viewpoint

This article discusses the considerable overlap between my own (R. S. Lazarus) and Albert Ellis' cognitive view of emotions. In discussing Ellis' approach, the hallmarks of a cognitive theory of emotion are identified. My own theory concerning the role of cognitive appraisal and coping in emotions is discussed as well as the crucial metatheoretical concepts of transaction and process. It is stretching things to say that Albert Ellis has presented a fully elaborated theory of emotion. Rather, he has achieved the beginnings of a good theory especially as applied to the pathology of emotional life and how to correct it. Most lacking is how the emotion process works from encounter to encounter, moment to moment. Irrational beliefs as structural, static variables do not adequately account for emotional flux nor adequately explain the content and intensities of the full range of positive and negative emotions. The present article is a condensed and updated version of a previously published chapter: Lazarus, R. S. Cognition and emotion from the RET viewpoint. In M.E. Bernard & R. DiGiuseppe (Eds.),Inside rational-emotive therapy (pp. 47–68). San Diego, CA: Academic Press.     

Forensic-psychologic-psychiatric assessment from the viewpoint of perpetrators--data from a survey

In this contribution, various aspects of the expert/culprit-relationship and of the communication behavior styles between the included persons within the scope of forensic-psychological-psychiatric expertise, are discussed. A survey is given on results gained with a questionnaire study (n = 93 culprits; Department of Forensic Psychiatry, Charité Berlin) of the most important expectations, of the social-relevant attitudes towards the assessment and physicians before the forensic investigation as well as of the experiences of own feelings, stress and of the culprit's reflections on the physician/proband relationship after the assessment. A good partnership relation between experts and culprits presupposes that the expert not only possesses a high profession but also the necessary interpersonal-social competence.     

Optical flow and viewpoint change modulate the perception and memorization of complex motion

Participants observed a point-light character (PLC) performing a gymnastic movement. They either memorized the final PLC orientation from the initial viewpoint, to match it to a test posture (memory task), or judged whether the biological motion appeared continuous (perceptual task), despite a viewpoint change. The observer could be either static or virtually in motion (pan or track) while looking at the movement from the initial viewpoint. The presence of a spatial layout during virtual self-motion induced a global optical flow specifying the translational component of the PLC movement, rendering the event more predictable for the participants. A representational momentum effect was observed in the memory task, suggesting that when a visual stimulation, such as a PLC motion, is abruptly stopped, its dynamics survive. In contrast, structural and transformational invariants specifying the PLC motion were sufficient to solve the perceptual task accurately. Finally, both the remembering of the final posture and the perception of continuity degraded with an increase in viewpoint change due to tilt/slant posture orientation matching, indicating that orientation processes interfered with event perception.     

Sober on Intelligent Design

This response to Sober's (2008) Evidence and Evolution draws out and criticizes some consequences of his analysis because of its reliance on a likelihood framework for adjucating the dispute between (Intelligent Design) creationism and evolution. In particular, Sober's analysis does not allow it to be formally claimed that evolutionary theory better explains living phenomena than Intelligent Design and makes irrelevant the contribution of the theory of evolution by natural selection to assessments of the status of the argument from design. Finally, a rudimentary alternative framework for theory confirmation is presented here which avoids these conclusions by rejecting likelihoodism and deploying multiple criteria to the problem of scientific theory choice.     

Crisis intervention from the viewpoint of the mental health professional

Pastoral Psychology -