Judaism and Health: Reflections on an Emerging Scholarly Field

This paper surveys the field of Judaism and health. The authors trace the history of discourse on health and healing within Judaism, from the biblical and rabbinic eras to contemporary research and writing on Jewish bioethics, pastoral care, communal services, and aging, including congregational and community programming related to health and illness and the emergence of the Jewish healing movement. The work of the Kalsman Institute on Judaism and Health is described, focusing on efforts to unite these various threads into a scholarly field emphasizing basic and applied research on the instrumental functions of Jewish religious life for health and well-being.     

A Road Map for an Emerging Psychology of Social Class

Though the scientific study of social class is over a century old, theories regarding how social class shapes psychological experience are in their infancy. In this review, we provide a road map for the empirical study of an emerging psychology of social class. Specifically, we outline key measurement issues in the study of social class – including the importance of both objective indicators and subjective perceptions of social class – as well as theoretical insights into the role of the social class context in influencing behavior. We then summarize why a psychology of social class is likely to be a fruitful area of research and propose that social class environments guide psychological experience because they shape fundamental aspects of the self and patterns of relating to others. Finally, we differentiate social class from other rank‐relevant states (e.g., power) and social categories (e.g., race/ethnicity), while also outlining potential avenues of future research.     

Faculty Perceptions of College Creativity Courses

If you were going to teach a college-level course in creativity, would you be interested in what other instructors believe about such courses? Would you like to know their views about planned outcomes, evaluation and course content? These are some of the areas addressed in this report. The study orginated discussions at the First National Conference on Creativity in American Colleges and Universities.¹ The conference was promoted by the work of McDonough and McDonough (1987),² and was held in July of 1990 at the Alden B. Dow Creativity Center of the Northwood Institute in Midland, Michigan. It was an exciting opportunity for university-level teachers of creativity to get together and talk. To facilitate discussions, most participants brought with them copies of their course syllabi. Much of the ensuing discussion centered around the purposes of creativity courses, appropriate course experiences, required products, and the evaluation of student participation and learning. While the diversity of opinion of those present soon become clear, many participants were left questioning if the opinions heard and syllabi offered at this conference were representative of what was being done nationally. The present study is born from that question.     

Women in Psychology: Biography and Autobiography

Biographical information on psychologists occurs in several forms and in a variety of sources. Some journals such as the American journal of Psychology, Science, and, more recently the American Psychologist, regularly publish obituaries of eminent psychologists. Other biographical materials can be found in association with award presentations such as those published in the American Psychologist and the fournal of Social Issues. Autobiographical material for psychologists has appeared chiefly in two outlets: A History of Psychology in Autobiography (6 volumes to 1979) and The Psychologists (3 volumes to 1979). In addition to these forms, there are memorial articles, historical papers, and biographical sketches accompanying the announcement of officers of professional societies. Further, more than 250 book-length biographies and autobiographies have been published about psychologists.     

Discussion: The Roots of Emerging Ecological Psychology

I briefly trace the topics presented in the 4 symposium papers in a cyclic order. Sheena Rogers' (this issue) paper discussing an example of J. J. Gibson's sense of 'information' (the horizon ratio) and Eleanor J. Gibson's (this issue) paper discussing affordance learning bring together the 2 core concepts of ecological psychology (information and affordance). Robert Lickliter (this issue) and Gene C. Goldfield (this issue), along with E. J. Gibson, discuss skill development in context utilizing comparative psychology and human infant research. For the recent history that holds these topics together, the early contributions of E. B. Holt and J. J. Gibson are emphasized.     

Humility: An Emerging Construct in Moral Psychology

The virtue of humility is lauded by most authorities but opinions of what it is, what it includes and what it does not are multifarious. Religious and philosophical traditions in India stress its role in emancipating the ego and providing an understanding for one’s perspective as contrasted against the magnanimity of the Almighty, the Supernatural or the Universe. Most academicians within the scientific psychological realm also look upon humility as a virtue. Accredited as a powerful tool for personal, social and organisational well-being, humility, as a moral construct, deserves a thorough and detailed exploration to reveal what it entails, what its corollaries are and how it can be measured. It is particularly useful in Indian context, as indigenous traditions have always emphasised humility. However, such efforts have remained relatively neglected till recent years. Of course, a few researchers with emphasis on moral and positive psychology have probed and prodded this concept to lay bare its comprising elements and to build tools to measure it. These attempts have been discussed here. Information was culled from surveying the scientific literature of the past four decades from psychological and philosophical journals and handbooks. Its overlap with Indian concept of humility has been discussed, and the unresolved questions about its nuances are put forward for future research endeavour.     

Research on Teaching the Psychology of Women

Research into the impact of psychology of women courses (and women's studies, generally) has been conducted only infrequently. The literature consists largely of anecdotal reports of changes in attitudes toward women as a function of participating in such courses. Existing quantitative studies are usually limited to measures of pre-course to post-course attitude changes, and occasionally such changes are related to demographic factors. The purpose of this article is to review current studies and to suggest additional research approaches in this area. At least three methods are recommended for studying the effect of psychology of women courses. First, there is a need for comparative studies of two types: psychology of women course vs. other course comparisons, and psychology of women course vs. other related experiences (consciousness-raising groups, feminist therapy, etc.). Second, there is a need for follow-up assessment of students in these courses. Finally, in both the comparative and follow-up studies, behavioral measures should be used.     

Social Psychology of Women and Gender1

A selective overview of work in the field from 1970 to 1985 is presented. Sex comparisons are presented as an extensive research area needing theory-based empiricism. In another major area, gender belief systems, important progress has been made in studying the effects of stereotypes on subsequent behavior. Methodological critiques and advances are discussed. Two sources of research are highlighted: women's experience and theory. Examples are given of research advances stemming from women's experience and a case study is provided of the value of personal experience to the researcher. Theories focusing on individual differences are critiqued. Theory focusing on situational factors such as power and status are highlighted. Sherif s (1982) delineation of the self-system is presented as a major integrated theory. Directions for future work are provided focusing on inclusion of women of color, lesbians, and women from all social strata to understand the varieties of women's experience. A move to knowledge that is “gendered” rather than female-centered is proposed.     

Teaching the Psychology of Women: Examination of a Teaching-Learning Model

A teaching-learning model for teaching courses on the psychology of women is presented and illustrated by the psychology of women course offered at the University of Tennessee. The general approach and structure of the course are described and the basic assumptions underlying the teaching-learning approach are explained. The ultimate goal of the course is to develop women (and men) who behave in an active, healthy, assertive manner and who can assume responsibility for themselves.     

Advocacy Versus Scholarship Revisited: Issues in the Psychology of Women

The apparently contradictory relationship between advocacy and scholarship is examined in this article, which attempts to determine how much of the dilemma is due to the nature of the psychology of women itself and how much is a result of interaction with the social institutions of academia and the structure of psychology as a scientific discipline. Factors which impede the legitimization of new paradigms are discussed from a sociology of knowledge perspective. The additional dilemmas of women as scientists, women as a content area, and feminism as a theoretical conception are also considered. It is suggested that professional legitimacy is a property largely conferred by those outside the field and that collective rather than personal activities will determine the extent to which the psychology of women will affect the field as a whole.     

Building a Course on Psychology of Women: Method and Resources

Requests for a course on psychology of women are often more complex than initially assumed. Sometimes support groups, women's centers, or legal action may be more appropriate. Courses may vary in goals, format, and position within the curriculum. Resources and references which maximize flexibility, help faculty keep current about publications, and draw from other disciplines as well as psychology are useful. Examples of current publications and general reference sources are presented. Information regarding nonprint materials and publications from alternative sources is included.