The treatment of socially oriented underachievers: A case study

Socially oriented underachievers are students who work for the rewards of social interaction rather than for those of academic achievement. A case report is presented which outlines the treatment of a socially oriented underachiever. The successful treatment employed behavior modification techniques and consisted, essentially, of rewarding the entire class for academic improvement shown by the underachiever.     

The golem: Uncertainty and communicating science

This paper elaborates on the golem metaphor as a way of understanding uncertainty in science. Its implications for the ethics of communicating science are explored.     

Ethical issues in communicating science

Most of the publicized work on scientific ethics concentrates on establishing professional norms and avoiding misconduct. The successful communication of science is the responsibility of all involved in the process. In one study, the increased incidence of autism and other social developmental disorders in males was investigated by examining individuals with Turner's syndrome (XO females). In the national newspaper this became "Genetic X-factor explains why boys will always be boys". The steps by which a study on developmental disorders, published in a highly prestigious journal, was transformed into an article in the science section which 'explained' the socially expected gender-based behavior of genetically normal children are fascinating and, unfortunately far too typical. The scientists wrote an excellent article that has just one sentence at the end that hesitantly suggests that the findings might, with further study, have some relevance to understanding normal behavior. The general interest article in the front of the journal gave a good account of the research, but suggested more strongly that there could be an in-built biological dimorphism in social cognition. This was misrepresented in the press as proof of gender differences that "undermines the trend towards sexual equality", and both illustrates cultural bias and provides fodder for feminist critiques of science. The study has been made to appear to be biased in favor of justifying the social structure of society, and yet it was the translation from the scientific study to national news that produced this transformation to biased genetic determinism. It is poor communication of the actual science, coupled with a lack of skepticism on the part of the public, that contributes to such a misapplication of science. Scientists should resist the urge to generalize their results to make them more compelling. The science community should not allow misconstructions of scientific facts to go unchallenged. Journalists, for both the scientific publication and the newspaper, should resist the inclination to embellish the finding with social significance that is not present. For their part, readers must be doubly skeptical of any finding that appears to underwrite any current social hierarchy. We are all responsible for a communication and interpretation of science that is as accurate and socially responsible as possible.     

Perceived effectiveness of school psychological services: A comparative study

In order to isolate variables present in school psychologists which may enhance effective delivery of school psychological service, supervisors of psychological services, classroom teachers, and building principals within the state of Iowa were asked to evaluate the performance of their school psychologist in 10 functional areas. Both supervisors and classroom teachers perceived those school psychologists with 4–9 years experience as the most effective. Teaching experience, as a requirement for school psychology certification, did not receive support. The level of training for the psychologist (degree) yielded conflicting results among the raters.     

Methodological issues in school-based evaluation

Methodology in school-based evaluation is importantly affected by economic and ethical constraints often absent or less pressing than in larger-scale evaluations. These and other factors also operate in the specialized school-based evaluations such as that of school psychological services. Defensible evaluation designs must take into account the impossibility of random assignment and reduced options for the use of control groups. In addition there are numerous pressures on the construction and deployment of measuring devices and a need for ingenuity in performing statistical analyses. This article explicates these issues and outlines alternative approaches to methodology which can result in usable data for school decision making.     

意识:大脑整体运动态

简要叙述有关意识问题的不同理论观点,同时从一个全新的角度提出对意识内涵的理解:意识是大脑整体运动态,是能够与环境相互作用形成心理现象的大脑"运动态".意识是大脑运动的固有属性,大脑运动的本质功能就是产生意识.意识随着大脑的进化而进化,同时又是大脑进化的动因.     

Value of interviews for admission to clinical training programs: Perspective of program directors

Abstract: The interview has a long history of being used to select individuals for positions in industry, professional occupations, and for a variety of specialised educational programs. Despite its widespread popularity, the selection interview is often criticised for its potential bias and unreliability, which in turn has led to its decreasing use in some settings. The purpose of the present study was to explore the views of the directors of 21 Australian clinical training programs as to the value of interviews as part of the admission process for their clinical psychology postgraduate training candidates. Three programs reported not conducting interviews at all, expressing reservations concerning their validity. Most other directors saw interviews as having at least some value, with the opportunity to evaluate interpersonal skills being one of the most commonly mentioned advantages. A variety of methods was used for the final admission decisions, with substantial variation in acceptance rates by candidates who survived the interview process. Implications for selection processes in the future are discussed.     

Family,peer and school connectedness in final year secondary school students

The study aim was to investigate Australian Year 12 students' sense of connectedness to their schools, families, and peers, and examine associations between connectedness and emotional wellbeing. Year 12 students (492 male, 449 female) from 10 secondary schools in Victoria, Australia participated in Phase 1 of the study. of these, 204 participants (82 male, 122 female) returned surveys 1 year later; 175 of these were attending tertiary education institutions. The study found high levels of depression, anxiety and stress among Year 12 students, with higher negative affect associated with lower levels of family, peer and school connectedness. Negative affect 1 year after leaving school was predicted by negative affect and peer connectedness at Year 12. Results suggest there are significant numbers of at‐risk young people in their final year of school, who feel lonely and disconnected from peers, and who maintain concerning levels of depression, anxiety and stress in first year of university.