Psychoanalysis and Politics by R. E. Money-Kyrle

Abstract

Group psychotherapists in their everyday practice confront a series of ethical problems, some of which rise to the level of ethical dilemmas. This two-part special series will address how the group psychotherapist can address these problems and dilemmas in a way that leads to an ethical course of conduct. This article introduces the series by examining ethical principles and decision-making processes that are relevant to the wide range of issues that confront the group psychotherapist. The article also considers the person of the group psychotherapist him or herself and notes that certain personal qualities might create a foundation for ethical thinking and behavior.     

Contributions of Behavior Theory to Projective Testing

Summary: The Reaction Inventory-Guilt was developed to isolate, in individuals, the specific stimulus situations which result in guilt. The 50-item inventory was administered to 96 subjects. The estimate of the internal consistency coefficient was .94. The inter-item correlations were factor analyzed by the principle axis method, and rotation to oblique simple structure was accomplished by the Promax method. Four Oblique factors were obtained: intentional behavior disrupting interpersonal relations; self-destructive behavior; behavior contrary to moral or ethical principles; and unintentional behavior disrupting interpersonal relationships.     

Personality and Fears

The contribution to self-reported fears of individual differences in extraversion-introversion (E) and neuroticism (N) was studied in 102 female college students. Four groups of 20 Ss each were constituted - high E high N, high E low N, low E high N, and low E low N. A fear survey schedule and the Eysenck Personality Inventory were employed. By analysis of variance, total fear scores were a significant function of N but not E. Extreme or phobic fears were a significant function of neither personality dimensions, though the N effect approached conventional significance levels. Correlational analyses on the full sample confirmed these findings, except that a statistically significant though slight (6 percent) proportion of extreme fear variance was accountable by N.     

Managerial Structuring of Work as a Moderator of the Machiavellianism and Job Performance Relationship

In this study, we addressed the effect of the perceived work environment structure, as initiated by the managerial superior, on the relationship between Machiavellianism and job performance of store managers in a retail setting. The results showed a significant effect for managers who perceived that their supervisors initiated a loose work environment structure. No effect was found for managers working in a highly structured environment.     

Effects of A Training Program on Teacher Behavior and Handicapped Children's Self-Concepts

The purpose of this research was to assess the effectiveness of the revised Utah State University Self-Concept Protocol Program in changing teacher behaviors presumed to be related to pupil self-concept. This program was focused on teachers with handicapped pupils in mainstreamed classrooms (grades 4 through 6). Ten volunteer teachers were trained in the self-concept behaviors as part of an inservice course. Eight additional volunteer teachers served as a no-treatment control group. Program-related teacher behaviors were observed and a pupil self-concept measure was administered before and after the inservice course. Results indicated that, although no changes occurred in program-related behaviors for the control group teachers, experimental group teachers showed significant increases on six of the 12 program-related behaviors. No gains in self-concept were made by handicapped children; however, there was some evidence for differential effectiveness of the program for learning disabled and emotionally handicapped children.     

Locus of Control,Machiavellianism, and Managerial Job Performance

In this study, we examined the moderating effect of locus of control on the relationship between Machiavellianism and job performance of store managers in a retail setting. Our results indicated a significant moderating effect for managers who perceive that they have an external control orientation but not for managers with an internal control orientation.     

Convergent Evidence for Basic Motivational Dimensions

Subjects (N = 217) rated the attractiveness of 56 general goals and then completed 3 theory-based tests of personality or motivation. Two goal factors—labeled Social-Economic Status and Competitive Achievement—seemed to reflect two broad domains of status-seeking motivation, and two other factors—labeled Growth Orientation and Interpersonal Security—pointed to separate domains of cooperative motivation. Thus, there was confirmation for the widespread assumption of two primary types of interpersonal motivation (solidarity and status) in our culture but also for important distinctions within each type. Canonical and direct correlations with the theoretically-grounded measures strongly supported that interpretation of the factors. Meaningful relationships between factors obtained from the questionnaire and the more rationally-based test scores indicated convergence in mappings of motivational space.     

A Developmental Analysis of Performance Ratings

In this study, we examined the performance appraisal process from a developmental perspective. Components of cognitive structure, measured in terms of differentiation and hierarchic integration, were obtained from 45 American students representing three different academic levels at three times during a 15-week semester. These students' performance evaluations (ratings) of their psychology instructors were collected during the first and final sessions. The results indicated that although both differentiation and hierarchic integration seemed to change systematically, even over a short period of time, there was no corresponding change in the halo inherent in the raters' ratings. We present possible explanations for the failure of developmental changes in cognitive structure to be reflected in the halo inherent in the performance ratings, as would be predicted by Schneier's (1977) cognitive compatibility hypothesis. Increased emphasis on developmental aspects of the performance appraisal process is recommended.     

Understanding alexithymia in female adolescents: The role of attachment style

Adults with alexithymia retrospectively report emotional difficulties with caregivers during childhood. However, the association between attachment style and alexithymic traits may be evident at an earlier stage than adulthood, i.e. during adolescence. Sixty school-based healthy females aged 9–18 years (mean 14.08, SD 2.71 years) participated in an Attachment Style Interview (ASI) and completed the Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20). Greater levels of alexithymia were exhibited by both anxious and avoidant insecurely attached groups compared to securely attached participants. Fear of separation (characteristic of anxious attachment style) predicted both overall alexithymia scores and the specific alexithymic trait of ‘difficulty identifying feelings’ (DIF). Constraints on closeness (an avoidant attachment attitude) predicted ‘difficulty describing feelings’ (DDF). Low felt attachment to primary caregiver was a predictor of ‘externally oriented thinking’ (EOT). These findings indicate that features of anxious and avoidant insecure attachment styles are differentially related to the separate facets of alexithymia in female adolescents. Specifically, the findings concerning fear of separation may reflect the adolescent struggle for autonomy and the resulting effects on the affect regulation system. Our results also suggest that the normative differentiation of the emotional and cognitive aspects of alexithymia may occur on a developmental trajectory.