Some thoughts on the diffusion of psychoanalysis: the group dimension, ethics and the sense of identity

In this paper the author questions some of the ways in which psychoanalysis is passed on to the wider public, one of which is sometimes evocative of the sales promotion of a consumer product in contemporary society. This methodology does not give sufficiently deep prior thought to the eventual consequences of side effects. The detailed exposition of clinical cases, for example, raises sensitive ethical issues, even when anonymity is preserved. Although it is true that making information about Freud's theories more widely available may indeed encourage people to think about training as psychoanalysts, it is noticeable that this process is sometimes considered to be a form of training in itself. Some participants feel that acquiring a psychoanalytical vocabulary and reading clinical reports form a sufficient basis for practising thereafter as psychotherapists, both in institutional contexts and in private practice. The absence of group work on the part of the organizers might explain why closer study is not made of the methodologies of transmission and the different levels that it involves. This is sometimes due to the absence of a common object, formed within and by the group, and to the emergence of manic defences in the group.     

Might “unique” factors be “common”? On the possibility of indeterminate common–unique covariances

The present paper shows that the usual factor analytic structured data dispersion matrix Λ Ψ Λ′ + Δ can readily arise from a set of scores y = Λ η + ε, where the “common” (η) and “unique” (ε) factors have nonzero covariance: Γ = Covε,η) ≠ 0. Implications of this finding are discussed for the indeterminacy of factor scores, and for the issue of invariance of factor analytic covariance models. The size of the problem is explored with numerical examples. I would like to acknowledge the large amount of effort and stimulating input supplied on the previous drafts of this paper from the reviewers, Associate Editor, and Editors of Psychometrika. Particular thanks go to William Meredith for his assistance with the final draft. Requests for reprints should be sent to Dave Grayson, 14 Poplar Grove, Lawson, NSW 2783, Australia     

Necessary Conditions for Mean Square Convergence of the Best Linear Factor Predictor

Several sufficient conditions are available for mean square convergence of factor predictors. A necessary and sufficient condition is given in the Heywood case with respect to (confirmatory) factor analysis. This condition generalizes that of Krijnen (2006) and performs better than a signal-to-noise type of condition (Schneeweiss & Mathes, 1995). The author is obliged to the reviewers for their stimulating remarks. Requests for reprints should be sent to Department of Psychology, Psychological Methods, University of Amsterdam, Roetersstraat 15, 1018 WB Amsterdam, The Netherlands.     

反应风格的测量与统计控制

反应风格是共同方法偏差的主要来源之一。本文首先讨论反应风格的定义和类型,梳理其危害,认为反应风格能使测验分数出现偏差,影响测验信效度分析和变量关系分析,有必要控制其危害。然后介绍了常用的反应风格测量方法,包括计数法和模型法两大类,对测量方法的选择给出了建议,在此基础上,就如何结合反应风格的测量方法与残差回归法、偏相关法来控制反应风格危害给出建议。     

Forgive and Forget? Antecedents and Consequences of Intergroup Forgiveness in Bosnia and Herzegovina

The present study examines the effects of contact and common-ingroup identification on intergroup forgiveness and outgroup behavioral tendencies. A sample of Bosnian Muslims (N  =  180) were asked to report their readiness to forgive the misdeeds committed by Bosnian Serbs during the 1992–95 war in Bosnia and Herzegovina. A path analysis of the presumed antecedents and consequences of forgiveness revealed that frequent and good quality contact with members from the perpetrator group predicted forgiveness (positively) and desire for social distance (negatively). Moreover, the positive relationship between contact and forgiveness was mediated by empathy and trust towards the outgroup and by perceived outgroup heterogeneity. Common-ingroup identification was also found to be positively associated with forgiveness and negatively with social distance towards the outgroup. Finally, intergroup forgiveness also predicted social distance from the outgroup. The theoretical and applied implications of these findings are discussed.     

Ecology Needs Theology

A primary purpose of theology is the explication of the relationship of Creation to the transcendent for the sake of responsible action in the world. Environmental policy arenas need a perspective that can take them beyond a more limited utilitarianism. Ecology needs theology. We can appreciate to a much greater extent today than we could a generation ago that all theologies are products of particular people within particular social, cultural, historical, geographical situations. To do theology adequately, it is clearer now that many perspectives must be considered—both within and outside one's own tradition. Theology must be conversational. One's assertions of values and proposed actions must be weighed against the assertions of others. Only through such engagement will theology be meaningful to lives that must be lived with integrity in a world of manifold ambiguities. That world is the whole world in which human community is sustained and to which human beings are responsible. The practical effects of theological engagement will be to help us all find a better “common good” than may be obtained otherwise.     

麦金太尔论社会关系、共同利益与个人利益

我们从出生到死亡都处在一种接受与给予的关系中 ,我们从谁那里接受和给予谁往往是不对称的。这是我们参与到这个网络中不得不懂得的。在这个接受与给予的关系中 ,有我们的共同利益和我们个人的利益。同时 ,处在这样一种关系中 ,也需要我们遵守相应的德性规则。     

Statistical inference of minimum rank factor analysis

For any given number of factors, Minimum Rank Factor Analysis yields optimal communalities for an observed covariance matrix in the sense that the unexplained common variance with that number of factors is minimized, subject to the constraint that both the diagonal matrix of unique variances and the observed covariance matrix minus that diagonal matrix are positive semidefinite. As a result, it becomes possible to distinguish the explained common variance from the total common variance. The percentage of explained common variance is similar in meaning to the percentage of explained observed variance in Principal Component Analysis, but typically the former is much closer to 100 than the latter. So far, no statistical theory of MRFA has been developed. The present paper is a first start. It yields closed-form expressions for the asymptotic bias of the explained common variance, or, more precisely, of the unexplained common variance, under the assumption of multivariate normality. Also, the asymptotic variance of this bias is derived, and also the asymptotic covariance matrix of the unique variances that define a MRFA solution. The presented asymptotic statistical inference is based on a recently developed perturbation theory of semidefinite programming. A numerical example is also offered to demonstrate the accuracy of the expressions.This work was supported, in part, by grant DMS-0073770 from the National Science Foundation.     

Reliability Beyond Theory and Into Practice

The critical reactions of Bentler (2009, doi:), Green and Yang (2009a, doi:; 2009b, doi:), and Revelle and Zinbarg (2009, doi:) to Sijtsma’s (2009, doi:) paper on Cronbach’s alpha are addressed. The dissemination of psychometric knowledge among substantive researchers is discussed.