Re: How psychology makes a significant difference

[Kelly Amberville]

The true Neil Armstrongs of this field (or more accurately, the "would-be" 
Armstrongs) would describe progress in this field as "one small step forward 
for man, three giant steps backward for mankind." For each of the 
accomplishments which we scramble to list (and we are compiling quite a list 
of instances in which we've built a better spatula), there must be dozens of 
instances in which a psychology professor has done something 
counterprodutive to an adequate exploration of psychologistic phenomena or, 
in a manner analogous to professional abortion, done something violent to 
the budding vocation of a truly inspired or ascetic student.

As a social psychologist, it is my responsibility to survey and record the 
damage, and to align the student and public perception of our field with its 
reality. Sometimes in my criticism I stray into philosophy of science, 
sometimes into sociology of education, but because I have never lost sight 
of the sine qua non of Psychology, I can provide a chilling account of its 
loss.

I lost and won on the Toomey Amendment. I had nothing against the research 
targeted by Toomey, but I was offended and embarrassed by the abusive, 
mechanistic, vain, and ballistic rallying of psychology's membership that 
trickled down from the APA Science Policy Office. 212-210. My staff and I 
contacted dozens of representatives, and while we lost the overall vote, I 
think we cultivated relationships that will reverberate into the future. It 
is astonishing how much weight one voice of opposition carries when it is 
the voice of a social psychologist skeptical of his own field. I would 
advise the APA to be more discriminating in its lobbying from now on, 
because it may just wear down and wear out its once captive audience. One 
thing is certain. The APA now has a natural adversary on Capitol Hill, and 
it looms much larger than Toomey.

J. Wyatt Ehrenfels


From: David Myers <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Reply-To: "Teaching in the Psychological Sciences" 
<[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: "Teaching in the Psychological Sciences" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Subject: How psychology makes a significant difference
Date: Fri, 11 Jul 2003 14:58:51 -0400

My thanks for the initial responses to my welcoming ideas for how 
psychology
has made a demonstrable impact (for the developing APA website,
http://www.psychologymatters.org/).

Ken Steele offers a interesting and useful idea�to show how research
discounting the �Mozart Effect� has helped deter the public from pursuing 
an
illusory phenomenon.  That led me to ponder other possible ways in which
psychological science has made a constructive impact by debunking . . . 
such
as by dampening the marketing of subliminal self-improvement tapes or the
usage of projective tests.  Perhaps other ideas along this line?

Irene Frieze reminds us that the Journal of Social Issues �is dedicated to
publishing psychological research that has direct implications for social
issues.�  Indeed.  Other periodicals, such as the Journal of Applied
Psychology and Psychological Science in the Public Interest, also highlight
psychology�s practical results.  Do any highlights from these journals come 
to
mind (remembering that we�re looking for significant examples-�proud
moments---of how psychological science has improved our lives, individually 
or
collectively)?

Stephen Black offers one such example: the example of Lovaas� research to 
the
lives of children with autism, complete with evidence of the impact of this
research.  This is just the sort of example, with supporting information, 
that
we�re eager for.

Thank much.  More ideas are welcome!

Dave Myers
www.davidmyers.org
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