Aubyn Fulton commented:
> >
> In my experience Freud has never been much more than a 
> > marginal figure within American academic psychology - and barely more than
> > that within most currents of American clinical psychology.

And Allen E. replied:

> No one argues that Freud remains influential in current academic
> psychology or academic clinical psychology. But I think a check on the
> historical record will show that Aubyn is mistaken when he writes (18 Oct)
> that Freud has never been much more than a marginal figure in most
> currents of American clinical psychology 

I'm not sure about the qualifier "academic" but I'm willing to argue 
that Freud remains influential in clinical psychology.  Two 
disturbing illustrations of the continuing negative influence of 
Freudian pseudoscience on the practice of clinical psychology:

i) the extraordinary madness of the recovered memory movement which 
took the Freudian concept of repression to new heights of absurdity 
and, in the process, caused serious harm to many.Only a few years 
ago,  acceptance of this outrageous therapy was widespread in 
clinical psychology.

ii) the continuing use of Freudian-inspired projective tests in 
clinical psychology, especially the notorious Rorschach, despite 
ample evidence that they are entirely lacking in scientific validity.

Allen also wrote:

 >in my
> experience even people unsympathetic to Freudian notions do not appreciate
> just how much of the story of psychoanalysis that became received history
> in Western culture is either wholly or largely false. Insofar as I have a
> "mission" in relation to my contributions on Freud it is disabuse people
> of some of the false notions that are commonplace among educated people

I agree. The name of Freud continues to command undeserved respect, 
even among people who should know better, as for example in the 
"neuroscience proves Freud was right" claims we've discussed here. 
Scholars like Allen provide a valuable service in exposing the myths 
of Freudianism widely believed in Western culture. Go get 'em, Allen!

Stephen

___________________________________________________
Stephen L. Black, Ph.D.            tel:  (819) 822-9600 ext 2470
Department of Psychology         fax:  (819) 822-9661
Bishop's  University           e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Lennoxville, QC  J1M 1Z7
Canada

Dept web page at http://www.ubishops.ca/ccc/div/soc/psy
TIPS discussion list for psychology teachers at
 http://faculty.frostburg.edu/psyc/southerly/tips/index.htm    
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