Dear Tipsters, Allen Esterson's succinct but erudite reply to M. Sylvester is most apt and most welcome. As usual, Allen sets a fine example of what a posting can/should be like. Sincerely, Stuart ___________________________________________________________________ Stuart J. McKelvie, Ph.D., Phone: (819)822-9600, Extension 2402 Department of Psychology, Fax: (819)822-9660 Bishop's University, 2600 College Street, Sherbrooke (Lennoxville), Québec J1M 0C8, Canada. E-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Bishop's University Psychology Department Web Page: http://www.ubishops.ca/ccc/div/soc/psy ___________________________________________________________
________________________________ From: Allen Esterson [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Wed 7/4/2007 1:54 AM To: Teaching in the Psychological Sciences (TIPS) Subject: [tips] Re: DO NO HARM In support of his statement on 3 July, "From what i have read so far, it would seem that the motto of psychologists and psychiatrists should be DO HARM", Michael Sylvester writes: > Consider the following; > Eysenck declared psychoanalysis ineffective > - Tuskegee Institute study > -Psychometricians hired to booster studies that purportedly depict blacks > and other non-whites as inferior > -brainwashing and tirture techniques sanctioned by psychologists > -psychologists planting false memories in clinical clients > -Eurocentric cognitive imperialism that diminishes other forms of knowing > -Racists like Jensen and Shockley > -Bettelheim causing mothers to feel bad > -Terrible pyschiatrist presciption drugs > -Before the diagnosis of post partum depression mothers were told that > they could not cope > -Psychosurgery It would obviously be too time-consuming to deal with each of the cited items (it would be fascinating to hear more about the "other forms of knowing" to which Michael alludes), so I'll stick to one that indicates that Michael should read a bit more widely before he makes blanket assertions: the Tuskegee syphilis study. It illustrates (as if it should need saying) that one should not take reports in the press and elsewhere as given facts without delving further. The widely reported episode has been closely examined by Richard A Shweder, an anthropologist at the University of Chicago, who concludes that "At the very least, the evidence suggests to me that in this instance the 'received wisdom' of the day deserves to be re-examined." http://www.spiked-online.com/Articles/0000000CA34A.htm See also an editorial article on the subject in the British medical journal "The Lancet" of March 2005: "It is debatable whether the study was racist. All the patients and controls were black (as was 82% of the population of Macon County in 1930), but this was because the study has its origins in earlier work supported by the philanthropic Rosenwald Fund, with the motivation of promoting the welfare of African Americans. Although the Rosenwald Fund decided not to support the Tuskegee study of untreated syphilis, it was endorsed by the Tuskegee Institute - an entirely African American organisation - and black health care professionals were involved at all stages of the study. Indeed, as late as 1969, the Macon County Medical Society, consisting mostly of black doctors, agreed to assist the USPHS in continuing the study." http://tinyurl.com/a3kkc Whatever the facts about this particular episode, it is surely especially incumbent on people working in academic fields to look more deeply into important issues before expressing emphatic views in a public arena. Allen Esterson Former lecturer, Science Department Southwark College, London http://www.esterson.org/ --------------------------------------- Tue, 3 Jul 2007 09:03:28 -0700 Author: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: Re: DO NO HARM > --- [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: > >> From: "Marc Carter" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >> To: "Teaching in the Psychological Sciences (TIPS)" >> <[email protected]> >> Subject: >> Date: Tue, 3 Jul 2007 08:00:18 -0500 >> >> Michael, that's just dumb. > > Not really! > Consider the following; > Eysenck declared psychoanalysis ineffective > - Tuskegee Institute study > -Psychometricians hired to booster studies that purportedly depict blacks and > other non-whites > as inferior > -brainwashing and tirture techniques sanctioned by psychologists > -psychologists planting false memories in clinical clients > -Eurocentric cognitive imperialism that diminishes other forms of knowing > -Racists like Jensen and Shockley > -Bettelheim causing mothers to feel bad > -Terrible pyschiatrist presciption drugs > -Before the diagnosis of post partum depression mothers were told that they > could not cope > -Psychosurgery > > To be continued. > > Michael Sylvester,PhD > Daytona Beach,Florida --- To make changes to your subscription go to: http://acsun.frostburg.edu/cgi-bin/lyris.pl?enter=tips&text_mode=0&lang=english <http://acsun.frostburg.edu/cgi-bin/lyris.pl?enter=tips&text_mode=0<=english>
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