Good idea for dept discussions! I think I would take more strongly
the idea that psychology is pseudoscience--if only to argue as devil's
advocate. As regards psychotherapy, what theory or knowledge base other
than neuroscience has been shown to be efficacious? I presume the
behavioral therapist might have some response, but is that a theory or
ideological-technology? Interesting to see what kind of take people
might have on this. As far as teaching relevance--an issue I have
harped on a little--should we teach critical thinking about
pseudoscience and leave psychological theories and history OUT of the
discussion? Is such meta-reflective examination best left for graduate
level classes? Love the idea of dept. discussion series---wish we had
some time for that! Gary Peterson
Chuck Huff wrote:
>
> As part of a regular discussion series, my dept. is discussing John
> Horgan's screed against psychology:
>
> Horgan, J. (1999). The undiscovered mind: how the human brain defies
> replication, medication, and explanation. Psychological Science,
> 10(6), 470-474.
>
> I am singularly unimpressed with his arguments about all areas except
> psychotherapy. And given his dismal record in slanting his survey of
> the other subfields, I am not ready to believe him that psychotherapy
> is not worth the time.
>
> So, I have the following questions to submit to the collective wisdom
> of tips types:
>
> 1) I am aware of the meta-analyses of therapy that show the average
> person receiving psychotherapy is better off than 80% of those not
> receiving therapy. But these analyses mash all psychotherapy for all
> problems into the same bin. Have there been more fine-grained
> studies that match what are now considered appropriate therapies with
> presenting problems (e.g. systematic desens. with specific phobia)?
> Does this matching strategy increase the success rate?
>
> 2) I am also struck by the studies Horgan cites showing that
> untrained-but-empathic others have as much effect on outcome as
> trained psychotherapists. Is the "therapeutic alliance" all that
> really matters, or do these studies miss something? I suspect this
> answer is probably linked with the answer to question (1).
>
> 3) Finally, depression seems to be treatable with an 80% success rate
> for drugs and a similar success rate for psychotherapy. Do these two
> sets overlap completely. That is, are 20% of folks with depression
> left with having electroshock as their last option? Also, does
> electroshock move us substantially toward a 100% symptom relief rate?
>
> Many thanks for any enlightenment you can shed.
>
> -Chuck
> - Chuck Huff Psychology Department
> - Associate Professor St.Olaf College
> - Tutor in the Paracollege 1520 St. Olaf Avenue
> - 507.646.3169 Fax: 646.3774 Northfield, MN 55057-1098
> - [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.stolaf.edu/people/huff/
