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Zur diagnostik der intellektuellen lernfähigkeit
223
BOOK REVIEWS
Differences between the organization of this and the previous book (Becker. 1974) reflect some of the quickly shifting emphases in contemporary research. Epidemiology and Classification & Measurement are not included as separate issues, and Subtypes of Depression, instead of having a chapter to itself. shares the introductory overview with a section on definition and an extended discussion of “Possible EvolutionarqAdaptive Aspects of Depression as Exemplified in Animal Models”. The new section on “Theoretical Perspectives on Depression: Psychodynamics” combines material from two previously separate chapters. Psychodynamic Theories. on the one hand, and Cognitive and Behavioural Theories. on the other. reflecting a rupprochrmenr between formerly distinct approaches (cf. Ferster. 1974). Interpersonal and transactional perspectives receive greater emphasis. and there are separate subsections on “Undue Interpersonal Dependency and Predisposition to Depression” and on “Applications of Cognitive-Behavioural Approaches to Treatment”. In accordance with its current popularity, psycho-social research receives proportionately more attention in the new book. Personality Functioning just about holds its own. though the particular issues treated under the heading to more highly differentiated have shifted from more global traditional rubrics such as “Communication” as one might expect. Finally. the two chapters conceptual labels such as “Expressive Style and Content”, in the 1974 work on “Biological Aspects” are condensed into one on “Biological Perspectives”. in effect summarizes This change in the terminology of chapter headings from “aspects” to “perspectives” what appears to be changing not only in the summarizing but also in the research summarized. Earlier research in the area represented an attempt to define some assumed ideal Platonic essence of “depression” which. it was evidently thought. could be neatly partitioned into traditional analytic categories. The experimental studies of the performance of hospitalized depressed patients on batteries of standard psychometric measures and laboratory tasks recently reviewed by Miller (1975) exemplifies this approach. Contemporary research, by contrast. might be described as a kind of experimental discourse: the “experiment” now seeks not to establish some characteristic of depression per se but to explore the implications, both practical and metatheoretical. of talking about its phenomena in a variety of idioms. The task of summarizing what is being found has shifted from synthesizing results obtained within a single standard paradigm to narrating a conspectus of a diversity of paradigms (Kuhn. 1962), and to be fair to Becker it must be acknowledged that the conventions for doing so efficiently have not yet fully evolved. The eventual outcome of the new-style research is expected to take the form of a higher-order integrative theory befitting the complexity of the phenomena (cf. Akiskal and McKinney. 1975). but. as Becker points out one more than one occasion. the time IS not yet ripe. If the interim report on the proceedings is more akin to the Rosetta Stone than to tablets brought down from the mountain. the intrepid and indefatigable reporter can hardly be held to blame. VICKY RIPPERE REFERENCES AKISKAL H. S. and Psychiat.
MCKINNEY. JR., W. T. (1975) Overview
of recent
research
in depression.
Archs
gun.
32, 28S305.
BECKER J. (1974) Depression: Theory and Research. John Wiley, London. FERsTER C. B. (1974) Behavioural approaches to depression. In The Psychology of Depression: Conrrrnporor~ Theory and Research (Eds. R. J. FRIEDEMAN and M. M. KATZ). John Wiley. London. KUHN T. S. (1962) The Srrucrure oj Scienrifc Revolutions. University of Chicago Press. Chicago. MILLER W. R. (1975) Psychological deficit in depression. Psycho/. Bull. 82. 238-260.
F. KLIX: Inforrntrriotl
wit/
G. CLAUSS: Wtirrrrhuch W. GCITJAHR: Dir
Verhtrlrerr.
Deutscher
Verlag
der Wissenschaften.
drr
Ps!cho/oyie.
Bibliographisches
Messung
Psychischer
Eigenschyfien.
Institut. Deutscher
Leipzig Verlag
W. G~TJAHR. D. ROETHER. G. GROST and K. SCHMIDT: Verfirhr<,n jiir Verlag der Wissenschaften. Berlin (1974). J. GUTHKE: Zur (1974).
Diuynostik
der
Inrellekruellen
LernJiihiykeit.
H. RBSLER. H. SCHMIDT and H. SZEWCAYK: Persiinlichkeits Berlin (1976).
( 1971)
(I 976) der Wlssenschaften.
Berlin
(1974).
Dicr(lnc>sriA r/c,r Sc/ur//trhig~~~ir. Deutscher
Deutscher
Verlag
Deutscher
Diugnosrik.
H. R. B~~TTCHER.A. SEEBER and G. WITZLACK: Psychodiagnostik-Problrme. Verlag der Wissenschaften. Berlin (1974). In theory science is international; in practice, there is no It is well known that American psychologists do not even speaking psychologists should be fainiliar with publications astonishment if not with laughter among modem students. improvement in the quality of work done for instance in
Berlin
der
Wissenschaften.
Verlag
Methoden.
Berlin
der Wissenschaften.
Ergebnissr.
Deutscher
doubt that psychology at least is very parochial. read English journals. and the idea that English in German or French would be greeted with This is regrettable; there has been a considerable Germany.
and much
interesting
material
will be
BOOK REVIEWS
Differences between the organization of this and the previous book (Becker. 1974) reflect some of the quickly shifting emphases in contemporary research. Epidemiology and Classification & Measurement are not included as separate issues, and Subtypes of Depression, instead of having a chapter to itself. shares the introductory overview with a section on definition and an extended discussion of “Possible EvolutionarqAdaptive Aspects of Depression as Exemplified in Animal Models”. The new section on “Theoretical Perspectives on Depression: Psychodynamics” combines material from two previously separate chapters. Psychodynamic Theories. on the one hand, and Cognitive and Behavioural Theories. on the other. reflecting a rupprochrmenr between formerly distinct approaches (cf. Ferster. 1974). Interpersonal and transactional perspectives receive greater emphasis. and there are separate subsections on “Undue Interpersonal Dependency and Predisposition to Depression” and on “Applications of Cognitive-Behavioural Approaches to Treatment”. In accordance with its current popularity, psycho-social research receives proportionately more attention in the new book. Personality Functioning just about holds its own. though the particular issues treated under the heading to more highly differentiated have shifted from more global traditional rubrics such as “Communication” as one might expect. Finally. the two chapters conceptual labels such as “Expressive Style and Content”, in the 1974 work on “Biological Aspects” are condensed into one on “Biological Perspectives”. in effect summarizes This change in the terminology of chapter headings from “aspects” to “perspectives” what appears to be changing not only in the summarizing but also in the research summarized. Earlier research in the area represented an attempt to define some assumed ideal Platonic essence of “depression” which. it was evidently thought. could be neatly partitioned into traditional analytic categories. The experimental studies of the performance of hospitalized depressed patients on batteries of standard psychometric measures and laboratory tasks recently reviewed by Miller (1975) exemplifies this approach. Contemporary research, by contrast. might be described as a kind of experimental discourse: the “experiment” now seeks not to establish some characteristic of depression per se but to explore the implications, both practical and metatheoretical. of talking about its phenomena in a variety of idioms. The task of summarizing what is being found has shifted from synthesizing results obtained within a single standard paradigm to narrating a conspectus of a diversity of paradigms (Kuhn. 1962), and to be fair to Becker it must be acknowledged that the conventions for doing so efficiently have not yet fully evolved. The eventual outcome of the new-style research is expected to take the form of a higher-order integrative theory befitting the complexity of the phenomena (cf. Akiskal and McKinney. 1975). but. as Becker points out one more than one occasion. the time IS not yet ripe. If the interim report on the proceedings is more akin to the Rosetta Stone than to tablets brought down from the mountain. the intrepid and indefatigable reporter can hardly be held to blame. VICKY RIPPERE REFERENCES AKISKAL H. S. and Psychiat.
MCKINNEY. JR., W. T. (1975) Overview
of recent
research
in depression.
Archs
gun.
32, 28S305.
BECKER J. (1974) Depression: Theory and Research. John Wiley, London. FERsTER C. B. (1974) Behavioural approaches to depression. In The Psychology of Depression: Conrrrnporor~ Theory and Research (Eds. R. J. FRIEDEMAN and M. M. KATZ). John Wiley. London. KUHN T. S. (1962) The Srrucrure oj Scienrifc Revolutions. University of Chicago Press. Chicago. MILLER W. R. (1975) Psychological deficit in depression. Psycho/. Bull. 82. 238-260.
F. KLIX: Inforrntrriotl
wit/
G. CLAUSS: Wtirrrrhuch W. GCITJAHR: Dir
Verhtrlrerr.
Deutscher
Verlag
der Wissenschaften.
drr
Ps!cho/oyie.
Bibliographisches
Messung
Psychischer
Eigenschyfien.
Institut. Deutscher
Leipzig Verlag
W. G~TJAHR. D. ROETHER. G. GROST and K. SCHMIDT: Verfirhr<,n jiir Verlag der Wissenschaften. Berlin (1974). J. GUTHKE: Zur (1974).
Diuynostik
der
Inrellekruellen
LernJiihiykeit.
H. RBSLER. H. SCHMIDT and H. SZEWCAYK: Persiinlichkeits Berlin (1976).
( 1971)
(I 976) der Wlssenschaften.
Berlin
(1974).
Dicr(lnc>sriA r/c,r Sc/ur//trhig~~~ir. Deutscher
Deutscher
Verlag
Deutscher
Diugnosrik.
H. R. B~~TTCHER.A. SEEBER and G. WITZLACK: Psychodiagnostik-Problrme. Verlag der Wissenschaften. Berlin (1974). In theory science is international; in practice, there is no It is well known that American psychologists do not even speaking psychologists should be fainiliar with publications astonishment if not with laughter among modem students. improvement in the quality of work done for instance in
Berlin
der
Wissenschaften.
Verlag
Methoden.
Berlin
der Wissenschaften.
Ergebnissr.
Deutscher
doubt that psychology at least is very parochial. read English journals. and the idea that English in German or French would be greeted with This is regrettable; there has been a considerable Germany.
and much
interesting
material
will be