Of course, that most scientific form of psychology, the behaviourism of BF Skinner, has given us the poker machine - a Skinner Box for making money. Self-help books may indeed be wishy-washy and pseudo-scientific but do they reduce a human being to nothing but a rat pushing a bar for a reward?

This article made a good start but petered out before anything substantial was said. An interesting link on this sort of thing is:

http://www.prospect-magazine.co.uk/article_details.php?id=7457

Psychology remains an embattled discipline because it attempts to define the undefinable, the conscious self. This self is made up not only of genes but of culture and environement and the most puzzling thing of all consciousness. How does a science deal with a conscious being? The very success of science is predicated on its subject matter being natural, that is, non conscious. As the author alludes, some neat techniques are produced that do produce some benefit but it is usally at a cost, the cost of reduction of the human.

Barbara, I thank you for your article. It has much to commend it and you won't find any argument from me about what you have written.

But gosh, how do I say this?

Well, like I normally do, as rough as guts. Please forgive me.

As a thesis, I'd mark it at about 65%. As an educator, I'd try to give you some hope and something you could hang your hat on, so to speak, to move forward and do better. Something you could work towards. Like giving practical application to the theory. Like stating some actual case examples to give weight to your argument. Some amplification of the points you made. Illustrate some ramifications. Develop a strong and significant point and drive it home.

I thought this article was good - for a first year uni student with a yet to be developed mature understanding of life and a yet to be developed writing voice.

Can you imagine my shock when I read about your credentials?

Look, please don't take this the wrong way, but I was amazed! Simply amazed.

Your credentials say, "Barbara Gillam is Scientia Professor of Psychology ay the University of New South Wales. She is a Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences of Australia and of the Australian Psychological Society. Barbara is the President of The Psychology Foundation of Australia (member Society of FASTS)."

Wow, if this is what the professors are like, just imagine what the standards of the students are like.

Sorry Barbara, but gosh, what hope is there for us if you're the sharp end?

Good luck to you, good luck to all. Sorry folks, but I just had to write it. I really wish I hadn't had to. And by the way, the first word "Look" is missing from the article.

I take any excuse to give support to the "human face". I am glad their is some progress in psychology - I want to see more of it present in advocating treatment - rather that drugs in Mental Health - but...

I find it is about emotional literacy aint it... it is about coping... about problem solving... about tolerance of self and others. It is, I feel at present, almost the only profession out there, attempting to do anything with people at a humane level - as in empowering a persons need for "self determination".

Councillors however need to get more "practical". In terms of their welfare roles for example... they need to make more of a committment to their clients. Listening with two-way dialogue is a start for most people but we need more active participation and support for people at a PRACTICAL level everywhere. There needs to be intregration and "linkages" between other resource bodies, pro-active solution frameworks based on partnership making to gain outcomes that will assist people cope with the ruthless problems we as a society are attempting to overcome - to day.

Ie: bullying at school, victimisation in the workplace, discrimination against the unemployed, single mothers or the many entangled in the system of mental health. Activities, new-skills-development, more networking and collaberation. The engagement of people working to-gether... actions are more often --- more useful than words alone...

It saddens me to see the arguement swing from one extreme to the other.... we need a more practical human face everywhere, don't you agree.

I would have to agree with Maximus, Barbara.

When I first saw the title of this topic, I thought "Uh,oh,. Here is another desciple of Ted Breggin who thinks psychiatry and psychology are the Devils work, and they are evil black magic because Hitler based his Eugenics program on science and genetics."

The article started off by appearing to attack psychology, erroniously claiming that "self help" books are in the "Psychology and Sociology" section of bookstores. As a person who can't walk past that particular bookshop section without sticking my nose in, I would declare this to be wrong. "Self help" books normally reside in the "New Age" section of bookshops.

But after denouncing the idea that authors should use applied psychology to inform their readers on how to improve their lives, Barbara then praises the idea that pschology can be used to improve people's lives.

Boing? Boing?

Sorry, Babs, ya lost me. Either Psychology is good or it is bad. Perhaps Barbara just wants to keep amateurs out of her territory and prefers that the Black Art of psychology must only be used by a priestly caste of qualified academic druids?

I think that we wouldn't need so much psycho stuff if people took the time to listen to each other, support each other and where possible help each other.

You shouldn't have to pay money to get someone to listen.

But then again maybe that is what the profession is worried about!