Bulletin of the Psychoanalytic Research Society, Volume IV, Number 1, Spring, 1995
"There is an optical illusion about every person we meet."
--Ralph Waldo Emerson
Most of us are probably getting a bit weary of hearing about a one or two person psychology. More and more I'm convinced (by data of course) of the likelihood and advantages of there being at least a three person psychology. The triumph of the triad is much more compelling than that of the dyed. The question remains, however, of whether notions of triangulation will have a positive or negative impact on developments in psychoanalytic theory, research and practice. Without belaboring my motivations for assuming--at least for the moment--a triadic position, I'd like to focus on three issues. First, I'd like to tell you about some things that have happened during the past year in the Psychoanalytic Research Society. Second, I want to keep you informed regarding some interesting ongoing activities in the Society, and encourage you to become involved. Third, I'd like to tell you about some future events which may be of interest to Society members, and to encourage you to participate in these events.
During the past year we have strived to broaden our audience to include clinicians, other psychologists and graduate students (by "other", I mean those who are not presently involved with Section Vl or Division 39). For example, at the most recent Spring Divisional Meeting I chaired a symposium entitled "Does psychoanalytic research produce knowledge?", wherein Allen Compton and Stephen Portuges each presented a paper and Donald Spence discussed the presentations. Our symposium at the APA meeting this past summer was chaired by Michael Sperling, and was entitled "Nonpsychoanalytic research contributions to psychoanalytic theory and practice: Attachment". The symposium consisted of outstanding papers by Phil Shaver and Arietta Slade, with an exciting discussion by Alicia Lieberman. It was very well attended and well received. In addition, Michael Sperling chaired a session expressly organized for graduate students entitled "Prospects for psychoanalytic thesis/dissertation research" wherein he, William Berman and I discussed related issues. The feedback from the students who attended was very enthusiastic.
As you all know, last year we successfully launched our first round of awards from the Psychoanalytic Research Fund. This year, Division 39 agreed to provide $7000 per year for at least five years to help support the Fund. We appreciate the Division's continued commitment and support of psychoanalyticallyoriented doctoral dissertation research. In addition, we thank Section I for their generous contribution to the Fund, and hope that other Division 39 sections will also lend their support.
Fifteen proposals from doctoral students throughout the country were submitted for funding this year. These proposals were thoughtfully read and rated by Morris Eagle, Robert Bornstein, Gwendolyn Gerber, Norbert Freedman, Hans Strupp, George Stricker, Joseph Masling, Joy Osofsky and myself. I'd like to wish all those who submitted proposals a timely and successful completion of their dissertations, and to express my appreciation to them and their dissertation sponsors for helping to keep psychoanalytic research alive and well. I am especially pleased to announce the names of the current Fund recipients who were deemed by the Fund's Advisory Board to have submitted exceptionally strong proposals. They are:
Sue Steele, Antioch New England Graduate School "Women's psychosocial adjustment to breast cancer: The dynamics of referential activity, social support, and type of surgery" Sponsor: Theodore J. Ellenhorn, PhD
Lisa Lyons, Fairleigh Dickinson University "Attachment style, working memory capacity, and reasoning ability in adults: A theoretical extension and empirical study" Sponsor: Michael Sperling, PhD
Lloyd Stuart Berg, University of Texas at Austin "Quality of adult attachment and differential self-esteem dimensions in expectant mothers" Sponsor: Ricardo Ainslie, PhD
At the August, 1995 APA meeting in New York, three of last year's Research Fund recipients will present the results of their completed dissertations. This symposium-"The Psychoanalytic Research Fund: Recent recipients and the research process"will be chaired by Michael Sperling. with discussions by Joseph Masling and Robert Bornstein. Papers presented at the symposium will be by Michael Prezioso ("Object relations and the role of attachment in identity formation"), Stuart Hockenberry ("Gender, shame, and diverging lines of narcissistic disturbance"), and Brian Quinn ("Tests of the validity of communicative psychoanalytic postulates"). We hope that you can attend these presentations and honor the first recipients of our prestigious Research Fund award. I am especially pleased to draw to your auention to a leuer from a generous donor to the Research Fund, which has been published here with the donor's permission:
"My son....a doctoral student....was the recipient of a grant from your newly established Psychoanalytic Research Fund....he often commented on how very helpful your funding was; how it eased much of the financial pressure inherent in dissertation research at a time when pressure was an almost constant companion. In addition to his dissertation, finishing up his coursework, teaching, applying for internships, and fulfilling a myriad of other obligations incumbent upon doctoral students....he and his wife were expecting their first child. In February of 1994 he was offered an internship....ln early May, he successfully defended his dissertation. A scant two and a half weeks later his daughter was born....he has worked hard, and has reaped the rewards of his work. He has much to be thankful for, and I am very proud of him and his accomplishments. It is, therefore, with great pride and gratitude that I make this contribution to the Psychoanalytic Research Fund in his name. I sincerely hope that it will ease the way for another promising student."
We were delighted to receive such a sensitive and kind leuer, and hope that it inspires others to make a contribution to the Fund. These contributions are tax-deductible, and for those wishing to make a contribution, checks can be made out to the Psychoanalytic Research Fund, and sent to Dr. Joe Turkel, 6 West 77th Street, New York, NY, 10025. Details regarding submission of proposals for support by the Psychoanalytic Research Fund appear elsewhere in this issue of the Bulletin, and can also be obtained from Dr. Harold Cook, Department of Clinical Psychology, Teachers College, Columbia University, New York, NY, 10027.
We are pleased to invite you to attend our symposium at the Division 39 Spring Meeting in Santa Monica, which will take place on Saturday, April 29th at 2:15 PM. The symposium, entitled "Defense mechanisms reconsidered", will describe a revision of some traditional notions of defense mechanisms. It will be chaired by me and will include an evocative presentation ("Defense control processes: Theory and empirical findings") by Mardi Horowitz, Hans Joerg Znog, and Charles Stinson. The discussants will be Donald Spence and Gerald Aronson. This is sure to be one of the most interesting events of the Spring Meeting (the other noteworthy event being our Section's Tea on Thursday, April 27th from 4:00 to 5:00 PM). Please consult the Spring Meeting Program for further details. We look forward to seeing you at both of these events.
On a slightly different note, we have received a request for assistance from Harriet Kaley, President of Division 39, regarding the establishment of a task force related to the use of outcome measures that are appropriate for evaluating psychoanalytic psychotherapy. If you are interested in participating in such a task force, con" tact me, or get in touch with Dr. Kaley directly at 142 East 71 st Street, New York, NY, 10021 (212-472-0515). If you haven't already heard, Morris Eagle-a founding and active member of the Psychoanalytic Research Society-was elected president of Division 39, and he certainly deserves our congratulations and support. Morris brings to the Division a keen scientific and clinical eye, and a hope for an intellectually stimulating term of office. We encourage him to focus on and bring into balance the resources and prestige of Division 39 with respect to contemporary issues involving psychoanalytic theory, practice and research.
Finally, we are pleased to have been successful in enabling the Division's International Relations Committee to send the divisional publications (journals, etc.) to several of our members living in Russia. I'd like to thank Maris Bishofs for his interesting, artistic contribution that adds to the Bulletin's cache. A closing reminder: If you haven't already done so, please make sure that you submit your 1995 Psychoanalytic Research Society dues (see the form elsewhere in this issue), and encourage your colleagues and students to join our Society. We hope that you do get involved in our activities, and please feel free to contact any member of the Board or any of our committee chairpersons with ideas, thoughts and suggestions that you might have.