Book reviews
Inherently unequal – Does it add up?
Gender Differences in Mathematics:
An Integrative Psychological Approach
Ann M. Gallagher & James C. Kaufman (Eds)
Cambridge: Cambridge University Press; 2005; Pb £16.99
(ISBN 0 521 53344 9)
Reviewed by Sharon Lloyd
HERE is an intense, interesting book. It
is provocative, stimulating and frustrating. The chapters draw upon
extensive and intensive histories of research into the area of sex
differences in maths and show dramatically the continual ebb and flow
of findings seemingly to show differences in one study, only to counter
them in another. As Caplan and Caplan point out, the book’s very title
shows a lack of neutrality on the question of the usefulness of making
such distinctions, though if it must be done ‘gender differences’ is a
better term than ‘sex differences’! The fields of research reviewed in
this book cover the cognitive, motivational, stereotypic, social,
community, personality, educational, physiological, genetic and
hormonal influences, thus moving beyond the question of ‘how much’ we
attribute variance to biological and environmental factors and towards
a multiple type factors model that helps explain gender differences in
performance and participation.
Though extensively referenced, and equally so, across the contributors,
it disappoints in not delivering what the flysheet promises as ‘most
recent research’. Only
by the third chapter is there a reference as current as 2003. Throughout, there are only
a handful of references post-1999. It already feels somewhat outdated
and, scandalously, there is no reference to the scanning/imaging
evidence of differences.
Though well written, it is not an overly easy book to read. It
summarises a vast tranche of research, giving considerable insight into
the history, politics and influences that have shaped aspects of our
identities, communities, schools and working world through mathematical
processes. For those in educational testing and theory or practice, the
political, theoretical, commercial and practical forces that have
shaped educational testing and practices are clear. Consumers need to
actively critique this material if looking to support decision making
with respect to teaching, testing, research and application in the 21st
century.
- Dr Sharon E. Lloyd is a consultant occupational and educational psychologist in independent practice.
Overcoming Chronic Fatigue:
A Self-help Guide Using Cognitive Behavioural Techniques
Mary Burgess & Trudie Chalder
London: Robinson; 2005; Pb £9.99
(ISBN 1 84119 942 7)
Reviewed by Shane McCarney
THIS is the first in the ‘Overcoming…’ series I have read, but I
will read further titles. All too often self-help guides are none too
helpful. In this book, the well-respected authors approach the often
controversial topic of chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) in a way that is
functional. The opening part provides an excellent overview of how best
the complexities of CFS may be understood, but without overemphasising
debate on diagnosis or symptomatology. The other main highlights
include the case studies giving an insight into formulation and
interventions, and the overall flow of information and techniques that
should guide the reader to making progress.
- Dr Shane McCarney works in Clinical Health Psychology in Sperrin Lakeland HSS Trust, Northern Ireland.
Cautionary tales from private practice
The Essential Skills for Setting Up a Counselling and Psychotherapy Practice
Gladeana McMahon, Stephen Palmer & Christine Wilding
London: Routledge, 2005; Pb £15.99 (ISBN 0 415 19776 7) Reviewed by Christina L. Blackwell
WRITTEN
from a counselling, cognitive-behavioural perspective, Essential Skills
is presented in a workbook style, with ‘reflection’ boxes inviting the
reader to stop and consider. It begins with a cautionary tale. This
sets the tone, and reflects the authors’ view that ‘planning,
organisation and attention to detail are crucial’. At times this
borders on patronising as in ‘smells can be cloaked by the use of
subtle air fresheners’.
There are three sections. The first, and most useful, covers business
plans, marketing, finance and accounting. Section 2 ‘Professional
skills’ offers little new to the experienced practitioner, but would be
useful to those starting out. Section 3 ‘Self-management skills’ is
based on cognitive-behavioural techniques, and includes detailed
instructions on interventions, such as relaxation, which might be
better placed in a therapeutic skills manual.
This book is helpful. It raises salient issues and provides useful practical information.
- Christina Blackwell is with the Psychological Services Directorate,
Newcastle, North Tyneside & Northumberland Mental Health NHS Trust.
Putting music in context
Musical Communication
Dorothy Miell, Raymond MacDonald & David Hargreaves (Eds)
Oxford: Oxford University Press; 2005; Pb £26.95
(ISBN 0-19-852936 8)
Reviewed by Kate Gee
EXPLORING communication in a delightful,
multidisciplinary fashion, Musical Communication, the second book
edited by Miell, MacDonald and Hargreaves, has its roots buried firmly
within psychology. Chapters are penned by a sparkling line-up of
academic and applied researchers, including music psychologists,
therapists and educationalists; consequently it covers a wide variety
of perspectives, holding appeal for musicians, the general public and
many breeds of psychologist.
Music is a potent means of communication in many aspects of life; thus
the structure of this book is all-encompassing, including cognitive,
biological, social and cultural takes on communication. Initial
chapters describe the broad nature of musical communication, including
the somewhat clichéd comparison between language and music. The next
appeal predominantly to cognitive psychologists, including a very
readable chapter on music and emotion, (the differences between the
emotions portrayed within the music as opposed to the emotions we feel
in response). The third section concerns the brain and body, including
everything from neuropsychology to music therapy. There are a few
chapters on music and education, however it is the final section that
is the most readable, discussing communication and cultural contexts;
everything from the development of protest music, to cinematic uses and
music employed commercially; does, for example, French music encourage
you to purchase French wine?
This book aimed to bring together the ‘how, why, what, who and where of
musical communication, to set a new agenda for research’; which,
I suspect, would be a rather daunting challenge for many, and yet it is
one that this team admirably performs. This book is certainly not one
to be read from cover to cover, rather it should be dipped into and
used as a basis for future research, whatever your specialism.
- Kate Gee is at the University of Sheffield.
Kaleidophones and thaumatropes
Perception and Illusion: Historical Perspectives
Nicholas J. Wade
New York: Springer; 2005; Hb US$69.95
(ISBN 0 387 22722 9)
Reviewed by Helen E. Ross
THIS is part of the ‘Library of the
History of Psychological Theories’ series, which might sound
intimidating, but Nicholas Wade is a master of interesting and
accessible books, particularly A Natural History of Vision (1998, MIT
Press). This book is similar to the latter in that it contains a lot of
quotations from early authors, but it goes beyond it by giving detailed
accounts of how theories developed. It also considers some other senses
besides vision, such as the muscle, temperature and movement senses.
But vision dominates the book, as it does our senses. The history of
visual perception is essentially
a history of art and illusion, and of advances in optics, instruments
and measurement techniques. Illusions have fostered fascination through
the centuries, and have stimulated inquiry about perceptual mechanisms.
Veridical perception, on the other hand, has been taken for granted.
Books on illusions are often confined to somewhat artificial
19th-century geometrical illusions, but Wade covers perceptual
phenomena that are easily observed in the everyday world and have been
noted since antiquity. Other illusions are dependent on special gadgets
that were built to entertain. Some of these, like the stereoscope,
became serious scientific instruments that informed our modern
understanding of visual perception. The rest are now forgotten, or have
been replaced by the computer. The stereoscope lives on, but if you
want to know about the kaleidophone, phenakistoscope or thaumatrope you
will have to read the book.
- Helen Ross is with the Department of Psychology, University of Stirling.
(Please note that some pictures may have been removed for copyright reasons)
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