The life and work of an eminent psychologist: autobiography of Richard S. Lazarus. Springer, New York, 1998. No. of pages: 312. ISBN 0-8261-1179-3. Price: US$ 39.95 Hb.
✍ Scribed by Whatmore, Lynne
- Publisher
- John Wiley and Sons
- Year
- 1999
- Tongue
- English
- Weight
- 44 KB
- Volume
- 15
- Category
- Article
- ISSN
- 0748-8386
No coin nor oath required. For personal study only.
✦ Synopsis
Maverick' is not a term normally associated with a highly respected Professor of Psychology. However, his `desire to be a maverick' promoted the innovative research into stress, coping and the emotions for which Professor Lazarus is renowned. It also manifests itself throughout this autobiography.
This book is not simply a personal and academic history, although Lazarus' research is discussed fully. It also provides a social commentary of some of the contentious issues of our time Ð religion, Vietnam, and student protests. Lazarus has strong opinions; psychology, academia and research are scrutinised and found wanting. The observations Lazarus makes are thought-provoking and add considerable appeal to this book.
The basis of the book is emotional con¯ict. Lazarus compares doubts about his abilities with his eorts to be eective. The self-doubts stem from a sense of alienation' arising partly from parental rejection and partly from being Jewish, with the keen awareness that Jews have long been despised in the world'. Lazarus was young during the Depression of the 1930s, when anti-Semitism was rife in the United States. His experiences led to a view of religion as divisive, fostering hatred between those of opposing viewpoints. Even at the time of his ®rst academic post at John Hopkins University in 1948, prejudice was evident. Lazarus and his wife, Bernice, could not live near the university because Jews were `restricted' from living in that part of the city. Lazarus' interest in psychology and his work on stress and coping emanates from his wish to understand and cope with these con¯icts.
His ®rst work on emotions came as a psychologist in the US Army during World War II, helping men suering emotional problems. A test validation study followed, designed to identify men emotionally un®t for service. Displaying ingenuity, Lazarus devised a game to trick malingerers attempting to fail the induction test. He confesses, with hindsight, that this did not serve the best interests of the Army. Nonetheless, he acquired a `strong taste for research'.