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Book Review

Book Review Richard W. Bloom and Nancy Dess ( Eds. ). Evolutionary Psychology and Violence: A Primer for Policymakers and Public Policy Advocates . Westport , CT : Praeger , 2003 . ISBN 0‐275‐97467‐7 ( 288 pp ., 64.00 ). With an appreciation of evolutionary psychology, but only a rudimentary understanding of the process by which evidence is translated into public policy, I turned for enlightenment to the first chapter of this volume. Rather than clarification, I was subjected to a full frontal disciplinary assault. Psychologists reading this chapter—beware. We are apparently not held in high regard by Richard Bloom. Our work is a reflection of “the all‐pervading zeitgeist encompassing paradigms of professional propriety—all of which may have little to do with appropriateness for the subject at hand” (p. 6). We allow our values to “to help nurture illusionary correlations of data supporting the desired conclusion” (p. 7). Forensic psychologists are singled out for a real barrage; they are “no more knowledgeable of scientific research on such information than the ‘great unwashed’—the lay psychologists—whom[sic] are not considered forensic experts” (p. 17). The rest of us are merely “blinded by reified hypothetical constructs” (p. 7), “more affected by the quest for http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png Analyses of Social Issues & Public Policy Wiley

Book Review

Analyses of Social Issues & Public Policy , Volume 4 (1) – Dec 1, 2004
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References (1)

Publisher
Wiley
Copyright
Copyright © 2004 Wiley Subscription Services, Inc., A Wiley Company
ISSN
1529-7489
eISSN
1530-2415
DOI
10.1111/j.1530-2415.2004.00052.x
Publisher site
See Article on Publisher Site

Abstract

Richard W. Bloom and Nancy Dess ( Eds. ). Evolutionary Psychology and Violence: A Primer for Policymakers and Public Policy Advocates . Westport , CT : Praeger , 2003 . ISBN 0‐275‐97467‐7 ( 288 pp ., 64.00 ). With an appreciation of evolutionary psychology, but only a rudimentary understanding of the process by which evidence is translated into public policy, I turned for enlightenment to the first chapter of this volume. Rather than clarification, I was subjected to a full frontal disciplinary assault. Psychologists reading this chapter—beware. We are apparently not held in high regard by Richard Bloom. Our work is a reflection of “the all‐pervading zeitgeist encompassing paradigms of professional propriety—all of which may have little to do with appropriateness for the subject at hand” (p. 6). We allow our values to “to help nurture illusionary correlations of data supporting the desired conclusion” (p. 7). Forensic psychologists are singled out for a real barrage; they are “no more knowledgeable of scientific research on such information than the ‘great unwashed’—the lay psychologists—whom[sic] are not considered forensic experts” (p. 17). The rest of us are merely “blinded by reified hypothetical constructs” (p. 7), “more affected by the quest for

Journal

Analyses of Social Issues & Public Policy – Wiley

Published: Dec 1, 2004

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