Reason, Research, and Reflections on Psychological Distance: A Rejoinder

On the basis of consistent and significantly different replacement distances achieved by long-term (LH) and short-term (SH) hospitalized psychiatric patients on a modified version of Kuethe's social schemata technique, Tolor and Donnon (1969) suggested that LH patients may have a greater desire for social involvement than SH. Neel's (1970) criticisms of this smdy revolve around nvo major issues: (a) the testing procedures might have communicated to the "sensitive S' what was expected and (b) the samples differed with respect to hospital environment and socio-economic status rendering comparisons invalid. Regarding the first contention, i.e., that E effects could have accounted for the reported results, Neel would have to assume that Es expected the given results. Nothing could be further from the truth! One E, who administered most of the testing procedures, was unaware of the theoretical basis of the study and had no expectations regarding the performance of patients. The other E actually anticipated results in an opposing direction consistent with the widely held view that chronicity is associated with desocialization. As for the second objection, there is no quarrel with the desirability of usine "pure" samples of Ss uncontaminated by any other potentially relevant variables. This ideal can, however, only rarely be achieved in the laboratory and virtually never in studies with human beings who live in highly complex social systems. Tolor and Donnon (1969) did discuss the possible effects of differential severity of symptoms, differences in the social climate of the hospitals, and prolonged relative social isolation. Their analysis led to the conclusion that length of hospitalization was a very likely crucial factor but did not eliminate the possibility of other interpretations, includiog complex interactions. Turning to more specific questions raised, when Neel refers to the possibility that social-class differences could have accounted for the results, she would have to make the further untenable assumption that lower-class Ss also seek closer interpersonal relations than higher-class Ss. However. if anything, the socio-economic variable operates to produce greater distancing responses, as demonstrated by Tolor and Orange (1969), and, therefore, goes counter to the findings obtained for the state hospital LH patients. The alleged greater accuracy in placements of short (private) hospital Ss is entirely erroneous. The mean distance for all pairings for SH and LH groups is 9.28 in. and 8.44 in. , respectively, neither of which differs significantly from the exposure distance of 9 in. Finally, Neel's concern about possible differences in the psychodynamics represented in the two groups should be given more careful attention. Psychodynamics is a concept to be understood within a social context. It should not be treated as a contaminant that needs to be controlled as if it clearly operated primarily on the causative side. It could just as logically be considered an effect, partially produced by length of hospitalization. This point-by-point rebuttal to Neel's reflections hopefully introduces greater clarity to the problem of psychological distance. While novel and unexpected results quite understandably lead to a careful reexamination of methodology, one must avoid unjustified and sweeplng crltlclsm. REFERENCES