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Summer Session Kansan
Tuesday, July 30, 1963
Drunk Men Not Fault of Bad Women
NEW YORK — (UPI) — Scratch one more of society's many folk myths from the list of theories which can be supported by scientific research.
Three psychological scientists studied 100 female minds before concluding it is off-base to refer to the wives of alcoholics as though they were all the "same" kind of woman.
SOME SCIENTISTS do refer to them that way. They believe women married to drunks have similar personality attributes which can be classified as "disturbances" and which help their men maintain their obsessive drinking.
But other scientists feel the wives should not be blamed even in part for their drunken husbands. According to this view, when these women show disturbances in their emotions and behavior, as many do, it is the result of having an alcoholic for a mate.
Drs. Kate L. Kogan, Wilbert E. Fordye and Joan K. Jackson tried to settle the controversy by comparing the personalities of 50 women married to members of Alcoholics Anonymous with 50 female friends married to men who had never had trouble in keeping their drinking within bounds.
ALL OF THEM voluntarily submitted to psychological tests designed to reveal whatever emotional disturbances they might be burdened with. It turned out that more wives of alcoholies were disturbed than wives of non-alcoholic men.
But half of these randomly selected wives of alcoholics revealed no emotional disturbances whatever. Therefore, the scientists reported to the Rutgers University Center for Studies on Alcohol, there is no justification for believing these women are similar of personality.
They also tested the 100 female minds to pick out those which might threaten a man's "masculine adequacy" or his "dependent needs" for a giving and submissive wife. According to previous psychological studies, women who do either consistently could be contributing to a husband's addiction to drink.
FOR INSTANCE, a wife could threaten "masculine adequacy" by being aggressive and masculine or by being "sweetly hostile and controlling." Or she could frustrate his "dependent needs," (assuming he has them) by being excessively passive, depressed or suspicious.
But many of the women married to habitually sober men had these personality attributes. Indeed, the scientists found they were unable to separate the wives of alcoholics from the other wives by using these and similar measurements.
Their advice to scientists studying alcoholism was to stop acting as though the wives of alcoholics were comparable as to personalities. "The evidence is that women of various personality types are married to alcoholics of various personality types," they said. "It would be more meaningful for research on alcoholism and the family if the particular constellations of personality pairs became the focus of attention."
Drs. Kogan, Fordyce and Jackson are members of the faculty of the University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle.
Must Let Them Pass
OLYMPIA, Wash. — (UPI) — The first traffic law passed by the Washington state legislature, dated 1890, reads:
"Whenever any person in charge of running any traction engine propelled by steam upon any country road or public highway, except in towns, cities or villages, shall meet any person driving a team of horses, it shall be the duty of the person in charge of such engine to come to a full stop and remain standing until the team has passed."
For The Best in New & Used Books BOOK NOOK 1021 Mass.
Americans' Values Castigate the Aged
NEW YORK — (UPI)—One big reason why it is so difficult for Americans to grow old gracefully is that Americans bear down heavily on the soma and pay little attention to the psyche, said Dr. Wendell M. Swenson who, being a psychologist, gives emphasis to the psyche.
"We are well sensitized to problems of our soma by the time of maturity," he went on. "The annual physical examination and the physical qualifications required for most employment, together with the stereotype of the 'red-blooded American boy,' all point to the fact that American society is well-grounded in accepting good physical condition as one of the major assets or perhaps as the major asset of life."
SO WHEN Americans age, they find it easy to take out their psychic (emotional and mental) difficulties on their soma. They can admit to physical (somatic) difficulties but they've had no training and no experience in recognizing and accepting those which rise from fears and tensions.
To complicate American aging further, Americans put themselves behind a psychological eight-ball by placing such high values on youthful ideas, youthful heroes, youthful accomplishments and youth in general.
"Naturally this attitude generates a somewhat negative feeling toward older people, with the consequence that they are psychologically removed from the stream of progress and quickly pass out of the picture as contributors to our society," Swenson continued.
ANOTHER contributing factor to ungraceful American aging is that "we are developing a society that drowsns out the basic philosophy of individual contributions and subordinates it to a philosophy of the greatest good for the greatest number.
"This concept seems to have its
greatest impact on the older individual. He has become a relatively insignificant part of this great group or team, and he has lost thereby the unique aspect of his personality and the psychological satisfaction that goes with it."
He also blamed "American science, in its mad dash for achievement." Behavioral science, he said, is "almost completely losing sight of the whole, unified man." It has done so by "dissecting man into smaller and smaller parts."
THIS DISSECTING has established "arbitrary cut-off points." When a person becomes 40, "he is regarded as no longer able to begin a new job." When he reaches 65 "we assume certain qualitative changes take place and that the person is no longer the same person he was the day before."
Swenson is a member of the scientific staff of the Mayo Clinic and Foundation, Rochester, Minn. He was advising physicians on how to deal psychologically with aging Americans in the technical journal, "Postgraduate Medicine." As every-one knows, they now form a major segment of the population. By 1980 approximately one half of it will be 55 or older.
His key recommendation was a reminder that "nothing is more important to the human personality than self-esteem. It should be remembered that people grow old with themselves and with things. To take either a part of themselfs or some of their things from them is to take away a part of their individuality. To remove all the small psychologic peculiarities that exist in the older individual is clearly a threat to his independence, and he will react accordingly."
A Welcome Inn
MILAN, Ill. —(UPI)— There's a sign on Route 67 here that reads: "Bringer-Inn."
Easy on — Easy off because Crosby Square has built in an adjustable top line in every pair of Snug Tops. For fashion with fine fitting try a pair today in Black or Burnt Brown. Style No. 286
Norway Gets Reputation
NEW YORK — (UPI) — Norway is acquiring a reputation for the care of feeding of youngsters while their parents tour Europe, says Pan American World Airways. There are numerous animal farms and camps with English-speaking staffs to care for children from five to 15 years, at rates ranging from $12 to $15 per week, the airline says.
D&G
AUTO SERVICE
VI 2-0753
½ blk. E. 12th & Haskell
Patronize Your Kansan Advertisers
LOOK
Everyone who will be here this August,
The Jay Bowl will be open from 6-10 p.m.every evening through August 25 Enjoy bowling and billiards at the Jay Bowl
- Bowling - 35c per line
- Billiards — 60c per line
- Table Tennis — 20c per hour