Details the growth, roles, and applications of this new specialty aiming to protect American national and public well-being in the face of increasing and novel threats both inside and outside the United States. In this age of asymmetric warfare, increasing home-grown terrorism, and continuing threats from abroad, a new specialty has emerged and expanded—operational psychology. Operational psychology plays a unique role in supporting issues of national security, national defense, and public safety. In this book, authors Mark A. Staal and Sally C. Harvey, both operational psychologists and retired military colonels, lead a team of experts explaining the field, its many roles, and how it is expanding. Topics include its application in intelligence, counterintelligence, and counterterrorism activities, consultation in high-risk training, criminal investigations including those of internet crimes against children, threat assessment, interrogations, aviation, personnel selection, and leadership development. The text addresses the ethical questions and controversies that surround some of these roles, such as those associated with interrogation techniques. It also describes the role of operational psychologists in activities ranging from assessing and training people for maximum resiliency and hardiness to profiling people and groups of concern in national security investigations.

Operational psychology plays a unique role in supporting issues of nationa security, national defense, and public safety. In this book, authors Mark A. Staal and Sally C. Harvey, both operational psychologists and retired military colonels, lead a team of experts explaining the field, its many roles, and how it is expanding--back cover.

"In the late 1990s, a number of psychologists who supported national security programs would meet monthly to collaboratively discuss program and research initiatives. The need for psychologists to remain focused on a professional and ethical practice of psychology in support of national security operations was a frequent topic of those meetings. Thus, the meetings often served as professional peer consultations in a practice domain that has come to be known as operational psychology. Various potential and real ethical conflicts related to the practice of psychology in support of national security missions were addressed in those meetings. Many of those discussions serve as the foundational impetus for this book. It also goes without saying that the dramatic increase in relevance and practice of operational psychologists in a post-9/11 world reinforces the need to bring that foundation into a structure of practice. This volume is intended to help frame that structure and guide those operational psychologists, who now face a vast array of complex challenges around the world. It is our intention that this volume provide firsthand knowledge about the key areas of operational psychological practice and the ethical analysis needed to operate in this relatively uncharted territory"--Book. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved).

This book has been replaced by Military Psychology, Third Edition, ISBN 978-1-4625-4992-4.

The critical link between psychology and the military is imprtant to recruiting, training, socializing, assigning, employing, deploying, motivating, rewarding, maintaining, managing, integrating, retaining, transitioning, supporting, counseling, and healing military members. These areas are hardly distinct, and the chapters in The Oxford Handbook of Military Psychology have contents that cross these boundaries. Collectively, the topics covered in this volume describe the myriad ways in which modern psychology influences warfare and vice versa. The extensive topics included come from within the areas of clinical, industrial/organizational, experimental, engineering, and social psychology. The contributors are top international experts in military psychology -- some uniformed soldiers, others academics and clinicians, and others civilian employees of the military or other government agencies. They address important areas in which the science and practice of psychology supports military personnel in their varied and complex missions. Among the topics addressed here are suitability for service, leadership, decision making, training, terrorism, socio-cultural competencies, diversity and cohesion, morale, quality-of-life, ethical challenges, and mental health and fitness. The focus is the ways in which psychology promotes the decisive human dimension of military effectiveness. Collectively, the 25 topical chapters of this handbook provide an overview of modern military psychology and its tremendous influence on the military and society as a whole.

During wartime, the need for mental health professionals intensifies, and the role they play is increasingly important. This comprehensive professional reference and text presents crucial knowledge for anyone who provides direct psychological services or consultation to military, law enforcement, or intelligence personnel, or who works to enhance operational readiness. Expert contributors describe the ins and outs of working within the military system and offer guidelines for effective, ethical practice. Among the clinical applications discussed are fitness-for-duty evaluations, suicide risk assessment and prevention, substance abuse treatment, and brief psychotherapy. Operational applications include such topics as combat stress, survival training, hostage negotiation, and understanding terrorist motivation.

Psychologists, researchers, teachers, and students need complete and comprehensive information in the fields of psychology and behavioral science. The Corsini Encyclopedia of Psychology, Volume Three has been the reference of choice for almost three decades. This indispensable resource is updated and expanded to include much new material. It uniquely and effectively blends psychology and behavioral science. The Fourth Edition features over 1,200 entries; complete coverage of DSM disorders; and a bibliography of over 10,000 citations. Readers will benefit from up-to-date and authoritative coverage of every major area of psychology.