Modern Psychology: Historical Perspectives

Modern Psychology: Historical Perspectives

(Modern Psychology: Historical Perspectives)

Assignment 12: History IV

Discussion Questions IV:

All assignments MUST be typed, double-spaced, in APA style and must be written at graduate level English. You must integrate the material presented in the text to support your discussion, citing in APA format. Outside sources may be used to support the text information, but not replace the text.

Your response to each question should be 1- 1 ½ pages per question. Assignment should be 6-9 pages total plus a title and reference page

1. B.  F. Skinner has been criticized for proposing a model of human  functioning that negates the possibility that humans can exert free  will. Explain how human thought (cognition) could support claims of free  will in Skinner’s model. Be sure to define free will in such a system.
2. We sometimes see rabbits and dinosaurs in cloud formations. Do Gestalt principles help to explain this and, if so, how?
3. In  light of the growing interest in evolutionary explanations for  behavior, why does Freud’s emphasis on biological needs and drives seem  reasonable or unreasonable?
4. Identify themes in the works of Carl Jung that seem consistent with contemporary cross-cultural approaches to psychology.
5. The  story of the blind men and the elephant is an ancient parable from the  Indian subcontinent. In it, each blind man in a group touches just one  part of an elephant to learn what it is. When they compare notes, they  realize they disagree completely about what an elephant “is.” Compare  this parable to the humanistic movement in psychology.
6. Medicine  is a practice that has always been rooted in biology of the body—its  structure, form, chemistry. As our knowledge of the importance of the  brain in behavior grows, it seems that psychiatry, a branch of medicine,  is the discipline best suited for the study of mental disorders. Is  there a role for clinical psychology in furthering our understanding of  mental illness?

Assignment Outcomes

Examine the roots, theories, and relevance of major trends in modern psychology

Explore the evolution of ideas within philosophy and psychology

Examine the ways in which worldviews (religious, political, moral, and psychological) shape psychological frameworks

Demonstrate  an understanding of the history of psychology as it relates to the  natural sciences, social sciences, and applied disciplines

Explore the evolution of methods of research and inquiry

Examine  the evolution of systematic biases and the roles of major individuals  and cultural influences in shaping modern psychology

Evaluate the ethical views of psychologists and other scholars across history