Psychology 371 - History & Systems of Psychology
(Spring, 2008 - McAndrew)
Texts:
Readings in the History and Systems of Psychology, 2nd Ed. (Brennan, 1998)

Three Psychologies, 6th Ed. (Nye, 2000)

Multiple Readings are also on Reserve in the SMC Library

CONTACT INFORMATION: Frank McAndrew, E-131 SMC, Ext. 7525

e-mail: fmcandre@knox.edu.

Psychology Department Web Page

History and Systems of Psychology: An Introduction to the Course
Instead of reading a standard textbook and covering almost every detail of the history of the field, we will focus on "primary sources." In other words, instead of reading about the people and ideas that make up psychology's history, as much as possible we will read the original works of these individuals and discuss what they have to say. This may make for more difficult reading, but it will also give us an opportunity for discussion that is lacking in a straight lecture course. I will attempt to conduct the class along the lines of a "preceptorial" with an emphasis on discussion rather than lecture, although I have set aside a few "lecture days" this term. We will be reading words written in different times and places, often by people with worldviews profoundly different from our own. I make no pretense that we will be able to cover everything that is important in the history of our field. We will, however, do our best to hit most of the high spots. The history of psychology is primarily the history of people arguing over a set of questions about human nature that has been around since there have been people. This term, we will follow these arguments throughout time and hopefully discover how our current beliefs have been shaped by the debates that have come before us. Some of the major questions that we will encounter over and over in this course are as follows:
Is there such a thing as the "mind," and if so, how does it relate to the physical body?

How are humans related to other animals?

Is there free will or is human behavior determined?

Can mental events be studied scientifically?

What makes us what we are? Nature or Nurture? Heredity or environment?

What is the best way to study human beings? Objectively or subjectively? Qualitatively or Quantitatively? Looking for general principles of behavior or attempting to understand individuals as persons?

To what extent to we need to understand biology in order to understand human nature?

How rational is human thought and behavior?

Grading
Three Papers:
Paper #1 = 15% of final grade
Paper #2 = 20% of final grade
Paper #3 = 25% of final grade

Weekly Quizzes: 20% of Final Grade

Class Participation: 20% of final grade.
Attendance will be taken each class. It is not necessary to speak every day, but meaningful participation on a regular basis throughout the term will be the basis for the class participation grade.

Part I: Classical & Medieval Roots of Modern Psychology
Thursday, March 27 - Introduction to the course; Introduction to persistent questions in the history of psychology.

Tuesday, April 1 - Introduction to Classical Roots of Psychology.
(Readings #2 & #3 in Brennan (Plato & Aristotle); Plato's "Allegory of the Cave" (Download the pdf version) See a video interpretation of the Allegory of the Cave done by students at American University

CLICK ON THE LINK FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THE RELATIONSHIP AMONG
Plato, Aristotle, Christianity, & Knowledge

Thursday, April 3 - Quiz; Lecture on Medieval & Renaissance Roots of Psychology(Readings #4(St. Augustine) & #5(St. Thomas Aquinas) in Brennan)

CLICK ON THE LINK FOR MORE INFORMATION ON The Medieval Universe

Tuesday, April 8 - Catch Up Day; Discuss Papers

Wednesday, April 9 - Paper #1 is Due.

Part II: Post-Renaissance Philosophy and the Rise of Modern Systems of Psychology

Thursday, April 10 - Reading #6 in Brennan (Descartes); Quiz

Tuesday, April 15 - Sensationalism & Materialism: (Reading #8 in Brennan (de Condillac)

Thursday, April 17 - Quiz; Empiricism vs. Rationalism: (Readings #9 (Locke) & #11(Kant) in Brennan)

Tuesday, April 22 - Voluntarism & Structuralism: (Reading #12 in Brennan (Wundt))

Thursday, April 24 - Quiz; Functionalism: (Readings #14(James) & #16(Angell) in Brennan)

Tuesday, April 29 - "The Measurement of Human Abilities;" "Alfred Binet and the study of Intelligence" (Readings on Reserve)

Thursday, May 1 - Quiz; Behaviorism: (Readings #20, #22 in Brennan (Watson, Skinner))

Tuesday, May 6 - Behaviorism continued; (Chapter 3 in Nye); "A case history in scientific method" by Skinner (reading on reserve)

Thursday, May 8 - Discuss papers; Catch-Up Day

Monday, May 12 - Paper #2 is Due

Part III: Challenges to the Dominant Worldviews in Modern Psychology.

Tuesday, May 13 - Quiz; Introduction to the history of treating mental illness: (Reading on "Emil Kraepelin" - on reserve)
"The Divided Self" by R.D. Laing (on reserve)

Thursday, May 15 - Quiz; Psychoanalysis; (Reading #18(Freud) in Brennan; Chapter 2 in Nye)

Tuesday, May 20 - Introduction to Third-Force Psychology; "Toward a Psychology of Health" by Maslow (on reserve)

Thursday, May 22 - Quiz; Chapter 4 in Nye; "What it means to become a person" by Rogers (on reserve)

Tuesday, May 27 - Discuss papers; Catch-Up Day

Thursday, May 29 - Paper #3 is Due

I have put copies of the powerpoints overheads that I used in class on the web. The formatting is not as nice as it was on the original overheads, but all of the information is there. To see copies of the powerpoints and overheads that were used in the lectures for this course, click on the picture of the overhead projector.