Argosy University, Chicago
COURSE SYLLABUS
PP 7000
History and Systems of Psychology
Fall 2011
Faculty information
Faculty name: Mark Kiel, Psy.D., C.G.P.
Campus: Chicago
Contact information:
Office phone number: (312) 777-7671
E-mail: (Preferred contact)
Office Hours: Monday 1-3; Tuesday 1:00-4:00; Wednesday by Appointment
Teaching assistant name: TBA
T.A. e-mail: TBA
T.A. phone number: TBA
Course Description:
This course provides a survey of the major philosophical, historical, and socio-cultural factors that led to the development of the field of clinical psychology and the major theories within the field. Emphasis is on presenting the key ideological controversies within the field, and exploring how these controversies have developed. Students are expected to demonstrate an understanding of how psychology through time has dealt with a number of core philosophical issues and the range of perspectives that different psychological theories have taken on these issues.
Course Pre-requisites: None
Required Textbook:
Leahy, T.H. (2004). A history of psychology: Main currents in psychological thought. (6th Ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall. ISBN: 0-13-111447-6.
Presbey, G. M., Struhl, K. J., and Olsen, R. E. (Eds.) (2002). The philosophical quest: A cross-cultural reader. (2nd Ed.). McGraw Hill. ISBN: 0-07-289867-4.
Baggini, J.& Fosl, P. (2002). The philosopher’s toolkit: A compendium of philosophical concepts and methods. (1st Ed.). Blackwell Publishers. ISBN: 0631228748.
Dostoevesky, F. (2007). The grand inquisitor. Book Jungle. ISBN: 1604244577.
(This is available in its entirety online, free at Wikipedia).
Recommended Textbook:
Honderich, T. (Ed.) (2001). The philosophers: Introducing great western thinkers. Oxford University Press. ISBN: 978-0192854186
Guthrie, R. (2001). Even the rat was white: A historical view of psychology. (2nd Ed.) Prentice Hall. ISBN: 006-042561X.
Course length: 15 Weeks
Contact Hours: 45 Hours
Credit Value: 3.0
Course Objectives:
Course Objective / Program Goal / Method of AssessmentIllustrate how critical philosophical issues manifest themselves in the major theories of psychology / Goal 4- Science
Goal 5-Scholarship / Midterm paper
Final Paper
Group Presentation
Outline core philosophical assumptions in different theories / Goal 4- Science
Goal 5- Scholarship / Midterm Paper
Final Paper
Group Presentation
Class Debate
Demonstrate how knowledge of philosophical assumptions is necessary for relevant best practices in the field / Goal 4- Science / Class Exercise
Class Debate
Develop advanced critical thinking skills / Goal 5-Scholarship / Midterm Paper
Final Paper
Peer Editing Assignment
Integrate effective critical thinking in written and oral assignments / Goal 5- Scholarship / Midterm Paper
Final Paper
Peer Editing Assignment
Group Presentation
Illustrate socio-cultural and historical context of psychological theory / Goal 3- Diversity
Goal 5-Scholarship / Group Presentation
Class Debate
Recognize assumptions and bias in theory based on philosophical assumptions / Goal 3-Diversity / Group Presentation
Class Debate
Allow students to modify their existing assumptions based on conscious choice of philosophical core ideas / Goal 5- Scholarship
Goal 3- Diversity
Goal 4 Science / Final Paper
Group Presentation
Ethos Paper
Assignments:
1. Initial Statement of Personal Ethos (5% of total grade). For the second week of class, write a brief personal statement regarding your beliefs about human nature, how people change and your personal values. (See handout for additional details.)
2. Final Paper Draft (10% of total grade). The goal of this paper is to help you gain experience in integrating the course texts we have read with your topic and learning how to use course texts in formulating an argument, as well as to give you some preliminary feedback on writing which may ultimately form part of your final paper. Rigorous arguments, hypotheses, and critical analyses are best formulated in the presence of feedback and with adequate reflection. This assignment starts that process for the students.
3. Peer Editing Assignment (10% of total grade). Students are often able to help each other with their work in uniquely skilled ways. Students not only learn from each others’ mistakes but also from working together to understand an argument. For these reasons, you will engage in peer-editing on the rough draft of your final paper. I will assign you to groups of three or four. You will exchange papers with the members of your group via e-mail by noon the previous week. In addition, copy the Teaching Assistant on the e-mail distributing your paper to your group, so that we can confirm that everyone received the papers in a timely fashion. In the next two days, before the next class meeting, you will read and write extensive marginal comments on each of the papers you have received, as well as write a summary comment of at least one paragraph on each paper. You will bring two copies of each of the papers with comments on them to class. In class on that date, each group member will give oral feedback to each other group member, and will receive feedback on his or her work. You will turn in one copy of each paper you have commented on to me, so that we may assess your comments, and you will return the other copy of the paper to the author so that they may incorporate your comments into the draft of their paper due the following week. You are expected to incorporate the peer feedback you receive into the next draft of your paper; failure to do so may lead to a reduction in your grade on the paper. Late papers will not be accepted, in deference to your peers’ needs to have adequate time to read and comment on your paper. Papers not received by noon on this day will be excluded from the peer editing process and the author will receive a 0 for that portion of his/her course grade. Failure to attend class on this day to give and receive feedback, even if you have submitted written feedback to your peers, will result in a 0 being assigned for this portion of your grade, barring truly exceptional circumstances documented in writing by a physician or other authority.
4. Midterm Presentation (25% of total grade)
This is to be a 15 minute presentation on a non-western, multi-cultural, or diversity issue under-represented or under-integrated in western, US, APA psychology. Please discuss and get approval from the course faculty for this assignment. Presentations will include at least 3 forms of media (handouts, powerpoint, video clips, etc), and will include APA citations and references for the entire class. You can address one of the broad philosophical questions posed in this class as it relates to a current clinical application, clinical controversy, international psychology or philosophical or applied multi-culturalism. Please set up an appointment with faculty by the third week of class to discuss your topic ideas and for assistance with organization and potential sources.
This presentation will be graded based on four criteria:
1) Presentation: style, organization, relevance, citations, types and forms of media?
2) Argument: Do you state your position clearly, support it with adequate evidence and present both sides of the argument (argument and counter-argument) in an even-handed way?
3) Socio-Cultural-Historical Context- Do you demonstrate an understanding of the historical, social and political context of the positions taken on this issue?
4) Value- Do you demonstrate an understanding of the impact this issue has on the science and practice of psychology/psychotherapy?
5. In-Class Debate (10% of total grade). Details will be provided about this in class.
6. In-Class Exercise (10 of total grade). Details will be provided about this in class.
7. Final paper (due at the beginning of class, 30% of total grade)
This is to be an 10-12 page paper, double-spaced, in APA style. Take the current issue within the field of psychology. Now think of the “ancestors” of this position. In other words, what are the origins of the ideas used by people on each side of this issue to support their position? What theories within the discipline do the positions you’re describing draw upon? Follow the history of these ideas back and trace their antecedents back to the important debates that have been outlined in class that you described in the fourth part of your midterm paper. Describe both sides of that philosophical debate in detail, and make explicit in what ways it is like and unlike the clinical controversy you are describing. Use the arguments for and against the different sides of the philosophical debate to shed light on the arguments for and against the clinical debate. To achieve this, you must use class readings. Additional details about this assignment will be provided in class.
In this paper, you should address the following:
1) Explication of your central thesis: a) State the issue you have chosen to discuss. Define the basic tenants related to this particular issue. What are the primary “sides” or ideas of the issue? As a useful guideline, if within the introduction you have not constructed a sentence that reads, “I shall argue that {fill in the blank},” you are probably not being explicit enough.
2) Defense of your central thesis: Provide a carefully constructed and systematic rationale for your position on the issue. Cite your reasons for taking this position and the evidence (from the literature) that supports your position. The evidence should incorporate your understanding of the historical/socio-cultural/biographical context of the issue. Provide as convincing a defense of your thesis as you can. Then, address the weaknesses of the arguments you have just made in support of your position. Analyze your position in terms of its strengths and weaknesses; in other words, provide a balanced evaluation of the position you have chosen. The number of citations is not predetermined and should consist of the number needed to analyze your position well.
3) Presentation of opposing views: Describe the position(s) others have taken on this issue that differ from your own. (This may include a range of disciplines, not just psychology or philosophy.) Cite their reasons for taking the position they do and the evidence that supports their position on the issue. How do the socio-cultural (and, if relevant, biographical) context(s) influence why these authors held their particular beliefs or put forth their particular theories when and how they did so? Then describe the weaknesses of the arguments they make. Provide a balanced evaluation of the strengths and weaknesses of their position.
4) Identify the broader philosophical question that you believe is implicated in this debate. Identify the authors we have read in the course who address the broader philosophical question implicit in your clinical controversy, and briefly describe how the sides of the controversy you are writing about correspond to the sides of that philosophical debate. This section will be expanded upon in your final paper.
5) What are the implications of your position for the theory and practice of clinical psychology? In particular, how might your own clinical and intellectual work be influenced by the position you have chosen to take? Be as specific as possible.
Class Participation
Class participation will comprise ten percent of your course grade. You are expected to have completed all of the assigned readings for each class meeting and to be prepared to discuss these readings. As a rough guide, if you have not spoken at least once during each half (pre- and post- break) of each class (twice during each class meeting), your class participation grade may suffer. Your class participation grade will be based not only on the frequency with which you make contributions to class discussion, but also on how well you demonstrate an understanding of the assigned material and on the thoughtfulness, clarity and relevance of your comments.
At various times, additional assignments may be made, including, for example, the submission prior to attending class of questions regarding the readings. Such assignments will be graded on a check/no check (completed/not completed) basis, and will contribute to your class participation grade. Such assignments will not be accepted late.
Articles and Excerpts
These are required, not optional. Most of them are available electronically. To obtain ones available online, open the electronic version of the syllabus I sent you, and copy the link (using the “Copy” and “Paste” functions under the “Edit” menu at the top of your screen) into the address window of your browser. To obtain the articles identified by EBSCO links, go to the Argosy Chicago library website (http://www.auchicagolib.org), click on “Psychology,” click on “PsychInfo,” enter the appropriate password (available from the library, but accessible from off campus), select PsychInfo and/or other databases, and copy the link provided on the syllabus into the address window of your browser. A few of the articles are not available on line or from EBSCO, and I shall send you copies of most of those via e-mail. A very few exist in no electronic form at all (e.g. excerpts from books); copies of those will be on reserve in the library. It is your responsibility to let me know well before coming to class if you are having trouble getting the readings; inability to download a file the night before class meets is not an acceptable reason for being unprepared. (My suggestion: print out all the readings in week 1, and then you’ll have them when you need them.) The readings (including potentially readings from the textbooks) may be available through electronic course reserve, via the Argosy library website; consult the library for additional information about this option.
Assignment Table:
Week / Topic / Reading / Assignment1 / Introduction, and Why Study Philosophy of Science? / Leahy: Ch. 1 (Science, History and Psychology) & 2 (Classical World: Origins of Politics, Science and Psychology).
Rychlak, J. F. 2000. “A Psychotherapist’s Lessons From the Philosophy of Science.” American Psychologist, 55(10), 1126-1132. EBSCO link:
http://search.epnet.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=pdh&an=amp55101126
Mahrer, A. R. 2000. “Philosophy of Science and the Foundations of Psychotherapy.” American Psychologist, 55(10), 1117-1125. EBSCO link:
http://search.epnet.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=pdh&an=amp55101117
2 / Problems In and With Philosophy of Science / Leahy: Chs. 4 (The Scientific Revolution and the Creation of Consciousness) & 5 (Enlightment and the Science of Human Nature: The Eighteenth Century)