PP 7000: History and Systems of Psychology
Gary Walls, Ph.D.
Fall 2009
Monday 6 – 8:44 pm
Syllabus
Office hours: By appointment
Contact Information:
(312) 802-7261
Course Description:
This course is designed to provide the student with a survey of the major theories in psychology, the major philosophical schools of thought from which they are derived and their relationship to clinical practice. Emphasis will be placed on presenting core issues in theory construction to enable the student to understand and meaningfully compare different theoretical viewpoints. The philosophy of science and epistemological foundations of clinical work will also be covered, allowing the student to understand theories of therapy in a broader perspective. By examining how the major theories have been constructed, students will be better able to understand and meaningfully compare different theoretical viewpoints.
This course explores theoretical and clinical developments in professional psychology from an historical and an epistemological perspective. The emergence and development of the major paradigms in the clinical practice of psychology are described, and their epistemological assumptions and clinical values are discussed for their merits as well as subjected to radical critique. Psychological theories and practices will be studied in their historical and cultural contexts to appreciate their status as social products that both reflect and influence the historical eras and the cultures in which they are embedded.
Objectives: 1) To identify concepts and issues basic to the theories and practices of the science and profession of psychology; 2) To demonstrate capacity for critical thinking in regard to the concepts, controversies, theoretical assumptions and social contexts of professional practice; 3) Identify historical origins and paths of development of current variants of the science and profession of psychology, and all of their implications for the diversity of class, gender, skin color, ethnicity, religion, cultural and economic institutions, and sexual orientation. 4) Demonstrate the ability to integrate historical, epistemological and cultural contexts into one’s understanding of professional roles and activities, and to learn to function as a “local scientist” conducting disciplined inquiry as an ongoing aspect of professional clinical work. 5) To foster a great awareness of each student’s own basic assumptions, commitments, and values regarding psychological theory and practice, and to stimulate an appreciation for the importance of a critical examination of one’s assumptions as part of the process of being a “reflective practitioner” of psychology.
Americans with Disabilities Act Policy
It is the policy of Argosy University to make reasonable accommodations for qualified students with disabilities, in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). If a student with disabilities needs accommodations, the student must notify the Director of Student Services. Procedures for documenting student disability and the development of reasonable accommodations will be provided to the student upon request.
Students will be notified by the Director of Student Services when each request for accommodation is approved or denied in writing via a designated form. To receive accommodation in class, it is the student’s responsibility to present the form (at his or her discretion) to the instructor. In an effort to protect student privacy, the Department of Student Services will not discuss the accommodation needs of any student with instructors. Faculty may not make accommodations for individuals who have not been approved in this manner.
Library Resources
Argosy University’s core online collection features more than 21,000 full-text journals, 23,000 electronic books and other content covering all academic subject areas including Business & Economics, Career & General Education, Computers, Engineering & Applied Science, Humanities, Science, Medicine & Allied Health, and Social & Behavior Sciences.All electronic resources can be accessed through the library’s website at www.auchicagolib.org. User IDs and passwords are distributed during orientation, but can also be obtained at the circulation desk, calling 312-777-7653, or by e-mail at .
In addition to online resources, Argosy University’s onsite collections contain a wealth of subject-specific research materials searchable in the Library Online Catalog. Catalog searching is easily limited to individual campus collections.Alternatively, students can search combined collections of all Argosy University Libraries. Students are encouraged to seek research and reference assistance from campus librarians.
Information Literacy: Argosy University’s Information Literacy Tutorial was developed to teach fundamental and transferable research skills, including selecting sources appropriate for academic-level research, searching periodical indexes and search engines, and evaluating and citing information. In the tutorial, students study concepts and practice them through interactions. At the conclusion of each module, they can test their comprehension and receive immediate feedback. Each module takes less than 20 minutes to complete. Please view the tutorial at http://library.argosyu.edu/infolit/
The Argosy University Statement Regarding Diversity
Argosy University prepares students to serve populations with diverse social, ethnic, economic, and educational experiences. Both the academic and training curricula are designed to provide an environment in which students can develop the skills and attitudes essential to working with people from a wide range of backgrounds.
Academic Dishonesty/Plagiarism Statement
The University seeks to foster a spirit of honesty and integrity. Any work submitted by a student must represent original work produced by that student. Any source used by a student must be documented through normal scholarly references and citations, and the extent to which any sources have been used must be apparent to the reader. The University further considers resubmission of a work produced for one course in a subsequent course or the submission of work done partially or entirely by another to be academic dishonesty. It is the student’s responsibility to seek clarification from the course instructor about how much help may be received in completing an assignment or exam or project and what sources may be used. Students found guilty of academic dishonesty or plagiarism shall be subject to disciplinary action up to and including dismissal from the University.
Required Books:
Leslie Brothers (2001), Mistaken Identity: The Mind-Brain Problem
Reconsidered. Albany, NY: State University of New York Press.
Philip Cushman (1995), Constructing the Self, Constructing America: A Cultural
History of Psychotherapy. Reading, MA: Addison Wesley.
Thomas Kuhn (1996), The Structure of Scientific Revolutions (3rd Ed.)
Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
Thomas H. Leahey (2004), A History of Psychology: Main Currents in Psychological
Thought. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.
R. C. Lewontin, Steven Rose & Leon J. Kamin (1984), Not In Our Genes. New York:
Pantheon Books.
Deborah Luepnitz (1992) The Family Interpreted: Psychoanalysis, Feminism, and Family Therapy (Revised Edition). New York: Basic Books.
Class Participation:
Participation in the class is an integral part of the learning process. Students are expected to complete the readings before each class and be prepared to discuss the readings and the issues raised in class. Guidance for class participation will be provided in class. Your grade will be based both upon the level of your active participation and how well you demonstrate an understanding of the assigned material, as well as the thoughtfulness, clarity and relevance of your comments.
Class Assignments:
1) Students will attend all classes and read all required readings in time for each class in order to prepare themselves to participate in class discussion. Students will be called upon to read their reaction papers in class.
2) Students will write a “reaction paper” in advance of each class. These papers should be between 2 and 3 pages long, double-spaced in 12 point Times New Roman font. Papers will be graded according to the following scale:
5 points – The paper expresses a critical opinion that addresses the issues raised
by that week’s group of readings. While the focus of the paper
may be on only one of the readings, it is addressed with reference
to the positions expressed in the other readings of that week.
4 points – The paper expresses a critical opinion that addresses the issues raised
by that week’s group of readings, but omits one major element
implied by the themes of the collected readings.
3 points - The paper expresses a critical opinion that addresses a major theme
raised by that week’s group of readings, but omits consideration of
relevant issues raised by one or more of the other readings.
2 points – The paper critically examines the issues raised by one of the readings,
but fails to address the context of those issues in light of the other
readings that week.
1 points - The paper summarizes the main points of one or more of the articles.
0 points - No paper, or a paper with no relevance to the week’s theme or the
readings.
Late papers will not be accepted, because one of the purposes of the paper is to prepare the student to participate in class discussion. In addition, the grade of the paper will be based on the depth and originality of the thinking it demonstrates, and its grammatical proficiency.
Grading:
Total points = 100
1) Each reaction paper is worth up to 5 points (12 X 5) = 60 points
2) Class participation (12 x 3, + 4 possible bonus points)= 40 points
100 points
Grading Scale: 100-94 = A; 93-90 = A-; 89-86 = B+; 85-83 = B; 82-80 = B-; <79.5 = C
Attention: Students are expected to come prepared to the first class meeting. Your first reaction paper will be due at the beginning of the first class on September 4th
Class 1 – First reaction paper due in class today
Introduction Part 1: Psychology, History, Science, and Philosophy
Readings:
1) Thomas Leahey (2004) A History of Psychology: Main Currents in
Psychological Thought. Ch. 1,2.
Class 2
Introduction Part 2: Psychology, History, Science, and Philosophy
Readings:
2) Thomas Leahey (2004) A History of Psychology: Main Currents in
Psychological Thought. Ch. 4,5.
Class 3
What is Science? The history and sociology of normal science
Readings:
1) Thomas Kuhn (1996), The Structure of Scientific Revolutions (3rd Ed.)
Preface, Ch. 1-8, pgs. vii-91. Chicago: Univ. of Chicago Press.
Class 4
The role of paradigms in scientific revolutions
Readings:
1) Thomas Kuhn (1996), The Structure of Scientific Revolutions (3rd Ed.)
Ch. 9-13, pgs. 92-173. Chicago: Univ. of Chicago Press.
Class 5
Is Psychology a Science? If so, what does this mean?
Readings:
1) Robert Madigan, Susan Johnson, & Patricia Linton (1995), “The language
of psychology: APA Style as Epistemology.” American Psychologist,
Vol. 60, 428-435.
2) Josselson, Lieblich, Brand, Vipond, Madigan, Linton, & Johnson (1996),
“Comments” on “The language of psychology.” American
Psychologist, Vol. 61, 652-655.
3) Sigmund Koch (1999), “Vagrant confessions of an asystematic
psychologist.’” In Psychology in Human Context: Essays In Dissidence and Reconstruction, 395-416.
4) Philip Cushman (1995), “The self in Western society.” In Constructing the
Self, Constructing America: A Cultural History of Psychotherapy, 357-387. Reading: MA: Addison-Wesley.
5) Murdock Pencil (1976), Salt passage research: The state of the art. Journal of
Communication, 26, 31-36.
Class 6
Scientific Reductionism: Psychology or Brain Science?
1) Leslie Brothers (2001), Mistaken Identity: The Mind-Brain Problem
Reconsidered .p. ix-92.
Class 7
The paradigms of psychological assessment and classification
Readings:
1) Alix Spiegel (2005) “The dictionary of disorder.” The New Yorker,
January 3, p.56-63.
2) Walls, G. (2007) Diagnosis, Epistemology, and Politics: The PDM
Paradigm. In L. Aron (Chair), The New Psychodynamic
Diagnostic Manual (PDM): How Old Is the Wine; How New are
the Bottles? Symposium presented at the Spring Meeting of Division 39 (Psychoanalysis) of the American Psychological Association, Toronto, Canada, April. (Unpublished manuscript).
3) R. C. Lewontin, Steven Rose & Leon J. Kamin (1984), “Schizophrenia:
The clash of determinants” In Not In Our Genes. New York: Pantheon Books, p. 197-231.
Class 8
The societal contexts of psychology: Skin color, gender, and class.
Readings:
1) Hussein Bulhan (1985), “The amnesia of Euro-American psychology,”
& “Fanon and Eurocentric psychology.” In Franz Fanon and the
Psychology of Oppression, 37-80. New York: Plenum Press.
2) Ellen Herman (1995), “The curious courtship of psychology and
Women’s Liberation.” In The Romance of American Psychology,
Berkeley, CA: University of California Press.
3) R. C. Lewontin, Steven Rose & Leon J. Kamin (1984), “IQ: The rank
ordering of the world.” In Not In Our Genes. New York: Pantheon Books, p. 83-129.
Class 9
An introduction to the history of psychotherapy in cultural context
Readings:
1) Philip Cushman (1995), Constructing the Self, Constructing America: A
Cultural History of Psychotherapy, chapters 1-5, p. 1-139. Reading: MA: Addison-Wesley.
Class 10
The Americanization of Psychotherapy
Readings:
1) Philip Cushman (1995), Constructing the Self, Constructing America: A
Cultural History of Psychotherapy, chapters 6-8, p. 140-278. Reading: MA: Addison-Wesley.
Class 11
The Behaviorist paradigm
Readings:
1) John B. Watson (1930), “Introduction,” & “What Is Behaviorism.” In Behaviorism, ix-20. New York: W.W. Norton.
2) B.F. Skinner (1987), “Whatever happened to psychology as the science of
behavior?” American Psychologist, Vol. 42, 780-786.
3) Noam Chomsky (1959) “A review of B.F. Skinner’s Verbal Behavior.” In
J. Fodor & J. Katz (Eds.), The Structure of Language, 547-578.
Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, 1964.
4) Isaac Prilleltensky (1994), “Behaviorism.” In The Morals and Politics of
Psychology, 70-79. Albany, NY: State University Press of New
York Press.
Class 12
The Cognitive-behaviorist paradigm
Readings:
1) K. Dobson & D. Dozois (2001), “Historical and philosophical bases of the
cognitive-behavioral therapies.” In K. Dobson (Ed.) Handbook of
Cognitive-Behavioral Therapies, Second Edition, 3-39. New York: The Guilford Press.
2) Richard N. Williams (1987), “Can cognitive psychology offer a
meaningful account of meaningful human action?” The Journal of
Mind and Behavior, Vol. 8, 209-222.
3) Isaac Prilleltensky, (1994), “Cognitivism.” In The Morals and Politics of
Psychology, 88-97. Albany, NY: State University Press of New
York Press
Class 13
Paradigms of Systems and Family Therapy
Readings:
1) Froma Walsh & Carmen Crosser (2000) “Advances in Family Therapy: Theory