Concept ReviewHistory of Modern Psych, 4e: Study Guide, Chapter 11-1
Print out this document. After you finish reading and studying each main section of the chapter, answer the questions to test your comprehension.
- Psychology and Its History
- Following Robert Watson’s “call to arms,” interest in psychology’s history increased in the 1960s. Describe any two events that were indicative of this renewed interest. (p. 2)
- Why Study History?
- Criticize this statement: knowing history allows us to avoid the mistakes of the past and to predict the future. (p. 4)
- Describe the point being made by David McCullough, in his story about a friend’s ignorance of Antietam. (pp. 5-6)
- According to Daniel Boorstin, what is the problem with thinking of the past as “the good old days?” (p. 6)
- History keeps us humble and enables us to better understand what it means to be human. Explain. (p. 6)
- Why Study Psychology’s History?
- The text describes five reasons why it is important for psychology student to study the history of psychology. Describe any three of them. (pp. 7-8)
- Key Issues in Psychology’s History
- As Furumoto uses the term, what is meant by “old” history? (p. 9)
- What is the difference between a presentist and a historicist account of history? (p. 9)
- Use the Bob Dylan example to illustrate the dangers of presentism. (pp. 9-10)
- Why is it difficult to avoid being presentist? What does historian Bernard Bailyn recommend as a strategy? (p. 11)
- One attribute of old history was that it tended to be an “internal” history. What does this mean, and what is the alternative approach? (p. 11)
- Use cognitive psychology to illustrate the difference between internal and external histories (p. 12)
- What is the Zeitgeist and what does it have to do with the personalistic-naturalistic issue? (p. 12 )
- Personalistic histories are said to overemphasize eponyms? What does this mean and why is it a problem? (pp. 12-13)
- From the Close-Up box, what did you learn about E. G. Boring? (pp. 13-14)
- What is a multiple and how does it support a naturalistic approach to history? (p. 15)
- With reference to the three main issues that distinguish old and new history, describe the basic strategy to be attempted in your textbook. (p. 16)
- Historiography: Doing and Writing History
- What is historiography? Describe the two general sources of historical data available to historians. (p. 17)
- Describe the kinds of materials likely to be found in archival collections. (p. 18)
- Historians typically face “data selection” and/or missing data problems. What does this mean? Give an example or two. (pp. 20-21)
- Historians always face “data interpretation” problems. What does this mean? Use the example of Boring’s famous history to illustrate. (pp. 21-23)
- Appleby, Hunt, and Jacob take an “evolutionary” approach to the issue of whether historical truth can be known. Explain. (p. 24)