830:470
History of Psychology Fall 2007
Final Exam
Four of the following questions will be chosen for the final exam on Monday, Dec. 17
(9-11 a.m.); 3 of the 6 six-point questions and 1 of the 2 twelve-point questions. You
will be provided with a 16-page blue book to write the answers to the 4 selected
questions. You may not use (look at or copy from) any materials while you answer
the four questions. There is a 1 blue book limit for the exam. You need not use
complete sentences in your answers, but your answers need to be complete. I will be
looking for succinct responses that directly address what the questions ask.
Unnecessary details or information that is accurate but irrelevant will not be of help.
Six point questions:
1. Explain how Third Force or Humanistic Psychology (a) is linked to existential
philosophy (3 pts.) and (b) arose as a reaction to First and Second Force schools of
psychology (3 pts.). In your answer to part (b), be sure to mention how Third Force
differs from First and Second Force schools.
2. We discussed the following schools that emerged in Psychology during the 20th
century.
1. Structuralism
2. Functionalism
3. Behaviorism
4. Psychoanalytic psychology
5. Gestalt
6. Humanistic (3rd force) psychology
None triumphed as “the” paradigm for the discipline. Nevertheless, your task is to
choose one as the “best” and indicate why. In justifying your choice consider the
following: How logically consistent and rigorous is the theory? (2 pts) How solid is the
data set for the theory; in other words, how well does the theory account for or explain
people’s thoughts and behavior? (2 pts) How practical or helpful is the theory outside the
lab or ivory tower? (2 pts) (Note your answer will be evaluated on the basis of how
convincing your arguments are, not on whether you pick the school that I would.)
3. Galton and Binet are two major figures in the history of intelligence testing in
psychology. Suppose they were brought back from the great beyond and debated their
views of intelligence in our class. Briefly, what would be their major arguments in
support of their respective viewpoints (4 pts.). How would each assess your intelligence?
(2 pts.)
4. A college student believes that (s)he is depressed. Reported symptoms include
lethargy (e.g., stays in bed most of the day, misses classes, doesn’t study), stagnation
(e.g., believes that life is going no where, what’s the point of trying), and poor nutrition
(e.g., eats little, mostly junk food). Given this information, offer a therapeutic plan from
any TWO of the following: Behaviorism, Psychoanalysis, Humanistic psychology. For
each approach, indicate (a) how you would determine the cause of the “depression” (2
pts.) and (b) offer two “help” suggestions (i.e., advice, therapy, plan of action) (4 pts).
5. Philosophers, psychologists, and pundits have frequently asked the question:
what makes for a satisfying life? Is it moral behavior? Is it success in career? Is it
success in procreation? Is it self-actualization? Is it obtaining maximum rewards? Is it
the regard of others? ….. Let’s dig up a couple of dead founders and see what they
might say. From the following list pick two and tell me how they would define a
“satisfying” life (2 pts.) and how we mortals may achieve such a life (4 pts):
Freud, Skinner, Kohler, Rogers.
6. Both psychoanalytic and behavioral theories generated offshoots that differed
significantly in theory and practice from the founders. For psychoanalytic theory,
neofreudians broke with Freud; for behaviorism, neobehaviorists broke with Watson.
How was the psychoanalytic psychology of Jung different from Freud? (3 pts)
How was the behaviorism of Tolman different from Watson? (3 pts)
Twelve point questions:
1.
State 3 important ways in which Behaviorism differs from Gestalt Psychology (3
pts.). State 3 important ways in which Gestalt Psychology differs from
Psychoanalytic Psychology (3 pts.). State 3 important ways in which
Behaviorism differs from Psychoanalytic Psychology (3 pts.). Which of the 3
schools is most closely aligned with Third Force Psychology? Justify your
choice. (3 pt.).
2. Functionalism as a school of psychology had its roots in the U.S. Briefly describe
3 cultural sources of functionalism and note how each contributed to the functional
perspective in American psychology (3 pts). James and Freud were contemporaries,
and each “fathered” a different view of psychology. Cite 2 points of agreement and 3
points of disagreement between James and Freud. (5 pts). Which (Functionalism or
Psychoanalytic psychology) had the more lasting impact on (a) the discipline of
psychology and (b) our culture? Justify your answer (4 pts).