Psychology 405 -- Chapter 7: Functionalism – Development & Founding Hoffman 1
Metropolitan State University Fall 2021
Psychology 405: History & Systems
Hoffman
Module #7 – Review Sheet – Due on or before Friday, 10.22.21
1. Briefly discuss the concept of “Social Darwinism” and why this concept
is so controversial today. Can you think of current or modern examples
of Social Darwinism? Explain your reasoning:
The premise of "survival of the fittest," according to social Darwinists, is that
certain people rise to prominence in society because they are intrinsically
superior. Over the last century and a half, social Darwinism has been used to
explain imperialism, racism, eugenics, and socioeconomic inequality at various
periods. Darwinism enabled us to obtain a greater knowledge of our reality, which
allowed us to alter our thinking. The ability to apply this to other creatures altered
people's perceptions of life on Earth and provided new avenues for study in the
future.
2. Briefly discuss Herbert Spencer’s concept of “synthetic philosophy.”
Describe the principles of synthetic philosophy as it relates to the
following products:
a. Car:
One of synthetic philosophy's distinguishing features is that it serves as a medium
for the dynamic interplay and co-evolution of manifest and scientific
representations. As a result, the scientific and manifest representations are both
true patterns. However, each species' manifest image is "a user-illusion
wonderfully created by evolution to match the demands of its users," according to
the scientific image.
b. Computers:
Spencer's method attempted to show that, rather of resorting to religion, it
was feasible to believe in humanity's perfection based on sophisticated
scientific notions such as the first law of thermodynamics and biological
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evolution. As a result, this is connected to the progression of computers
from mainframe computers to personal computers to hand-held computers.
c. Sports:
He claimed that there is a fundamental law of matter known as the law of the
persistence of force, which states that nothing homogeneous can remain
homogeneous if it is acted upon, because any external force must affect some parts
of it differently than other parts, resulting in difference and variety. As a result,
several other sports have risen to prominence across the world.
d. Human interaction:
He envisioned human societies progressing from undifferentiated hordes to
intricate civilizations as a result of increased division of labor. The essential
sociological distinction, according to Spencer, is between military civilizations, in
which collaboration is enforced via force, and industrial societies, in which
cooperation is free and spontaneous.
3. Why was William James considered by some to be a “negative force”
within the discipline of psychology (see page 131)?
William James' theory of emotion has been criticized for focusing too much on
physiological sensations and ignoring the cognitive elements of emotion. He
popularized pragmatism, a uniquely American mode of thought that asserts that
our views and judgments must be tested by results.
4. What was the condition known as “neurasthenia” and how did it
particularly relate to Functionalism in the United States? Why did
James refer to this disorder as “Americanitis”?
Fatigue, weakness, sleeplessness, aches, and pains are all symptoms of
neurasthenia. Exhaustion, mainly from overwork, was thought to be the cause of
the symptoms. Neurasthenia: a "American" condition; a fashionable ailment;
sleeplessness, hypochondria, skin rash, headaches, and nervous weariness are all
symptoms. It was linked to functionalism, to which William James made significant
contributions, allowing functionalism to be deemed fully American.
5. What did the term “pragmatism” refer to? How is this concept related
to Darwin’s theory of evolution?
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Pragmatism is a method of dealing with issues or circumstances that emphasizes
practical approaches and solutions that will work in practice rather than
theoretical ideals. The pragmatic theory of history, action, and sociality is the
consequence of a unique interpretation of Darwin's theory of evolution that has
nothing in common with teleological, reductionist, or social Darwinist
evolutionary models.
6. What two theorists comprised the “Chicago School”? Briefly discuss
some of their contributions:
John Dewey:
John Dewey was an American philosopher and educator who was a creator of the
pragmatism philosophical movement, a functional psychology pioneer, and a
leader of the progressive education movement in the United States. Curriculum,
according to Dewey, should be relevant to students' lives. He considered hands-on
learning and the development of practical life skills to be critical components of a
child's education. Some opponents predicted that kids would struggle to learn
basic academic abilities and information under Dewey's method.
James Rowland Angell:
His 1906 presidential lecture to the American Psychological Association, titled
"The Province of Functional Psychology," was his most significant contribution to
functionalist psychology. He addressed three important arguments in this lecture,
defining the battle lines between functionalism and structuralism.
7. Briefly discuss some of the contributions of female psychologists during
the late 18th Century – what was the “variability hypothesis”?
a. Mary Whiton Calkins:
She felt that the self should be the primary focus of psychological research.
Calkins claimed that the self is made up of a variety of qualities, including
uniqueness and consciousness. She believed it was critical for psychologists to
investigate the self's interaction with its surroundings. Her discovery of the paired
association approach and work in self-psychology are two of her main
contributions to psychology. Calkins argued that psychology's primary attention
should be on the conscious self.
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b. Helen Bradford ThompsonWoolley:
Woolley was the first to conduct a thorough, experimental assessment of
psychological differences between men and women. At the University of Chicago,
her dissertation study evaluated the performance of 25 men and 25 women
students on a number of sensory, motor, and cognitive activities.
c. Leta Stetter Hollingworth:
Leta Stetter Hollingworth was a pioneer in the study of women's psychology, and
her work helped to refute a number of fallacies that were frequently used to argue
against women's rights. She coached a number of students who went on to become
famous psychologists, including Florence Goodenough, as a psychology professor.
8. One of the primary contributions of Functionalism was the shift from
the “structure” of consciousness to the “functions” of consciousness
(page 156) – briefly explain what this means:
Structuralism is a branch of psychology that focuses on the human mind and the
fundamental units that can be identified through introspection. Functionalism
focuses on more objective types of research and claims that studying components
of the mind and behavior in terms of function is vital. The objective of psychology,
according to structuralists, is to investigate the structure of the mind and
consciousness, but functionalism claims that the goal of psychology is to
understand the purpose of the mind and consciousness.
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