Unit 4 Origins of Psychology. Doc

8/13/2019 Unit 4 Origins of Psychology. Doc

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UNIT 4

ORIGINS OF PSYCHOLOGY

I Pre-reading

Task 1 Read the names of the famous scientists given in the box below. Work with your

partner and try to answer the questions below.

a) Which countries did the scientists come from?

b) What all of these scientists shared was an interest in psychology. However not all

of them were psychologists only. !o you know what their primary fields of study

were?

"harles !arwin # $igmund %reud # &ohn '. Watson

William &ames # Wilhelm Wundt # (van avlov

c) (n your opinion when did people start showing interest in psychology?

d) What is the scope of psychology and how has it changed

throughout history?

II Reading

Task 1*ow read the text +,rigins of sychology+ and check your answers in the pre#reading

section.

ORIGINS OF PSYCHOLOGY

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o be human is to be curious about ourselves and the world around us. sychology+s

ancestors therefore date to the world+s early writings. 'efore /00 '.". one of the most

prominent 1reek philosophers 2ristotle theori3ed about learning and memory motivation and

emotion perception and personality. oday we chuckle at some of his guesses like his

suggestion that a meal makes us sleepy by causing gas and heat to collect around the heart

which was considered to be the source of our personality.

hilosophers+ thinking about thinking continued until the birth of psychology as we know it. (t

was a winter day in -456. (n a small room on the third floor of a shabby building at 1erman+s

7niversity of 8eip3ig two young men were helping a long#faced austere middle#age

professor of philosophy and psychology Wilhelm Wundt create an experimental apparatus.

heir machine measured the time lag between people+s hearing a ball hit a platform and their

pressing a telegraph key. 8ater the researches compared this lag to the time required for a bit

more complex tasks. Wundt was seeking to measure the +atoms of the mind+ # the fastest and

simplest mental processes. hus began what many believe psychology+s first experiment

launchingthe first psychological institute staffed by Wundt and psychology+s first graduates.

What is then psychology? Ranging from psychotherapy to the study of nerve cell activity

psychology is not easy to define. sychology began as the science of mental life. Wundt+s

basic research tool became introspection that is self#examination of one+s own emotional

states and mental processes. Wundt focused on inner sensations feelings and images. 2s a

consequence until the -690s psychology was defined as +the science of mental life.+

he young science of psychology evolved from philospohy and biology which were at that

time more established fields. %or instance "harles !arwin an :nglish naturalist proposed

evolutionary psychology. 2 prominent Russian psychologist (van avlov pioneered the study

of learning. $igmund %reud a renowned personality theorist was an 2ustrian physician.

William &ames who published an important textbook +rinciples of sychology+ in -460 was

an 2merican philosopher. he list is not exhaustive but it suggests that the origins of

psychology can be found in many countries worldwide as well as in many disciplines.

%rom the -690s into the -6;0s 2merican psychologists initially led by la!"#$an% and

provocative &ohn '. Watson dismissed introspection and redefined psychology as +the scienceof observable behaviour.+ 2fter all claimed these behaviourists science is rooted in

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observation. (n the -6;0s psychology began to reca&%ure its initial interest in mental

processes through studies of how our minds process and re%aininformation. o enc#!&ass

psychology+s concern both with observable behaviour and with inner thoughts and feelings

psychology has become the science of behaviour and mental processes.

%or many psychologists the key word in psychology+s definition is science. sychology is

less a set of indings than a way of asking and answering questions. 2s a science psychology

attempts to si%opinions and e'alua%eideas with careful observation and rigorous analysis. (n

its (ues% to describe and explain nature psychological science welcomes hunches and

&lausi"letheories. 2nd it puts them to the test. (f a theory works # if the data supports its

predictions# so much the better for that theory. (f the predictions fail the theory will be

revised or reand

misremember) our experiences how people across the world differ >and are alike)# your mind

may never be quite the same.

2dapted from !avid 1. yers Psychology, Myers in

Modules >*ew@orkA Worth ublishers 900-)

Task ) 2nswer the following questions according to the information in the text +,rigins of

sychology+.

-. What was the aim of what is now considered the first experiment in psychology?

9. :xplain the following statementsA

a) psychology is the science of mental life

b) psychology is the science of observable behaviour

c) psychology is the science of observable behaviour and mental processes

/. What are some of the questions psychology tries to answer?

III *#ca"ular$ in c#n%e+%

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Task 1 he boldtyped words from the text +,rigins of sychology+ are given in the box below

followed by their dictionary definitions. atch each word with the correct definition. (f you

are not sure about the meaning of some words check the context in which they were used in

the text.

launchv. = flamboyantad


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psychology.

a) suggested b) intended to develop

/. 2 prominent>a)Russian psychologist (van avlov pioneered>b) the study of

learning. $igmund %reud a renowned>c)personality theorist was an 2ustrian

physician.

a) important b) successful

a) to lead sth b) to invent or use sth for the first time

a) famous b) neglected

C. he list is not exhaustive but it suggests that the origins of psychology can be

found in many countries worldwide as well as in many disciplines.

a) incomplete b) all#inclusive

D. %rom the -690s into the -6;0s 2merican psychologists initially led by flamboyant and

provocative &ohn '. Watson dismissed introspection and redefined psychology as +the

science of observable behaviour.+

a) refused to accept b) underestimated

Task , %ill in the missing gaps with the correct word from asks - and 9. ake grammatical

changes if necessary.

a) he organi3ation has BBBBBBBBBB a campaign to raise E-D0000.

b) 8earning history was very difficult for me because ( found it hard to

BBBBBBBBBB the facts.

c) he study BBBBBBBBBB the social political and economic aspects of the

situation.

d) ( think we might believe her becauce the explanation she+s provided seems

BBBBBBBBBB enough.

e) ( am not surprised to see you at all because ( had a BBBBBBBBBB that you

would be here.

f) he research BBBBBBBBBB seemed to support our initial hypothesis.

g) (t+s impossible to BBBBBBBBBB these results without knowing more about theresearch methods employed.

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h) 2 number of theories have been BBBBBBBBBB to explain the phenomenon

however so far none of them has been successful.

i) he new cancer treatment was BBBBBBBBBB in the early eighties by !r $ylvia

'anner


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coee when he was younger.

PST CONTINUOUS PROGR/SSI*/2generally refers toA

2ctions in progress !hile I was e"a#ining the

>often interrupted by a shorter activity) results, #y riend entered the

oice.

"hanging states $he old wo#an was eeling worse

all the ti#e.

7nfulfilled past events I was going to %hone you, &ut I

orgot.

olite requests I was wondering i you could hel% #e with

your e"%erience.

PR/S/NT P/RF/CT T/NS/ generally refers toA

(ndefinite point of time in the past I ha'e &een to (reece twice.

:vents that have a present result I ha'e &roken the 'ase. )that*s

why I a# collecting the %ieces on

the loor+

2ctions that last up to the present I ha'e li'ed in si-ek or /

years.

PR/S/NT P/RF/CT CONTINUOUS is used whenA

the emphasis is on the duration of the action She has &een working on thatthat lasts up to the present moment %ro-ect o'er the last 0 #onths.

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the action is not finished I ha'e &een reading the

assign#ents or two hours and I

still ha'e a ew to correct.

a recently finished activity She has &een slee%ing. $hat*s why

her 'oice is so dee%.

R:$:* :R%:" $(8: vs. R:$:* :R%:" ",*(*7,7$

with stative verbs there both tenses are possible I ha'e li'ed&een li'ing in the USA

or 2/ years.

the main difference in their use I ha'e &een i"ing #y car. )&ut

is incompletness of the action I ha'en*t inished+ 's. I ha'e i"ed

#y car )and now I can dri'e it

again+

US/S 3ITH PST T/NS/S

PR/S/NT P/RF/CTis used with ast tensesA

when the action has continued I ha'e known 3ohn since we worked

since a time in the past or the sa#e co#%any.

4'er since I read that &ook I ha'e

wanted to see $urkey.

Task )"orrect the mistakes in the following sentences and explain the reasons for your

choice.

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-. ( never thought ( would meet anybody like you.

9. !id she ever see her grandfather?

/. $ince they have known each other he was always kind to her.

C. ( live here for all my life.

D. While ( worked in the garden ( heard a large scream coming from the neighbours+

house.

;. hat+s the second time she lost her umbrella in the school.

5. He was always so absent#minded since ( know him.

4. ( am still thinking about that offer and ( didn+t make any final decision yet.

6. ( went to phone you but it slipped my mind.

-0. hey raised some money for the charity before two years.

--. We have met when ( was living in 8ondon -D years ago.

-9. How long do you know your best friend?

Task , ut the verbs in brackets in the correct form. 7se the ast $imple ense and the ast

"ontinuous ense.

-) %reud BBBBBBBBBBBBB >begin) to instruct his patients to try to remember events connected

with the first occurrence of hysterical symptoms.

9) He BBBBBBBBBBB >find) that some patients BBBBBBBBBBBBB >be able) to recall and describe

memeories that they BBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBB >repress) for years.

/) ,ften this recall BBBBBBBBBBBBBB >be) beneficial to them.

C) %reud BBBBBBBBBBBBBB >rely) more and more on a method of free association in which

patients BBBBBBBBBBBBB >must) to describe everything that BBBBBBBBBBB >come) into their

minds.

D) He BBBBBBBBBBBBBB >describe) this method as allowing the depths of the uman mind to be

probed like an archaeologist+s excavation of a buried city.

;) He BBBBBBBBB >call) this procedure FpsychoanalysisG.

2dapted from !avid HothersallHistory o Psychology>c1raw#Hill.(nc -660)

Task 4"omplete the second sentence so that it has a similar meaning to the first sentence

using the bolded word. !o not change the form of the word given.

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-. he &ohnsons have been my friends for -0 years.!e%2

( BBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBB -0 years ago.

9. "amping is a brand new experience for me.ne'er2

( BBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBB before.

/. y mother has never been to enice before. irs%2

his BBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBB to enice.

C. ( moved to this part of the town five years ago. ha'e2

( BBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBB five years.

D. homas meant to buy flowers but unfortunately he forgot. g#ing2

homas BBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBB but unfortunately he forgot.

;. his is my second visit to :dinburgh.'isi%ed2

his is the BBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBB :dinburgh.

5. (t is now ; years since ( got a


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arious schools of thought BBBBBBBBBBBB >argue) for a particular model as a guiding theory

by which all or the mawaxIwan) over time. $ome psychologists may think of themselves

as adherents to a particular school of thought and reconsider) each as an approach to understanding the mind and not necessarily

as mutually exclusive theories.

(n recent years psychology BBBBBBBBBBB >adopt) an integrated perspective towards

understanding consciousness behavior and social interaction. his perspective is commonly

referred to as thebiopsychosocialapproach. he basic principle of the biopsychosocial model

BBBBBBBBB >be) that any given behavior or mental process affects and is affected by

dynamically interrelated biological psychological and social factors. he psychological

aspect BBBBBBBBBBB >involve) the role that cognition and emotions BBBBBBBBBB >play) in any

given psychological phenomenonJfor example the effect of mood or beliefs and

expectations on an individual+s reactions to an event. he biological aspect BBBBBBBBB >refer)

to the role of biological factors in psychological phenomenaJfor example the effect of the

prenatal environment on brain development and cognitive abilities or the influence of genes

on individual dispositions. he socio#cultural aspect BBBBBBBBBBB >examine) the role that

social and cultural environments play in a given psychological phenomenonJfor example

the role of parental or peer influence in the behaviors or characteristics of an individual.

adapted from httpAIIen.wikipedia.orgIwikiIsychology

--
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biopsychosocialhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biopsychosocialhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psychologyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psychologyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biopsychosocialhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psychology


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GR00R R/*ISION- */R6 T/NS/S

Task 1 ut the verbs in brackets in the correct present or past tense. rovide explanations for

the usage of each verb tense7

2 -D#year#old girl we will call $usan was hospitali3ed in a psychiatric unit because of

severe adbe) a

dramatic change in her (K score which BBBBBBBBBBBBBB >drop) D0 points in less than five

years from -90 to -50. (K BBBBBBBBBB >be) a measure of intelligence and -90 is guite high

whereas 50 BBBBBBBBBB >be) on the border of mental retardation. 2s (K scores in adolescece

and adulthood typically BBBBBBBBBBBBBBBB >remain) fairly stable a change of even -0 or -D

points in such a short time span BBBBBBBBB >be) remarkable.

$usan BBBBBBBBBBB >have) a poorly controlled case of epilepsy a disorder

characteri3ed by abnormal patterns of electrical activity in the brain. (n epilepsy nerve cells

in the brain BBBBBBBBBBBBB >discharge) or FfireG over and over without appropriate

stimulation. his BBBBBBBBBBBB >lead) to alterations in consciousness and behaviour called

sei3ures characteri3ed by brief periods of psychological FabsenceG from reality or violent

muscle movements. :pilepsy can usually be controlled with medication but $usan was one of

the unfortunate minority for whom nothing BBBBBBBBBBB >seem) to work.

$usan BBBBBBBB >be) peculiar in a number of ways. $he BBBBBBBBBB >be) extremely

egocentric BBBBBBBBBBBBBBB >focus) only on her own perspective and BBBBBBBBBBBBBB

>interrupt) converstaions with her own concerns. $he BBBBBBBBB >have) difficulty sticking to

the subblurt out) inappropriate thoughts.

2ccording to $usan her only problem BBBBBBBB >be) that her mother no longer

BBBBBBBBBB >live) with herL $usan+s mother BBBBBBBBBBBBB >abandon) the family five years

earlier and $usan BBBBBBBBBBB >recover) never emotionally. $he BBBBBBBBBBBB >claim) that

as soon as her mother BBBBBBBBBBBB >return) she BBBBBBBBBBBB >will) be fine again.

However the medical team that BBBBBBBBBBBBBB >treat) her BBBBBBB >have) a different

prognosis. We BBBBBBBBBBBBB >suspect) $usan BBBBBBBBBB >have) a degenerative brain

disease that BBBBB >be) responsible for both her epilepsy and her plummeting (K score.

$everal months after her release from hospital something strange BBBBBBBBBBBBB >happen)A$usan+s (K BBBBBBBBBBBB >rise) almost /0 points her social and academic difficulties

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BBBBBBBBBBBB >diminish) somewhat and her sei3ures BBBBBBBBBBBB >decrease) in frequency.

When ( BBBBBBBBBBBBB >hear) of this dramatic improvement ( BBBBBBBBBB >presume) that

her doctors probably BBBBBBBBBBBB >hit) upon a new medication but like many

psychological hypothesis this one BBBBBBBBBBBBB >turn) out to be wrong. (n fact what

BBBBBBBBBBBB >prompt) $usan+s dramatic improvement BBBBBB >be) predict)A Her mother BBBBBBBBBBBB >return).

$usan+s case BBBBBBB >be) unusual because an environmental change rarely

BBBBBBBBBB >lead) to such a remarkable improvement in brain functioning. @et it

BBBBBBBBBBB >illustrate) a central issue that BBBBBBBBBBBBB >vex) philosophers for over two

millennia and psychologists for over a century = the relation between mental and physical

events between meaning and mechanism.

2dopted from sychologyA brain behaviour and culture by !rew Westen &ohn Wiley M

$ons (nc. 9009

Task ) "heck the pronunciation of the following wordsA e%ile%sy, sei5ures, degenerati'e,

hy%othesis

Task , atch the expressions from the left with the expressions from the right column.

severe ad


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Task 4"hoose the verbs from the box and complete the text below with a suitable verb form.

7se the past and present tenses covered so far.

influence apply publish lay be >/x) re-) a laboratory at the 7niversity of 8eip3ig in

1ermany specifically to focus on general and basic questions concerning behaviour and

mental states. hen in -460 William &amesBBBBBBBBB >9) the book rinciples of sychology

which BBBBBBBBBBBBB >/) many of the foundations for the sorts of questions that

psychologists would focus on for years to come. &ames BBBBBBBBBBBBB >C) the first professor

of sychology at Harvard 7niversity. "rucially the approach of Wundt and &ames

BBBBBBBBBBB>D) metaphysicalor religious explanations of human thought and behaviour

freeing it from the realms of philosophy and theology founding the modern science of

psychology.he establishment of the 2merican sychological 2ssociation in -469 greatly

BBBBBBBBBBBBBB>;) the development of this new scientific field.

(n the -460s the physician $igmund %reudBBBBBBBBBBBBBB>5) and BBBBBBBBBBBBBB >4) a

method of uncovering repressed wishes known aspsychoanalysis.%reud+s understanding of

the mind was largely based on interpretive methods and introspection >a technique also

championed by Wundt) but was particularly focused on treatment of individuals+

psychological problems. %reud+s theories BBBBBBBBBBBBB>6) notable for their emphasis on the

roles of the individual+s unconsciousand sexuality. While %reud+s work BBBBBBBBBBBB >-0)

scientifically controversial # with many modern#day psychologists and philosophers of

science seeing it as being unscientific >being arguably unfalsifiable) # there

BBBBBBBBBBBB>--) no question of the huge and lasting cultural influence it BBBBBBBBBBBBBB.

>-9)artly as a reaction to the sub-/) popular as a guiding psychological theory. "hampioned

by psychologists such as &ohn '. Watson:dward horndikeand '. %. $kinner behaviorism

BBBBBBBBBBBBBBB >-C) that psychology should be a science of behavior not of the mind and

BBBBBBBBBBBBB>-D) the idea of internal mental states such as beliefs desires or goals

believing all behavior and learning to be a reaction to the environment.

adapted from wikipedia NhttpAIIen.wikipedia.orgIwikiIHistory of psychology.O

-C
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1879http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wilhelm_Wundthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/University_of_Leipzighttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Germanyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1890http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Jameshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Principles_of_Psychologyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metaphysicshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1890shttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sigmund_Freudhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psychoanalysishttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psychoanalysishttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Introspectionhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Introspectionhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unconscioushttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sexualityhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unfalsifiablehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Behaviorismhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Behaviorismhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_B._Watsonhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_B._Watsonhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_Thorndikehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_Thorndikehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_Thorndikehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/B._F._Skinnerhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beliefhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Desirehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Desirehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History%20of%20psychologyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History%20of%20psychologyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1879http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wilhelm_Wundthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/University_of_Leipzighttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Germanyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1890http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Jameshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Principles_of_Psychologyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metaphysicshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1890shttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sigmund_Freudhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psychoanalysishttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Introspectionhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unconscioushttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sexualityhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unfalsifiablehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Behaviorismhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_B._Watsonhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_Thorndikehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/B._F._Skinnerhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beliefhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Desirehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History%20of%20psychology

Unit 4 Origins of Psychology. Doc

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