...A History of Modern Psychology Why is the understanding the history of psychology important? A psychologist and historian (E.G. Boring, 1963) once said, “The seats on the train of progress all face backwards: You can see the past but only guess about the future. Yet a knowledge of history, although it can never be complete and fails miserably to foretell the future, has a huge capacity for adding significance to the understanding of the present” (see chapter 1). Every course that you have taken on history has shown that we never learn anything from our past mistakes, and that looking back cannot guarantee our future in setting stone. But psychology is important to learn because it teaches us a few things: one, it would help psychologist become more critical thinker and be able to help people better, and can help measure those “evolutionary breakthroughs” because of the initial excitement that usually comes with the beginning of anything. Two, it could bring every psychologist closer together because of so many diverse field, we share a common ground. Psychology history does not date back far; in fact many would claim to say that it is in childhood stage for it is no older than 125 years (see Chapter 1). Robert I. Watson was a clinical psychologist with a passion for history, created an organization by calling psychologist from an article he wrote,” History of Psychology: A Neglected Area” (Watson, 1960). Watson found people with similar goal from the American Psychological...
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...Q1: Darwin's Origin consisted of two parts. The first described observations in support of common descent, the second a mechanism to explain how it was the case. Provide examples of the observations Darwin used (1 page). ‘On the origin of species by means of natural selection : or, The preservation of favoured races in the struggle for life’ by Charles Darwin (1860) was the first book to put forward the scientific theory that populations evolve over a period of generations by the process of natural selection. The first part of the book described observations in support of common descent. One such observation is that of the homologous structures possessed by a wide variety of animals. Darwin used the fact that lizards, bats, whales, birds, frogs cats and even humans all contain a pent dactyl limb to support his theory that all life is descended from one common ancestor. As he says himself , “What can be more curious than that the hand of a man, formed for grasping, that of a mole for digging, the leg of the horse, the paddle of the porpoise, and the wing of the bat, should all be constructed on the same pattern, and should include the same bones, in the same relative positions?”(Darwin 1860) Another observation of common descent from the first part of Darwin’s book is that of convergence of form. This is the presence of similar biological traits in members of different species. Darwin illustrated this using the example of the finches. He observed a variety of forms encountered...
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...have, you certainly are not alone. Charles Darwin spent much of his life trying to answer that question. In 1859, when Darwin published his book The Theory of Origin he gave us one of the most widely accepted theories on how life developed on earth. His findings changed science forever and still has lasting effects today. Verlyn Klinkenborg New York Times essay Darwin at 200: The Ongoing Force of His Unconventional Idea illustrates many of the reasons why Darwin was such an important and revolutionary person. Charles Darwin’s essay Natural Selection was ahead of its time when it was published in the 19th century. Darwin discussed animals and the traits that are passed on from generation to generation. Through his observations Charles Darwin came to the conclusion that animals compete for resources and that the animal with the most desirable trait will be more likely to survive and pass on their genes. He also stated that because of this, it helps explain all of the variation within each different species of living things. Darwin also discussed that his theory of Natural Selection doesn’t only apply to animals but also to plants. He observed that only plants that had the best ways to distribute their pollen would be able to reproduce. Charles Darwin’s ideas still live on over 150 years after his publication of The Origins of Species. In Verlyn Klinkenborg New York Times essay Darwin at 200: The Ongoing Force of His Unconventional Idea he discussed how revolutionary Darwin’s observations...
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...movement of the species toward greater self-awareness and strength. Shaw described this process in his play Man and Superman. Freud also utilized the concept in his libido theory. Horney interpreted the process as a psychic response to the intense societal pressures to succeed. A linkage of interdependence and progression of these ideas emerges as the world continues to evolve. What allowed dance forms such as ballet to develop at this time? Ballet is a formalized form of dance with its origins in the Italian Renaissance courts of the 15th and 16th centuries. It quickly spread to the French court of Catherine de' Medici where it was developed even further. In the late 17th century Louis XIV founded the Académie Royale de Musique (the Paris Opera) within which emerged the first professional theatrical ballet company, the Paris Opera Ballet. Discuss the significance of Darwin and Darwinian theory on modern scientific thought. In short, it is horribly antiquated. If you read "Origin" you will see that Darwin fully expected someone to find the transitional fossil record linking man with beast. That has not and will not happened. Moreover, if you research Darwin's life, he disputed his own theory before he passed away. Finally, scientists today, while remarkably smart and advanced (thankfully), still overlook/dismiss the gap in the fossil record and extrapolate their answers from a false beginning. The scientific community for the most part, therefore, lacks a faith lest...
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...Charles Darwin. Darwin is best known for his contributions in science; his famous theory of evolution. He also contributed to the market and command economy with his belief, "survival of the fittest." Charles Darwin's contribution to science has been a very controversial one. He stated that each generation will improve adaptively over the preceding generations, and this gradual and continuous process is the source of the evolution of species. Natural selection is only part of Darwin's theory. He also introduced the concept that all related organisms are descended from common ancestors. His theory was first announced in 1858 in a paper. Darwin's complete theory was published in 1859, in On the Origin of Species. This book is often referred to as "the book that shook the world. The Origin sold out on the first day of publication and subsequently went through six editions. Charles Darwin also contributed to the Market economy with his belief "survival of the fittest." In a free enterprise system, it is believed that the best will survive while the less efficient will collapse if the market is allowed to work without government interference. In a market economy, since the government has very little control of the businesses, the companies must work their hardest and come out with good products that will outsell the ones of their competition. Social Darwinism basically means that the strong will control the weak. Social Darwinism comes from the laws of natural selection as Darwin...
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...The Evolution of Compassion The evolution of compassion as a part of human nature has been a long standing debate topic. It is typically ignored when analyzing our evolutionary process, and if considered is viewed as some sort of emotional unreliability, and something that hinders out ability to evolve. However, compassion is an innate part of human nature that has evolved from thousands of years of survival. There are three evolutionary arguments for compassion. The first is that within the vulnerable offspring argument, sympathy is thought to have risen as the full of feeling component of a caregiving framework, intended to help raise powerless posterity to the time of feasibility (accordingly guaranteeing that qualities will probably be imitated). Human posterity are conceived more rashly and more reliant than whatever other well evolved creature, requiring uncommon care to achieve the period of freedom and conceptive engagement (Mikulincer and Shaver, 2003). Caring people were favored in mate choice procedures, and are still considered to be preferred when picking a partner today. Dating sites, speed dating, and formal dating all use kindness as a factor when deciding whether a date is going well or not. Finally, a third developmental contention sets that the caring inclinations of others are a vital rule in the arrangement of helpful relations with non-kin (Axelrod, 1984). It is suggested that empathy (sensitivity in his phrasing) advanced inside a mind boggling arrangement...
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...first became aware of the capability of this theory when he studied variation in plants and animals during a five-year voyage around the world in the 19th century. He noticed whilst in the Galapagos Islands that the habitat of certain finches on the island changed their physical characteristics. Darwin mainly focused on the shape of the finches beak according to their habitat, concluding that even though the finch had a common ancestor, their beak shaped evolved according the foods that they ate in their habitat. He continued the development of this theory by studying hundreds more plants and animals than on his voyage. He developed this theory in 1858 after a thirty year period of study. The theory was published in a book titled ‘On the Origin of Species.’ His theory of Natural Selection has endured centuries of controversy, particularly as many reasons it conflicts with religious explanations of the world’s creation, as well as the organisms that inhabit it. Darwin’s theory of Natural Selection has a process with four components: Variation Each organism within populations has a difference in appearance in behaviour, such as body size, hair colour and number of offspring. In contrast, some have little to no variation among the population, for example, number of eyes in vertebrates. Colour, particularly in the palatability and appearance of foods, can determine one’s choice of food. Foods that are red give the perception that the food is...
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...Darwin’s thought on publishing his own theory of evolution, without knowing that his theory was almost identical to Darwin’s theory (Evolution.Berkely). At first Darwin was hesitant to tell his theory due to religion, he knew publicizing his theory meant that it would probably backlash, but everything changed when Darwin received the letter from Wallace regarding his own theory of evolution. Darwin went to his friends in the science community for help since he didn’t deal with repercussions of plagiarism. Both men were given credit after a meeting for the Linnaean Society. As for why Charles Darwin is more known than Wallace since they both have credit for the theory? Well, Charles Darwin started the game before Wallace and he published Origins of Species, which became science’s most influential book. Thanks to Darwin and Wallace, the theory of evolution is one of the greatest scientific findings in our...
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...Curiosity is a common human instinct that has lead to the beginning of many revolutions in the scientific world. As we advance as a population and team up with diverse individuals worldwide, we are able to piece together new information that can help us understand how all the diverse organisms on earth arose. One of the most astonishing populations of organisms that seems to continuously baffle scientists is the Drosophilia fly. This Drosophilia has been said to have branched from one species of fly into over 800 native,diverse species seen in Hawaii alone. These species are said to still be undergoing speciation due to genetic mutations and adaptations that result upon reproduction. A major player in the results of this diversity has been a result of adaptive radiation. Adaptive radiation is defined as a time of evolutionary divergence in which some organization of organisms is capable of establishing new species that are better adapted fulfill any niches or roles in their neck of the woods. This often occurs in small populations where competition is scarce and organisms have some evolutionary modification suited to the environment, such the islands of Hawaii. Due to the fact that Hawaii formed relatively recently, it is packed with narrow geographic areas that are not as nearly as inhabited as other islands, therefore it has far less competition and is the perfect housing environment for organisms trying to become adapted. The adaptive radiation allows animals to become more...
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...Science is all about the facts, and in most instances that is all you need to believe in the results that you are being given. With this ease in compatibility with others upon results, naturally friendships are made between scientists. Yet there are just about as many natural arguments between scholars in science as their are friendships. This argument or friendship can skip generations for those in the same study, scientists often being compatible with those who worked before them and brought inspiration. This basic concept is seen in the compatibility and differences between Charles Dawkins and Richard Dawkins. These two scientists both have a long recorded history of progress in terms of evolution, but there are details and specifics in the study that the two aren’t compatible with. To note and truly appreciate these differences there has to be an understanding of their lifelong work and beliefs, anything that related to science. In analyzing the Dawkins and Darwin, there are their fundamental theories that they share, the ones that aren’t as compatible, and how the two exceed one another. There is the initial analysis point that looks at what ideas the two men share in their opinions of nature and man. Each man is extremely similar to the other; not to mention that they are both scientists of similar studies. Darwin obviously came before Richard Dawkins, but the time difference makes little difference in the two being different in views; there is the basic fact that Dawkins...
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...Natural selection, a concept conceived by Charles Darwin, is one of the most important ideas about the natural world. It states that environmental variables decide the course of life and its evolutions to produce constituents with the most favorable traits. It is prevalent and intangible; it is trial and error in its most beautiful form. However, natural selection is not just limited to the agrarian world, its patterns can be observed in society too. In the process of natural selection, there is a losing side. Extinct animals and archaic ideas are the victims of natural selection and end up on the losing side of history. This ensures that the most appropriately adapted organisms or ideas prevail. Sudden events and gradual changes shape the...
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... Using your sociological imagination gives you an insight of society as Herbert Spencer and Emile Durkheim have their own views as sociologist. Spencer believed in the theory of evolution and applied it to society believing that it isn’t necessary to change society because it will change on its own. His concept of Social Darwinism suggested that the upper class are meant to thrive and move forward and the weak are meant to die out, becoming extinct. Humans as animals compete to survive which he referred to as the survival of the fittest. Whereas, Durkheim criticizes Spencer’s views. Durkheim’s theories were developed from the ideas of social facts. We live in a world of different cultures, religion, and ethnic groups so Durkheim states “organic solidarity” holds us together and we need one another to survive. After viewing the “Hunter Gatherer Society” and “Hidden America” I can see that in both societies, the people are doing what they can to survive. As the little girl in “Hidden America” said, her family can’t afford to keep buying food as much as they need but as we know, they try their best to work with what they have. The hunters hunt for their food and chop up trees because it’s all they have. They eat to live. Because Spencer thinks society will correct itself, in the ‘Hunter Gatherer” society video; although all parts of the world lived in that state, one of the areas would evolve and thrive is what he would say. He believes nature chooses the fittest...
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.... Write out a full outline of the essay’s main points, skipping the introduction and conclusion. • Evolution does not act on working for the perfect an organism but yet hard to resist due to selective pressures. • No mechanism for determining selective pressures • The authors stressed to summarize the methodology of adaptionist and adaptionist thinking. • He agrees with the discounting of many justifying every trait of an organism as beneficial • Although Darwin himself was an pluralist, his thinking was not always valid, according to the authors • Weakness within the article 2. What do you see as the essay’s main topic or topics (What all the above paragraphs have in common, subject-wise)? I feel that this essay’s main topic is that this article provides great analogies for why you can’t simply put a purpose for each trait developed in nature. 3. What do you see as the essay’s main thesis (how all the paragraphs compare, contrast and come together to form an argument)? This paper is main thesis is that this article by Gould and Lewontin should be published for that it will revolutionize the scientific field while the article provides a sound argument for adaption not needing a purpose. 4. Does this agree with the author’s stated thesis? In what ways might the paper need to change so that its thesis and structure are accurate reflections of each other? Yes, this essay does agree with the author’s stated thesis. I feel that the overall structure is perfect; however, there needs...
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... Blending Inheritance is a concept that many people believed. The concept of Blending Inheritance is that an offspring gets 50% of its traits from one parent and the other 50% from the other parent. An example is a yellow butterfly and a rare blue butterfly mating to making a green butterfly. The green butterfly will mate with a common yellow butterfly and make the blue butterfly go extinct. This concept was disproven through more valid concepts like Incomplete Dominance, Co-Dominance, Epistasis, Pleiotropy and Polygenic Traits. Incomplete Dominance is a concept that has disproven Blending Inheritance. Incomplete Dominance is when one allele for a specific trait isn't completely expressed over its paired allele. A main example of this is the snapdragon plants. A red and white snap dragon plant crossbreed and make all pink snapdragon plants. If two of the pink snapdragon plants crossbreed, 1/4 of the next generation would be white, 1/2 would be pink and 1/4 would be red. And if a pink and white snap dragon plant crossbreed, 1/2 would be pink and the other 1/2 would be white. This disproves the blending inheritance concept because, as you can see the F2 generation has pink, white and red. Two pinks can make white and red. That doesn't happen in blending inheritance. Also no one color goes extinct in the later generations. Co-Dominance is also a valid concept that has disproven the Blending Inheritance concept. Co-dominance is when no allele is dominant but both genes are expressed...
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...Darwin or Adam Smith Homo sapiens are different from all species due to the fact that people have achieved intellectual dominance of planet Earth, and all life forms that reside on it. Humans are known as, “social animals” (Heilbroner) because of the way they interact with other humans. The “Juggernaut Theory” (Edward Wilson) suggests that humans have a selfish gene embedded in the fabric of the race’s D.N.A. This results in disrupting natural growth cycles of other species and organisms by overpopulating in all regions of the planet. To support this theory one can simply take a look at humans existence through recorded history, and all that humans have created through destruction: deforestation, polluting the atmosphere and oceans, mass extinctions, etc. If all of those examples aren’t bad enough one might add all of the selfish things humans do to their own species such as: desecrating and annihilating ancient ruins, pillaging villages, creating slavery, causing famine, and waging wars for wealth and power. It has taken thousands of years of human interaction to create a relatively peaceful time. A time referred to as the modern world. Yes a substantial amount of human history is selfish, but good does emerge from individuals of the human race. Some would call these people philosophers, and scientists. Two examples of people that have created more positive then negative effects on the world would be Adam Smith and Charles Darwin. A question emerges regarding these two men....
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