Chapter 1
Critical Issues in Historical Studies
1. As a self-conscious formal discipline, psychology is
a. about 300 years old.
b. little more than 100 years old.
c. only 50 years old.
d. almost 500 years old.
Answer: b. little more than 100 years old.
Rationale:
Psychology as a formal discipline emerged in the late 19th century with the establishment of
the first psychological laboratory by Wilhelm Wundt in 1879 in Leipzig, Germany.
Therefore, it's accurate to say that psychology is a little more than 100 years old.
2. Each of the following is a reason to study history EXCEPT
a. History encourages a narrow perspective.
b. History teaches a healthy skepticism.
c. History teaches humility.
d. History is a key to understanding the future.
Answer: a. History encourages a narrow perspective.
Rationale:
History doesn't encourage a narrow perspective; instead, it broadens our understanding by
offering diverse viewpoints, contexts, and experiences from the past. The other options—
teaching skepticism, humility, and understanding the future—are valid reasons to study
history.
3. In a broad and philosophical sense, the term historiography refers to
a. philosophical questions about history.
b. philosophical questions about historical methodology.
c. characteristics of a body of historical writings.
d. all of the above.
Answer: d. all of the above.
Rationale:
Historiography encompasses philosophical questions about history itself, historical
methodology, and the characteristics of historical writings. It's a comprehensive term that
covers various aspects of the study and writing of history.
4. According to the text, history has an empirical component. The empirical component
includes
a. attempts by historians to make sense of the data they collect.
b. only those rare instances when historians conduct experiments.
c. explanations offered by historians.
d. data such as unpublished letters, diaries, etc.
Answer: d. data such as unpublished letters, diaries, etc.
Rationale:
The empirical component of history involves the collection and analysis of data such as
primary sources (like letters and diaries), artifacts, and other tangible evidence from the past.
It forms the basis for historical research and interpretation.
5. According to the text, history has an explanatory component. The explanatory component
includes
a. attempts by historians to make sense of the data they collect.
b. attempts by historians to define history.
c. chronological records.
d. data such as unpublished letters, newspaper accounts, etc.
Answer: a. attempts by historians to make sense of the data they collect.
Rationale:
The explanatory component of history involves historians' efforts to interpret and explain the
significance of the collected data. It's about deriving meaning and understanding from
historical evidence.
6. There are many definitions of history. The definition preferred by the authors of your text
is that history is
a. the interpretive study of the events of the human past.
b. the chronology of the events that provide the raw material for the historian.
c. the scientific study of the past.
d. all of the above.
Answer: a. the interpretive study of the events of the human past.
Rationale:
While history involves chronology and scientific methodology, the preferred definition
emphasizes the interpretive aspect—analyzing and understanding the events of the past
within their contexts.
7. The kind of objectivity that we might reasonably expect of historical writing is that
objectivity characterized by
a. correspondence between a historical narrative and the events of the past.
b. an honest attempt to present all sides of an issue.
c. an attempt to simply chronicle the events of the past.
d. the attempt to leave all feeling out of the historical narrative.
Answer: b. an honest attempt to present all sides of an issue.
Rationale:
Objectivity in historical writing involves presenting multiple perspectives and interpretations
of historical events and phenomena, fostering a comprehensive understanding rather than bias
or partiality.
8. The term presentism, as used in the text, refers to
a. the correspondence between a historical narrative and the events of the past that it
describes.
b. the difficulties of separating historical facts from present perspectives.
c. the attempt to understand the past for its own sake.
d. the belief that past traditions and values are always superior to present values.
Answer: b. the difficulties of separating historical facts from present perspectives.
Rationale:
Presentism refers to the challenge historians face in avoiding anachronistic interpretations by
being influenced by contemporary perspectives when analyzing past events.
9. It is almost impossible to separate historical facts from current interests and values. Such a
contention is most consistent with
a. presentism.
b. historicism.
c. the chaos hypothesis.
d. the cyclical hypothesis.
Answer: a. presentism.
Rationale:
Presentism acknowledges the difficulty in separating historical facts from present interests
and values, which can influence the interpretation and analysis of historical events.
10. An individual who believes that the human situation is continually improving over time
and generations accepts
a. the linear-progressive hypothesis.
b. the chaos hypothesis.
c. the linear-regressive.
d. the cyclical hypothesis.
Answer: a. the linear-progressive hypothesis.
Rationale:
The linear-progressive hypothesis suggests that human civilization advances in a linear
fashion, with each generation improving upon the previous one. This viewpoint contrasts
with the cyclical hypothesis, which suggests that history repeats itself in cycles.
11. The belief that history has no identifiable or universal meaning is
a. the linear-progressive hypothesis.
b. the chaos hypothesis.
c. the linear-regressive.
d. the cyclical hypothesis.
Answer: b. the chaos hypothesis.
Rationale:
The chaos hypothesis suggests that history lacks identifiable or universal meaning, implying
a sense of randomness or unpredictability in historical events. This view contrasts with
hypotheses like linear-progressive or cyclical, which imply some form of direction or pattern
in historical development.
12. The German term Zeitgeist is relevant to the problem of causality in history. The term
refers to
a. the spirit of the time.
b. the spirit of the place.
c. the causal role of persons in history.
d. the importance of emphasizing biographical studies in history.
Answer: a. the spirit of the time.
Rationale:
Zeitgeist refers to the spirit or characteristic attitudes and beliefs of a particular time period,
influencing the events and developments that occur within it. It's relevant to causality in
history as it helps understand how broader societal trends shape historical outcomes.
13. The German term Ortgeist is relevant to the problem of causality in history. The term
refers to
a. the spirit of the time.
b. the spirit of the place.
c. the causal role of persons in history.
d. the importance of emphasizing biographical studies in history.
Answer: b. the spirit of the place.
Rationale:
Ortgeist refers to the spirit or characteristics specific to a particular place or locality,
influencing historical events and developments within that context. Understanding Ortgeist
helps in analyzing how local conditions shape historical outcomes.
14. When considering the forces that shape history, one must be cautious to avoid
hagiography, the
a. tendency to attribute historical change to only impersonal forces
b. tendency to give individuals excessive credit for historical developments
c. tendency to ignore the interplay between individuals and context
d. tendency to emphasize an internalist perspective
Answer: b. tendency to give individuals excessive credit for historical developments
Rationale:
Hagiography refers to the tendency to overly praise or glorify individuals, often attributing
excessive credit to them for historical developments while overlooking other contributing
factors. This bias can lead to an incomplete or distorted understanding of history.
15. Internalist or old histories of psychology emphasized
a. the social-cultural context in which a discipline develops.
b. the cumulative knowledge of the network of historical experts in a given area of history.
c. the development of ideas within a discipline with little discussion of the larger context.
d. the socially acceptable historiographic biases that prevail at a given time.
Answer: c. the development of ideas within a discipline with little discussion of the larger
context.
Rationale:
Internalist or old histories of psychology focused primarily on the development of ideas
within the discipline itself, often neglecting broader social, cultural, or historical contexts.
This approach limited the understanding of how external factors influence the evolution of
psychological theories and practices.
Test Bank for A History of Psychology: Ideas and Context
Brett D. King, Wayne Viney, William Douglas Woody
9780205987184
