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The Conceptual Bases of American Psychology University of New Hampshire University of New Hampshire Scholars' Repository Doctoral Dissertations Student Scholarship Fall 1972 THE CONCEPTUAL BASES OF AMERICAN PSYCHOLOGY: A CONTENT ANALYSIS OF THE PRESIDENTIAL ADDRESSES OF THE AMERICAN PSYCHOLOGICAL ASSOCIATION, 1892-1970 KENNETH RICHARD GIBSON University of New Hampshire, Durham Follow this and additional works at: https://scholars.unh.edu/dissertation Recommended Citation GIBSON, KENNETH RICHARD, "THE CONCEPTUAL BASES OF AMERICAN PSYCHOLOGY: A CONTENT ANALYSIS OF THE PRESIDENTIAL ADDRESSES OF THE AMERICAN PSYCHOLOGICAL ASSOCIATION, 1892-1970" (1972). Doctoral Dissertations. 2375. https://scholars.unh.edu/dissertation/2375 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Student Scholarship at University of New Hampshire Scholars' Repository. It has been accepted for inclusion in Doctoral Dissertations by an authorized administrator of University of New Hampshire Scholars' Repository. For more information, please contact [email protected]. INFORMATION TO USERS This dissertation was produced from a microfilm copy of the original document. While the most advanced technological means to photograph and reproduce this document have been used, the quality is heavily dependent upon the quality of the original submitted. The following explanation of techniques is provided to help you understand markings or patterns which may appear on this reproduction. 1. The sign or "target” fo r pages apparently lacking from the document photographed is "Missing Page(s)". If it was possible to obtain the missing page(s) or section, they are spliced into the film along with adjacent pages. This may have necessitated cutting thru an image and duplicating adjacent pages to insure you complete continuity. 2. When an image on the film is obliterated with a large round black mark, it is an indication that the photographer suspected that the copy may have moved during exposure and thus cause a blurred image. You will find a good image of the page in the adjacent frame. 3. When a map, drawing or chart, etc., was part of the material being photographed the photographer followed a definite method in "sectioning" the material. It is customary to begin photoing at the upper left hand corner of a large sheet and to continue photoing from left to right in equal sections with a small overlap. If necessary, sectioning is continued again — beginning below the first ?ow and continuing on until complete. 4. T he majority of users indicate that the textual content is of greatest value, however, a somewhat higher quality reproduction could be made from "photographs" if essential to the understanding of the dissertation. Silver prints of "photographs" may be ordered at additional charge by writing the Order Department, giving the catalog number, title, author and specific pages you wish reproduced. University Microfilms 300 North Zeeb Road Ann Arbor, Michigan 46106 A Xerox Education Company I I 73-4356 GIBSON, Kenneth Richard, 1943- THE CONCEPTUAL BASES OF AMERICAN PSYCHOLOGY: A CONTENT ANALYSIS OF THE PRESIDENTIAL ADDRESSES OF THE AMERICAN PSYCHOLOGICAL ASSOCIATION, 1892-1970. University of New Hampshire, Ph.D., 1972 Psychology, general University M icrofilm s, A XEROXC o m p an y, Ann Arbor, Michigan <g) 1972 Kenneth iiichgrd Gibson ALL RIGHTS RESERVED ■ THE CONCEPTUAL BASES OF AMERICAN PSYCHOLOGY: A CONTENT ANALYSIS OF THE PRESIDENTIAL ADDRESSES OF THE AMERICAN PSYCHOLOGICAL ASSOCIATION, 1892-1970 by KENNETH R. GIBSON B.A., Albion College, 1966 M.A., Western Michigan University, 1968 A THESIS Submitted to the University of New Hampshire In Partial Fulfillment of The Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy Graduate School Department of Psychology September, 1972 This dissertation has been examined and approved. Thesis director, Robert I. Watson, Prof. of Psychology Forsyth, . of Psychology -AjlS Go 3 Ion A. Haalahd, Assoc. Prof. of Psychology Howard M. Shapiro, Asstf! Prof. of Sociology - Av- ;.1 A - / A _______________________________________ Daniel C. Williams, Asst. Prof. of Psychology Date PLEASE NOTE: Some pages may have indistinct print. Filmed as received. University Microfilms, A X e ro x Education Company ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to express my deepest appreciation to Dr. Robert I. Watson for his inspiration and exemplary commitment to scholarship in the History of Psychology, as well as for his specific assistance through all phases of this research project. My gratitude is expressed to the other members of my Dissertation Committee, Dr. G. Alfred Forsyth, Dr. Gordon A. Haaland, Dr. Howard M. Shapiro, and Dr. Daniel C. Williams, for their assistance on this project. The interest and ad­ vice of Dr. George M. Haslerud is also appreciated. Special thanks are expressed to Elizabeth S. Goodman and Marilyn Merrifield, who served as judges and, together with the author, provided the quantitative data for the study. My appreciation is also extended to Meribeth Simpson who helped provide data for the pilot study. Thanks are expressed to Elisabeth H. Joslin, Computer Consultant for Liberal Arts, who programmed the University's IBM 360, Model 50, computer to perform the many computations necessary to transform the numerical data into meaningful findings. This research was conducted while the author held Predoctoral Research Fellowship 1 F01 MH51701-01 from the iii National Institute of Mental Health. This support is grate­ fully acknowledged. TABLE OF CONTENTS LIST OF TABLES..................................... viii LIST OF FIGURES.................................... ix ABSTRACT............................................ xi I. INTRODUCTION........................................ 1 The Historical Documents....................... 1 The Conceptual Framework....................... 5 Relevant Literature............................. 10 Predictions...................................... 14 II. METHOD.............................................. 22 General Procedure of Content Analysis......... 22 The Coding System: Definition of Categories... 25 Training Period and Pilot Study................ 30 Reliability of Judges........................... 33 Treatment of the Data........................... 37 III. NATURE AND SCOPE OF ADDRESSES: FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION......................................... 42 Nature of Addresses............................. 43 Nature and Prescriptions....................... 43 Scope of Addresses.............................. 46 Nature and Scope Considered Jointly........... 48 IV. PREDICTED PRESCRIPTIVE TRENDS:FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION......................................... 53 v Contentual objectivism - Contentual sub­ jectivism...................................... 54 Methodological objectivism - Methodological subjectivism................................... 61 Peripheralism - Centralism..................... 67 Functionalism - Structuralism.................. 70 Quantitativism - Qualitativism................. 77 Nomotheticism - Idiographicisrc................. 81 Purism - Utilitarianism......................... 84 V. DESCRIPTIVE PRESCRIPTIVE TRENDS: FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION......................................... 97 Conscious mentalism - Unconscious mentalism... 97 Determinism - Indeterminism.....................100 Empiricism - Rationalism^....................... 103 Inductivism - Deductivism....................... 105 Mechanism - Vitalism............................ 105 Molecularism - Molarism......................... Ill Monism - Dualism................................. 113 Naturalism - Supernaturalism................... 115 Rationalist^ - Irrationalism................... 117 Staticism^ - Developmentalism.................. 119 Staticism2 - Dynamicism......................... 119 VI. PRESCRIPTIONS IN CONTEMPORARY AMERICAN PSYCHOLOGY: FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION........................... 123 VII. SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS........................... 131 BIBLIOGRAPHY........................................138 vi APPENDICES.......................................... 144 A. Notes on the American Psychological Association................. 144 B. Titles of the Presidential Addresses of the American Psychological Association, 1892-1970.................................. 147 C. Eminence of the APA Presidents............. 155 D. Coding Manual................................ 162 E. Coding Form...................................225 F. Reliability of Judges....................... 228 G. Prominence of Prescriptions.................236 H. Form of Acceptance of Prescriptions........242 BIOGRAPHICAL DATA.................................. 245 vii LIST OF TABLES Form of Expression of Prescriptions in Expository and Research Addresses................ 45 Nature and Scope of Addresses Considered Jointly............................................. 48 Ten Prescriptions with Highest Acceptance in 19 APA Presidential Addresses Representing Contemporary American psychology (1951-1970).... 124 Prescriptions in 19 APA Presidential Addresses Representing Contemporary American Psychology (1951-1970) Arranged in Order of Dominance...... 126 Forty-Seven Deceased Presidents of the APA Arranged by Score for Importance to Psychology.. 159 Average Number of Prescriptions Coded Present in Each Address Out of 36 Possibilities............ 230 Use of Coding Categories as Percentage of Total Number of Prescriptions Coded Present........... 231 Percentage of Agreement Between Judges on Coding the Presence or Absence of 36 Prescriptions in Each of 75 APA Presidential Addresses........... 232 Percentage
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