Critical Thinking about Psychology: Hidden Assumptions and Plausible Alternatives

In Critical Thinking About Psychology: Hidden Assumptions and Plausible Alternatives contributors examine the unquestioned givens of psychology and suggest other ways of looking at them. Psychologists are taught early in their careers to use their research findings to examine common myths and debunk false beliefs. Yet, in spite of this emphasis on critical analysis, psychologists do not typically subject psychology itself to such evaluation. In this fascinating volume, experts from varied subdisciplines critique assumptions peculiar to their specialty and then propose alternatives to replace the original assumptions. The book covers six major psychology subdisciplines, ranging from clinical psychology to neuropsychology. Contributors critique unquestioned tenets of the field such as the dualism between mind and body, the truth of efficient causation, and the discrete unit known as the individual. Authors then provide alternative ways of seeing the field, such as nondualistic models of the self and a moral vision of human development, effectively creating new conceptual ground for psychology. In analyzing what is taken for granted, this volume teaches critical thinking skills at the same time that it moves psychology in exciting new directions.