Index Number: _________________

LSP207/05 History and Systems of Psychology

(Specimen exam paper)

Time: 3 hours

Instructions to candidates:

1. Please check that this examination paper consists of three (3) pages of printed
material before you begin the examination.

2. Answer all questions in Part A and any three (3) questions in Part B in the answer
booklet provided.

3. You are not allowed to remove this question paper from the examination venue.

Copyright © 2017 WOU

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Part A (40 marks)

Answer all questions. Each question carries 10 marks.

1. Briefly explain the major thoughts of the following schools:

(a) Skepticism

(b) Cynicism

(c) Epicureanism

(d) Stoicism

2. Briefly explain four (4) effective ways of teaching as suggested by Johann Friedrich
Herbart (1776 – 1841). Provide an example for each.

3. Contrast the dependent and independent experiences as proposed by Edward

Bradford Titchener (1867-1927).

4. Briefly describe five (5) basic principles of humanistic psychology.

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Part B (60 marks)

Answer any three (3) questions. Each question carries 20 marks.

1. Discuss the major contributions of Socrates (470-399 B.C.) and Plato (427-347 B.C) in
philosophical thinking.

2. Explain the four (4) types of behaviours as stated by John Broadus Watson (1878-
1958). Provide an example for each.

3. Explain the following defence mechanisms as proposed by Sigmund Freud (1856-

1939). Provide an example of each defence mechanism.

(a) Projection

(b) Denial

(c) Rationalisaton

(d) Repression

(e) Regression

4. Discuss five (5) similarities and five (5) differences between existential and
humanistic psychology.

END OF QUESTION PAPER

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LSP207/05 History and Systems of Psychology

Marking scheme
Part A (40 marks) Each question contributes 10 marks.
1. Briefly explain the major thoughts of the following schools:

a) Skepticism - Skepticism embraced a philosophical ideal that a human being is not

in the position to have definite beliefs about anything. In other words, one should
refrain from making truth claims and avoid the postulation of final truths. (max 2.5
marks)

b) Cynicism - Cynic means „doglike‟. Followers of cynicism rejected all forms of

society comfort and strived to achieve a life free from societal constraints, such as
conventional morality, government, custom and tradition. (max 2.5 marks)

c) Epicureanism - Epicurus and his disciple Lucretius developed a philosophy based

on individual happiness that rejects the possibility of afterlife. (max 2.5 marks)

d) Stoicism - Stoicism posited philosophy as everything in nature is predetermined by

a divine plan. Everyone is assigned a certain role prescribed by God. Acting in
accordance to this natural law is considered as a virtue. (max 2.5 marks)

2. Briefly describe four (4) effective ways of teaching as suggested by Johann Friedrich
Herbart (1776 – 1841).

 Review the teaching material that has already been used. (1.5 mark)
- Example (1 mark)
 Brief the learners in general what they are going to learn before teaching. (1.5 mark)
- Example (1 mark)
 Provide updated material to learners. (1.5 mark)
- Example (1 mark)
 Help learners to integrate what they have learned into their lives. (1.5 mark)
- Example (1 mark)
 Encourage learners to prepare before attending classes. (1.5 mark)
- Example (1 mark)
(Accept any four)
(2.5 x 4 = 10 marks)
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3. Contrast the dependent and independent experiences as proposed by Edward Bradford

Titchener (1867-1927).

Dependent experiences Independent experiences

Studied by Psychologists (1 mark) Scientists from other fields

(Physicists, biologists or
engineers) (1 mark)
Objective Examine how individuals feel Examine from the root of other
(2 marks) fields of discipline. (2 marks)
Example The individual feels Physicists examine sound
uncomfortable and tensed intensity by using decibel scale
when exposed to loud sounds. (dB).
(2 marks) (2 marks)

Total marks (1+ 2 +2 =5) (1+ 2 +2 =5)

4. Briefly describe five (5) basic principles of humanistic psychology.

 It would not be adequate to study non-human animals in order to learn anything of

worth or useful about human beings;
 Human behaviour is primarily guided by their subjective reality;
 Studying each individual would yield more in-depth knowledge and information
compared to studying the common quality that a group of individuals share;
 More studies should be done to uncover what it is that develops and enhances
people‟s experience;
 Studies conducted should focus on finding solutions to problems that humans face;
 Psychology should aim to create a formula that describes the meaning of being
human. The formula would also take into account the role of language, emotions, the
process of valuing, and methods that people use to find meaning in life.

(each point carries 2 marks)

(Accept any five principles)
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Part B (60 marks) Each question contributes 20 marks.

5. Discuss the major contributions of Socrates (470-399 B.C.) and Plato (427-347 B.C) in
philosophical thinking.

Prominent Thinkers Major Thinking/Contribution

Socrates  He said: “unexamined life is not worth living”.
(470-399 B.C)  He believed that once we know ourselves, we may learn
how to take care for ourselves, but otherwise we never
(maximum 10 marks) will.
 Socrates charged no fee for his teaching.
 His focus on ethical questions and taught that virtue is
knowledge.
 He attempted to discover the objective essence of
courage, justice, virtue and knowledge.

Plato  His doctrines were mainly developed from Pythagorean

(427-347 B.C) theory.
 Plato was a dualist who believed in the immortal psyche
(maximum 10 marks) and corruptible material body.
 He believed that well-being of a person is founded upon
the harmonious relationship between the tripartite psyche
comprising of reason, passion and appetites.
 In his theory of Forms, Plato argued the knowledge of
Form can be attained through the exercise of reason
independently of sensory experience.
 Inhis theory of recollection, Plato postulated that
knowledge is the remembrance of knowledge possessed
by immortal psyche.

(each point carries 2 marks)

6. Explain the four types of behaviours as stated by Watson. Provide an example for
each types of behaviour.

Type Description Example

(2 marks for each type ) (1 mark for each point) (1 mark for each example)
(Maximum 2 marks for each type)
Explicit (overt)  Behaviours that acquired Talking, writing
learned behaviour through learning playing baseball
 Can be directly observable
Implicit (covert)  Behaviours that acquired Increased heart rate in
learned behaviour through learning view of threats
 Cannot be directly observable
Explicit unlearned  Behaviours that is natural does Grasping, blinking and
behaviour not need to be learned sneezing
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 Can be directly observable

Implicit unlearned  Behaviours that is natural does Glandular secretions
behaviour not need to be learned and circulatory changes
 Cannot be directly observable

7. Explain the following defence mechanisms as proposed by Sigmund Freud (1856-

1939). Provide an example of each defence mechanism.

Defence Description Example

mechanism (2 marks for each point) (2 marks for each example)

Projection  Attribute own unacceptable  A man who has

impulses to someone else extramarital affairs might
claim that his wife is
being unfaithful.
Denial  Refuse to recognise reality  When one insists that
something is not the way
it seems to be.
Rationalisation  Finding an excuse for an  A shopper can rationalise
improper behaviour needlessly purchasing an
expensive watch by
saying it‟s an
“investment”.
Repression  Push anxiety-evoking thoughts  When someone goes
out of one‟s awareness into a state of memory
lapse in the face of some
stressful event.
Regression  Responding to a threatening  An adult may act like a
situation by reverting to an earlier kid when under extreme
age or level of development stress.

8. Discuss five (5) similarities and five (5) differences between existential and
humanistic psychology.

The following is a list of fundamental tenets that are shared by existential and humanistic
psychology: (similarity maximum 10 marks)

 Humans possess free will and are therefore responsible for their actions.
 It is crucial to study humans as a whole. Elementism (which breaks down behaviour or
mental process into separate and small components) of any type will give a distorted
view of human nature.
 The most appropriate way to study humans is phenomenology, which is by examining
intact subjective experience.
 Humans are distinctive. Studying animals is irrelevant to the understanding of
humans.
 Each human is unique in his own way. Anything that we learned about one human
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might be irrelevant to the understanding of others.

 Hedonism or pleasure-seeking is not the ultimate motive of human life. We strive for
meaningful lives which are characterised by personal development.
 One should live an authentic life. We possess free will to choose the path which suits
our interest, values, and capabilities.
 Humans cannot be studied effectively using traditional scientific methodology.

(each point carries 2 marks)

(accept any 5 relevant similarities )

Differences (maximum 10 marks)

 The major difference between existential and humanistic psychology lies in their
concept about human nature.
 The existentialists view humans as essentially neutral. We are born with freedom to
select the nature of our existence.
 According to the existentialist, our most important goal of life is to establish a
meaningful life by making thoughtful choices. It is our choice, therefore, that would
define us.
 The humanists, on the other hand, propose that humans are naturally good.
 As long as they are placed in a healthy environment, they will live a harmonious life.
 However, if the society causes stress to them, they might react by doing evil.
 The most important goal of life, to the humanist, is to strive towards actualisation.

 Another important distinction between existential and humanistic psychology is the

“realisation that death is inevitable”, which is an extremely important tenet in
existential psychology.
 Although the subject is always seen as morbid, the way the existentialist views death
is far from it.
 For the existentialists, realising the human mortality puts us in a constant awareness
of how precious life is, thus, not a moment should be wasted.
 In fact, by being aware of the limited time that we have on earth, we learn to
appreciate the people around us and the things we enjoy even more.
 The humanist, on the other hand, does not dwell as much on the meaning of death
with regard to human living.

(Each point carries 2 mark)

(accept any 5 relevant differences)

Accept other relevant and pertinent answers.