Assumptions about human nature and the impact of philosophical concepts on professional issues: A questionnaire-based study with 800 students from psychology, philosophy, and science
Philosophy, Psychiatry, and Psychology 14 (3):pp. 183-201 (2007)
| Abstract | Philosophical anthropology is concerned with assumptions about human nature, differential psychology with the empirical investigation of such belief systems. A questionnaire composed of 64 questions concerning brain and consciousness, free will, evolution, meaning of life, belief in God, and theodicy problem was used to gather data from 563 students of psychology at seven universities and from 233 students enrolled in philosophy or the natural sciences. Essential concepts were monism–dualism–complementarity, atheism–agnosticism–deism–theism, attitude toward transcendence–immanence, and self-ratings of religiosity and interest in meaning of life. The response profiles (Menschenbild) of women and men, and of psychology students in the first and midterm of study were very similar. The method of statistical twins indicated a number of differences between students of psychology, philosophy, and the natural sciences. The majority of respondents were convinced that philosophical preconceptions on mind–body and free will have important practical implications for the way in which psychotherapists, physicians, or and judges exercise their professions. | |||||||||
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Michael W. Small (1992). Attitudes Towards Business Ethics Held by Western Australian Students: A Comparative Study. Journal of Business Ethics 11 (10):745 - 752.
William James (1983/1962). Talks to Teachers on Psychology and to Students on Some of Life's Ideals. Harvard University Press.
E. M. Macphail (1998). The Evolution of Consciousness. Oxford University Press.
Janet Radcliffe Richards (2000). Human Nature After Darwin: A Philosophical Introduction. Routledge.
Georgiana Shick Tryon (2000). Ethical Transgressions of School Psychology Graduate Students: A Critical Incidents Survey. Ethics and Behavior 10 (3):271 – 279.
Renee’ A. Zucchero (2008). Can Psychology Ethics Effectively Be Integrated Into Introductory Psychology? Journal of Academic Ethics 6 (3).
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