| Abstract: | After hearing two graduate students in experimental psychology extol learnedly a major theoretical position, the authors were disturbed by a phenomenon that has doubtlessly troubled other psychologists. They wonder why more or less equally intelligent and motivated students, though at different universities, adopt at least superficially but in most cases intrinsically different theoretical biases, each promoting and defending his own belief as though it were verily the most defensible and reasonable theoretical position? Are the various learning theories that different to justify enthusiastic and pious acceptance by comparably capable students? Do celebrated theorists promote their own views comprehensively and dramatically while presenting other views cursorily and sluggishly? Are graduate students really guileless and uncritical? They decry the failure in teaching objectivity in evaluating the numerous theories extant as a serious injustice to the student, who will probably be woefully lacking during later professional maturity. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved) |
