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Shark Tank: An Argumentative Analysis

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More deceit than Catfish: The TV Show, more fights than The Real Housewives, and far more innovative breakthroughs than Shark Tank: the purpose of this letter is to propose the next big hit in reality television. Psych House will capture the lives of key historical psychologists, Wilhelm Wundt, Edward Titchener, William James, John Watson, and B. F. Skinner, while living under the same roof. Placing five great minds in a small space is bound to lead to conflicting ideas and numerous arguments. In order to better realize the true potential of this momentous proposal, it is necessary to first be introduced to the stars of Psych House. The remainder of this proposal will provide backgrounds on each of the five psychologists, while highlighting …show more content…

Although a skeptical and critical thinker, Wundt is overly boastful of his achievement in establishing the first formal laboratory for research in psychology at the University of Leipzig. As the father of psychology, Wundt established that the primary focus of psychology was consciousness, or the scientific study of conscious experience (ie. mind and mental processes).
Next, following closely in his footsteps, is Wundt’s pompous disciple, Edward Titchener. Titchener firmly believes in structuralism, which states that the task of psychology is to analyze consciousness into its basic elements & investigate how those elements are related-- in a fashion similar to physics. Titchener’s strong, authoritative, and arrogant personality is sure to land him in some heated arguments, perhaps with functionalist William …show more content…

Radically opposed to the idea of consciousness is, American psychologist, John B. Watson. Watson founded behaviorism by proposing that psychologists abandon the study of consciousness altogether and focus exclusively on behaviors, which are defined as any apparent (observable) response or activity by an organism. He asserts that one cannot scientifically observe thoughts; and proclaims that behavior is dictated primarily by the environment, significantly downplaying the role of heredity in the age old question of “nature vs. nurture”. In addition to his bold beliefs, Watson is known to be vengeful and quite a sordid character -- evident in his highly publicized divorce scandal. What sells more than scandal? Nothing.
American psychologist, B. F. Skinner, also has quite a nasty rumor circulating that he raised his daughter in a version of a Skinner box, and that this experience led her to be severely disturbed later in life. Influenced by the work of Watson, Skinner, also opposes the movement toward the consideration of consciousness, and wants a return to focus on observable behavior. He insists that the mind, internal mental events, cannot be studied scientifically. Similar to Watson, Skinner asserts that behavior is fully governed by external stimuli; that people are controlled by their environments and not

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