Social Constructionism and Contextual History: An Expanded Approach to the History of Psychology

Abstract

Recent historiographic scholarship underscores the need for new approaches to the history of psychology. In particular, a recognition of the impact of context is essential to an understanding of the discipline's evolution as well as the histories documenting that evolution. This article introduces the rationale for and content of an advanced undergraduate seminar based on materials in social constructionism and contextual history. Its application to the history of psychology is illustrated by a contextual look at women's place in the discipline.