Psychology and Religion

Please answer the following questions based on the attached readings. APA format and citations. References are at the bottom. Topic is the history of psychology in American and the role of Religion.

1) What do you think were the most influential or lasting contributions of spiritualism, mesmerism, and religion to the indigenization of psychology in America?
2) The new psychologists in America had to mark out their territory as distinct from other fields (e.g., philosophy), and from other “psychologies” which emerged throughout the 19th century, including different expressions of spiritualism, popular religiosity, and syncretistic amalgams of these and other elements. What did these early thinkers do to define what would become American psychology, and what were the greatest challenges they faced?
3) Although the history between Psychology and Religion is quite complicated, do you still see religious themes in some modern American Psychology? If so, what are those themes? If not, do you think that there are religious themes that will emerge as the field continues to develop?
4) Though William James had his own troubles with psychology, his contributions are invaluable as they influenced the field as we know it today. Out of the psychologists mentioned in the readings, do you think that there was anyone who was as influential as James? If so, who do you think as as influential? And if not, what makes James’ work more influential?
Please use only the 3 readings attached
Chapter 4- Pickren and Rutherford
Chapter 22- Richards
Article- Evans
References
Evans, R. B. (1990). William James,” The Principles of Psychology,” and Experimental Psychology. The American Journal of Psychology, 433-447.
Pickren, W. and Rutherford, A. (2010). A History of Modern Psychology in Context. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons.
Richards, G. (2010). Putting psychology in its place. London: Routledge

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