I. It Made Us Think Differently: Unger's `Toward a Redefinition of Sex and Gender'

Abstract

Dear John,1 Thank you for asking me to provide you with some feedback on the latest draft of your History of Psychology text. I assume that you wanted my reaction, especially regarding your inclusion of important figures in the psychology of women area. First, let me commend you for deciding to integrate such a section. It is an important field, which has been ignored by far too many authors of history of psychology textbooks.2 Your choice to speak of contributors such as Eleanor Maccoby, Carol Jacklin and Sandra Bem (Bem, 1981; Maccoby and Jacklin, 1974) was most appropriate. Given that you asked my opinion, however, as usual, I will be blunt: you need to add more names, starting with that of Rhoda Unger. One of her papers is particularly relevant for you to reference: Unger (1979). Furthermore, it definitely should be one of the papers included in your associated collection of seminal [sic] readings in the history of psychology. Let me elaborate . . . There are many reasons why you should speak of Unger’s work in general, and about this article in particular. As you have made clear in most sections of your book, the development of psychology as a discipline has been punctuated and shaped by the political events taking place throughout history. Indeed, I very much appreciated the approach that you adopted in speaking of the historicity surrounding the work of numerous thinkers and their research, findings and theories. It serves to highlight the humanness of these individuals. For example, I enjoyed your discussion of Kohler, who was suspected of being involved in German espionage while completing his work on Insight Learning in Tenerife