The drama continues

1
The drama continues

• Functionalism comes of age
• The mind is at every stage a theatre of
  simultaneous possibilities. Consciousness
  consists in the comparison of these with each
  other (James, 1890, p. 277)

2
The Cast (in order of appearance)

• William James 1890
• John Dewey 1896
• James Rowland Angell 1906
• Harvey A. Carr 1925
• Robert Sessions Woodworth 1918
• G. Stanley Hall 1887

3
The Scene

• The United States, end of 19th century
• Pragmatism people valued what worked.
  (Schultz Schultz, 2000)
• Popularizing of psychology
• Proliferation of laboratories and applied
• Education

4
Act II.Developers, Founders, and Pioneers

• Functionalism and changing view of conscious
  thought Consciousnessdoes not appear to itself
  chopped up in bits. Such words as chain or
  train do not describe it fitly, as it presents
  itself in the first instance. It is nothing
  disjointed it flows. A river or a stream are
  the metaphors by which it is most naturally
  described. In talking of it hereafter let us call
  it the stream of thought, of consciousness, or of
  subjective life (James, 1890 Principles, Vol.
  I, p. 239)
• Functionalism and changing view of the role of
  psychology The kind of psychology which could
  cure a case of melancholy, or charm a chronic
  insane delusion away, ought certainly to be
  preferred to the most seraphic insight into the
  nature of the soul. (James, 1890 Principles,
  Vol. I, p. 13)
• It is literature, it is beautiful,
• but it is not psychology
• - Wundt after reading James Principles
  of Psychology
• A second rate philosopher
• - William James describing Wundt

5
Anticipator

• William James
• The Principles of
• Psychology (1890)
• Subject matter
• A biological science
• Stream of consciousness
• Function of consciousness
• Psychologists Fallacy
• Method Introspection (philosophical)
• Pragmatism
• James-Lange Theory of Emotion

6
James and the Paranormal

• Theory of Dissociation and Clinical Psychology
• Psychotherapys origins
• Empirical evidence
• Scientific psychology and psychic research
• Backlash from the Psychology community

7
Principles of Functionalism

• Focus mental operations
• Method introspection and objective methods
• Principle problem adaptation of the organism
• Research focus learning and adaptation
• Biological orientation
• Practical applications

8
Founders the Chicago School

• John Dewey (University of Chicago
• Reflexology The Reflex Arc Concept in
  Psychology (1896)
• Nature of reflex
• Impact on education
• attack on atomism
• monism
• applied focus
• First American text in psychology (1886)

9
Founders

• James Rowland Angell
• 1st formal statement of Functionalism1906, APA
  Presidential Address
• Mental operations
• Consciousness is utilitarian

10
Founders

• Harvey Carr
• His ancestors
• Subject matter
• Function
• Nature of the adaptive act
• preparatory stage
• response stage
• Learning as problem-solving
• Perception process, adjustment

11
Developers

• Robert Sessions Woodworth
• Columbia University
• Synthesis with behaviorism
• Dynamic psychology
• Psychoneurotic Inventory

12
Pioneer in Applied Psychology

• G. Stanley Hall
• Student of William James
• First American student of Wundt
• 1st to get Ph.D. in Psychology (Harvard, 1878)
• First real lab, 1883
• First journal of psychology American Journal of
  Psychology, 1887
• First president of APA, 1892

13
Achievements of Functionalism

• Liberated psychology
• Expanded applications of psychology
• What happened to Functionalism?
• What is psychology today?
• Learning
• Testing
• Perception
• Psychotherapy

14
Criticisms of Functionalism

• Late and unclear definition of Functionalism
• Too applied? Not rigorous