Origins of scientific psychology in America 3

Material self

body and possessions

Social self

conditioned by multiple relationships and roles

Spiritual self

integrates the other selves. It is the source of will and effort, desire for change.

James’ Theory of emotions

Bodily reactions to perceptions precede emotion

• Practical implication: act the way you want to feel

Ideo-motor theory of behavior

• Thinking triggers action: Simply picturing an action naturally leads you to do it—unless you actively exert mental effort to stop yourself or consider other options. (Contrast with Margaret Floy Washburn, who argued that physical movement shapes conscious thought, rather than thought driving movement.

• The thought-action-feeling loop: What you think determines what you do, and what you do determines how you feel.

James primary and secondary memory

Primary memory: memory for the immediate past

Secondary memory: memory of previous events that are not part of current thought

or attention.

memory and learning (James)

Memory is facilitated by organization, interest, and active repetition

– Studied transfer of learning (doctrine of formal discipline), found little

The Varieties of Religious Experience (1902)

• Background: Building on James earlier works (Reflex Action and Theism, The Will to Believe), James argues that believing in God is a natural human response to the universe—not something that needs logical proof.

what is the core idea of james; The Varieties of Religious Experience (1902)

• Core Idea: The true value of religion lies in its effects on a person's life (how it helps them live), not where the religion came from or its origins.

Pragmatism and religion

• Evaluate the “dollar value of ideas”

• Any belief that helps create a more effective and satisfying life is worth holding, whether it is scientific or religious

Pragmatism in (1907) delineated two types of personality

tender-minded and tough- minded. Pragmatism takes from each what works best in particular circumstances

What do people need, and how does pragmatism provide it?

People need a philosophy that is both empiricist in its adherence to the facts AND that accommodates human values and moral optimism

• Pragmatism offers a way of seeing that science, morality and religion are not in

competition

Du Bois (1868 - 1963)

received Ph.D. from Harvard in 1895, student of James as an undergraduate

– Founded NAACP in 1909

– Opposed the Atlanta Compromise

– 1964 Civil Rights Act embodied many of the reforms he had battled for

• American educational practice as influenced by Dewey, ideal of well-roundedness

Royce – American philosopher

One of the first graduates of University of California; PhD from Johns Hopkins

1903 President of the American Psychological Association

• Wrote extensively on philosophical issues, morality, community, ethics, religious experience

• “Beloved community”

Münsterberg (1863-1916)

James recruited to replace himself, to start experimental research at Harvard, 1892

• Greatly broadened the scope of applied psychology.

more about munsterberg

– Psychology and law – detection of deception

– Psychotherapy – eclectic, confidence

inspiring

– Industrial psychology – selection, efficiency,

motivation