modern psych in hist perspective - pragmatism and functionalism

what is functionalism inspired by?

pragmatism and darwinism

what is functionalism?

new trend in psychology that emphasizes the mind’s adaptive role in survival

how are the Greek sophists similar to pragmatists?

believe that truth is relative and continually evolving

when do pragmatists say we should embrace an idea?

if it fosters better adaptation, supports survival, and proves practically useful in improving our quality of life 

what is the primary criterion for ethical behavior in pragmatic ethics?

safe individualism

what is safe individualism?

exercising one’s own freedom and rights while respecting those of others

what does pragmatic ethics say is required to balance egoistic and altruistic principles?

personal responsibility, self-control, self-awareness, and if necessary, self-reflection or self-therapy

how is functionalism related to evolutionism?

evolutionists attempted to extrapolate biological concepts like adaptation and survival of the fittest to humans with functionalism

who were the American functionalists?

James, Munsterberg, Hall, Dewey, and Woodworth

what Darwinian concept was adopted in functionalist psychology?

the emergence and development of organs and functions are driven by adaptability needed to survive

which of Spencer’s concepts was adopted in functionalist psychology?

individuals with advantageous adaptations of their organs or functions are more likely to survive and pass them to their offspring

what is idem per idem tautology?

it confuses the term being defined with the explanation of the term

what idem per idem tautology can be present in functionalism/evolutionism?

some individuals survive because they are the fittest → they are the fittest because they survive

what is the major thesis of functionalism?

the primary function of mental skills and processes is to aid in the adaptation and survival of individuals and human groups

how did James deal with his recurrent depression?

practiced auto psychotherapy

what is James’ theory of the stream of mental processes?

a continuous flow of changing perceptions, ideas, feelings, and motives influenced by an ever-changing environment

what is James’ theory of habits?

emotional reactions and self-image can be modified by training and willpower, act in ways that align with how you wish to feel and be perceived

what are James’ three aspects of the empirical self?

material, social, spiritual

what is James’ theory of emotion?

bodily mobilization is primary to emotion

what is Schachter’s theory of emotion?

both bodily mobilization and a cognitive cue work together simultaneously to trigger an emotion, cognitive cues serve in the attribution/interpretation of physiological arousal

what is Valins’ theory of emotion?

even a bogus physiological cue can trigger an emotion if the person is unaware of their misattribution

why did Munsterberg believe in applied psychology?

he believed psychology must be a practically useful profession

what areas did Munsterberg pioneer apllied psychology in?

industrial, forensic, and clinical

how did Munsterberg pioneer applied psychology in the industrial sphere?

improved selection, efficiency, relations, and adapting work conditions to human features and skills

how did Munsterberg pioneer applied psychology in the forensic sphere?

participation in investigation of the suspects and witnesses, legal expertise

how did Munsterberg pioneer applied psychology in the clinical sphere?

contribution in the diagnostic and therapeutic procedures

what did Munsterberg write in his work “Psychotherapy”?

critized Freudian psychoanalysis, argued neurosis should be treated through effort, personal willpower and auto-therapy, not passive analysis

what is Hall’s nickname?

the 1st

what did Hall advocate for psychology to be?

both a scientific and practical discipline

what theory did Hall introduce in his work Adolescence?

the recapitulation theory

what is the recapitulation theory?

evolutionary stages are re-enacted in a child’s developmental stages

what was Hall’s main contribution to psychology?

played a major role in organizing the field, founding labs, journals, and professional associations

what kinds of psychology did Dewey follow?

functionalism, pragmatism, and educational psychology

what did Dewey advocate?

learning by action, emphasizing experience and practical engagement in education

what kinds of psychology did Woodworth follow?

functionalism and experimental psychology

what kind of psychology did Woodworth pioneer?

dynamic psychology

what did dynamic psychology critique?

the simplistic S-R formula of radical behaviorism that only considered the stimulus-response link

what formula did dynamic psychology propose?

the S-O-R formula, adding “O” for the organism

why did dynamic psychology add the O?

it recognizes the state of the organism, including motivational and emotional arousal, instincts, and individual preferences and experiences

what did dynamic psychology say behavior was mediated by?

internal states

what did dynamic psychology highlight?

dynamic and functional autonomy of behavior