A number of key concepts underpin Functionalism. Some of the important f… This approach to psychology was consistent with Charles Darwin's theory of evolution, which exerted a significant impact on the character of psychology. Fort Worth, TX: Harcourt Brace College Publishers, 1996. 1. Functionalists, including psychologists William James and James Rowland Angell, and philosophers George H. Mead, Archibald L. Moore, and John Dewey, stressed the importance of empirical, rational thought over an experimental, trial-and-error philosophy. Based on evolutionary theory. By 1900, however, most psychologists agreed with a later president, Joseph Jastrow, that psychology was the science of mental content, not of structure. By 1912, very few psychologists regarded psychology as the study of mental content—the focus was on behavior instead. Functionalism was important in the development of psychology because it broadened the scope of psychological research and application. More concerned with functions of mind rather than structure or content. Functionalism regards the … Although psychologists like William James accepted the reality of consciousness and the role of the will in people's lives, even he was unable to resolve the issue of scientific acceptance of consciousness and will within functionalism. Thus, the school of psychology associated with this approach earned the name structuralism. Functionalism formed as a reaction to structuralism and was heavily influenced by the work of William Jamesand the evolutionary theory of Charles Darwin. Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree.... …as pragmatism, a pioneer in functional psychology, and a leader of the progressive movement in education in the United States.…. Instead, they suggested that psychology should focus on the function or purpose of consciousness and how it leads to adaptive behavior. The group was concerned more with the capability of the mind than with the process of thought. Representation and Reality. One of the difficulties that concerned the functionalists was how to reconcile the objective, scientific nature of psychology with its focus on consciousness, which by its nature is not directly observable. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press, 1988. It had evolved because it presented advantages. Putnam, Hilary. 2nd ed. Further, functionalists introduced a wide variety of research techniques that were beyond the boundaries of structural psychology, like physiological measures, mental tests, and questionnaires. 6th ed. A psychological approach, popular in the early part of the twentieth century, that focused on how consciousness functions to help human beings adapt to their environment. The movement was thus interested primarily in the practical applications of research. Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, 1982. Psychology EncyclopediaPsychological Dictionary: Kenneth John William Craik Biography to Jami (Mulla Nuruddin ʼAbdurrahman ibn-Ahmad Biography, Copyright © 2020 Web Solutions LLC. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, 1994. Functionalists sought to explain the mental processes in a more systematic and accurate manner. A psychological approach, popular in the early part of the twentieth century, that focused on how consciousness functions to help human beings adapt to their environment. Finally, the functionalists drew criticism for applying psychology; the structuralists opposed applications in the name of psychology. Functionalists, including psychologists William James and James Rowland Angell, and philosophers George H. Mead, Archibald L. Moore, and John Dewey, stressed the importance of empirical, rational thought over an experimental, trial-and-error philosophy. Functionalism is a ‘structural-consensus theory’. Functionalism studies mental operations, not mental elements. The goal of the first psychologists was to determine the structure of consciousness just as chemists had found the structure of chemicals. The ‘consensus bit’ means that Functionalists believe that a successful society is based on ‘value consensus’ – people agree around a set of shared norms and values. It concerns itself with the function of things or what things can do, rather than the make-up of substances. 2. 2. Along with this idea, James maintained that psychology should be practical and should be developed to make a difference in people's lives. For example, a stimulus might be important in one circumstance, but irrelevant in another. This perspective began in Germany in the laboratory of Wilhelm Wundt (1832-1920). The school of functionalism developed and flourished in the United States, which quickly surpassed Germany as the primary location of scientific psychology. Black Friday Sale! Functionalism, in psychology, a broad school of thought originating in the U.S. during the late 19th century that attempted to counter the German school of structuralism led by Edward B. Titchener. - For Angell the basic features of functionalism were: 1. All Rights Reserved Dewey, for example, used James's ideas as the basis for his writings, but asserted that consciousness and the will were not relevant concepts for scientific psychology. Functionalism. Omissions? On the other hand, behaviorists were uncomfortable with the functionalists' acceptance of consciousness and sought to make psychology the study of behavior. Biro, J.I., and Robert W. Shahan, eds. The group was concerned more with the capability of the mind than with the process of thought. A person's response to that stimulus depends on the value of that stimulus in the current situation. The work of John Dewey and his associates stimulated the progressive-school movement, which attempted to apply functionalist principles to education. 3. Be on the lookout for your Britannica newsletter to get trusted stories delivered right to your inbox. Rather than focusing on the elements of consciousness, functionalists focused on the purposeof consciousness and behavior. Characteristics of Functionalism. Further, the structuralists declared that the functionalists were simply not studying psychology at all; psychology to a structuralist involved mental content and nothing else. At that point, structuralism still had some adherents, but it was fast becoming a minor part of psychology. Science + Evolutionary Theory + Interest in the Individual + Concern for Practicality & Applicability. More precisely,functionalist theories take the identity of a mental state to bedetermined by its causal relations to sensory stimulations, othermental states, and behavior. The functionalist legacy endures in psychology today. Functionalism is the doctrine that what makes something a thought,desire, pain (or any other type of mental state) depends not on itsinternal constitution, but solely on its function, or the role itplays, in the cognitive system of which it is a part. Eventually, the behavioral approach gained ascendance and reigned for the next half century. This article was most recently revised and updated by, https://www.britannica.com/science/functionalism-psychology, Academia - Structuralism vs. Functionalism, Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy - Functionalism. By signing up for this email, you are agreeing to news, offers, and information from Encyclopaedia Britannica. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). Corrections? Schultz, D. P., and S. E. Schultz. In 1892, George Trumbull Ladd (1842-1921), one of the early presidents of the American Psychological Association, had declared that objective psychology should not replace the subjective psychology of the structuralists.

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