Points of View in the Modern History of Psychology

Book excerpt: Points of View in the Modern History of Psychology is a collection of papers that presents each individual contributor's expert knowledge of history in the field of psychology. One paper examines Wilhelm Wundt's concept of psychology as the propaedeutic science surviving and inspiring a generation or more of psychologists. Another paper discusses the early sources and the basic conceptions of functionalism as used in America. John B. Watson proclaims behaviorism as a new discipline in psychology with defining features, such as an objective, deterministic, scientific, and experimental method that can be used in both human and animal studies. Lieberman (1979), Mackenzie (1977) Miller, Galanter, and Pribram (1960) oppose behaviorism on the grounds that it slights the purpose of psychology, and focuses more on methodology to the detriment of theory. One paper notes that the acceptance or influence that a point of view has is based in some ways on the range and clarity of its connections with experimental and observational reality. This collection can prove useful for psychologists, behavioral scientists, psychiatrists, psycho-analysts, students of psychology, philosophy or general history who are interested in the many viewpoints of psychology.