Functionalism in Psychology

Overview

• Functionalism is a school of thought in psychology originating in the US during the late 19th century.
• It was developed to counter the German school of structuralism led by Edward B. Titchener.

Key Figures

• William James: A leading figure in the development of functionalism. He was influenced by Darwin's theory of evolution and critical of structuralism.
• James Roland Angel
• George H. Mead
• Archibald L. Moore
• John Dewey
• Harvey A. Carr
• Edward Thorndike: Known for work on reinforcement theory and behavior analysis.

Core Principles

• Emphasizes the importance of empirical, rational thought over experimental, trial-and-error philosophy.
• Focuses on the capability of the mind rather than the process of thought.
• Interested in the practical applications of research.
• Describes the mind as a functional tool for adapting to environments.
• Mental states and behaviors are viewed as survival mechanisms.

Differences from Structuralism

• Structuralism focuses on understanding subjective experience of consciousness.
• Functionalism seeks to find meaning and purpose in experiences.

Historical Development

• Originated with William James's criticism of the structural approach.
• Formalized at the University of Chicago with contributions from John Dewey, Harvey A. Carr, and James Rowland Angel.
• Developed biological and animal dimensions of learning and behavior.
• Another group at Columbia University, notably Edward Thorndike, contributed to empirical laws leading to behaviorism.

Impact on Experimental Psychology

• Functionalists pioneered techniques in lab and field analyses of behavior.
• Experimental methods have led to breakthroughs in understanding the functional organization of the brain.
• Experiments continue to manipulate variables to explain behavior.