Functionalism

Functionalism is a psychological theory that was introduced by psychologist William James and was further developed by John Dewey. In psychology, it is a broad school of thought that originated in the U.S. during the late 19th century. Functionalism, as a school of thought, was closely associated with the emergence of Darwinian evolution and James's theory of mind, which emphasized the adaptive purpose of mind and behavior.

Functionalism focuses on the practical applications and consequences of mental processes to understand why they exist in the first place. It is concerned with how mental processes help individuals adapt to their environments. This perspective contrasts with the structuralist approach to psychology, which focuses on the structure of the mind and its components.

History

Functionalism emerged in the U.S. in the late 19th century as an alternative to structuralism. While structuralists sought to understand the structure of the mind, functionalists were more interested in the processes and functions of the mind. Functionalism was influenced by Charles Darwin's theory of evolution, which led to an emphasis on how behavior helps an organism adapt to its environment.

Key Concepts

Functionalism is centered on the idea that psychology should investigate the function and purpose of consciousness, rather than its structure. The most important concepts in functionalism include:

• Pragmatism: This concept suggests that the value of an idea is dependent upon its usefulness in practical application.
• Adaptation: Functionalists believe that all mental processes exist because they serve an adaptive purpose.
• Experience: Functionalists emphasize the importance of individual experience and personal adaptation to the environment.

Criticisms

Despite its contributions to the field of psychology, functionalism has been criticized for its lack of a unified theory and methodology. Critics argue that functionalism is too broad and lacks a clear definition of its subject matter.

See Also

• Structuralism
• Behaviorism
• Cognitive Psychology
• Psychoanalysis

References

• James, W. (1890). The Principles of Psychology. New York: Henry Holt.
• Dewey, J. (1896). The reflex arc concept in psychology. Psychological Review, 3, 357-370.

Functionalism Resources
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