A Critical Psychology: Interpretation of the Personal WorldIf the reader will excuse a brief anecdote from my own intellectual history, I would like to use it as an introduction to this book. In 1957, I was a sophomore at an undergraduate liberal arts college major ing in medieval history. This was the year that we were receiving our first introduction to courses in philosophy, and I took to this study with a passion. In pursuing philosophy, I discovered the area called "philosophical psychology," which was a Thomistic category of inquiry. For me, "philosophical psychology" meant a more intimate study of the soul (psyche), and I immediately concluded that psychology as a discipline must be about this pursuit. This philosophical interest led me to enroll in my first introductory psychology course. Our text for this course was the first edition of Ernest Hilgaard's Introduction to Psychology. My reasons for entering this course were anticipated in the introductory chapter of Hilgaard's book, where the discipline and its boundaries were discussed, and this introduction was to disabuse me of my original intention for enrolling in the course. I was to learn that, in the 20th century, people who called themselves psychologists were no longer interested in perennial philosophical questions about the human psyche or person. In fact, these philosophical questions were considered to be obscurantist and passe. Psychology was now the "scientific" study of human behavior. This definition of psychology by Hilgaard was by no means idiosyncratic to this introductory textbook. |
Other editions - View all
A Critical Psychology: Interpretation of the Personal World Edmund V. Sullivan No preview available - 2011 |
Common terms and phrases
achieved activity actors agency agents analysis appear assumes attempt authors becomes behavior biological called capitalism challenge chapter clear complex concept consciousness considered constitutes context critical critical interpretation cultural form determinism dialectic discipline discussion distinction dominant dynamics economic essential example existence experience explanation expression fact follows freedom gender habitus historical horizon human action identity ideology important indicated individual institutions intelligibility intentions interest interpretation involved language larger limited male meaning mechanical metaphors method mode movement nature notion objective operating organic participants particular personal world perspective position possibility practice present problem production psychology question reasons reflection relation relationship resistance responsible role rule seen sense simply social social order society specific structure symbols systematic theory tion transformation understand University Willis women
References to this book
Der gemachte Mann: Konstruktion und Krise von Männlichkeiten Robert W. Connell No preview available - 2006 |
Rethinking Psychology, Volume 1 Jonathan A Smith,Rom Harre,Luk Van Langenhove No preview available - 1995 |