Functionalism In Psychology History Principles And Contributions Philosophy Essay

Functionalism In Psychology History Principles And Contributions Philosophy Essay This essay shows a history of functionalism, its principles and contributions. It includes four stages of psychology in the United States, development of functionalism and notable functionalists focusing on Willam James. It shows the theory of free will, habits and instincts, Jamess early years, mind-body debate, consciousness, emotions and the self. The development of self-esteem by James Williams could probably help social workers, counselors and psychologists to tackle clients who are troubled, bullied, depressed, anaroxic or suicidal. Functionalism in Psychology: History, Principles Contributions The alternative model to structuralism was known as functionalism. Founded by William James,who agreed with Edward Titchner that the study of consciousness must be the central theme of psychology. But James disagreed with structuralists search for basic elements of mind, he rather emphasized that psychologists should study how the mind functions. James published a book titled Principles of Psychology in 1890, which promoted functionalism. He agreed that consciousness is an ongoing stream, a property of the mind that continually interacts with the environment. Through this interaction, human beings learn to adapt to their environment. For him, the functions of mind were more important than the structures of mind (Hergenhahn, 2005). This paper will represent the history, principles and current contributions of functionalism. According to Sahakian (1975), thereare four stages of early United States Psychology. The pre-revolution, first stage betweenthe year 1640 1776, the using of reasoning to differentiate between God, beliefs, religion and state.Second stage between the year 1776 1886, commonsense philosophers have agreed to take feelings and senses as equal to reason. Third stage between the year 1886 1896, psychology is separated from philosophy and religion. In the final fourth stage, the publication of John Deweys article The Reflex Arc in Psychology in the year 1896 and themixture of science, apprehension for practicality, importance on individual and evolutionary theorycombined together into the school of functionalism. Functionalism was rooted in Charles Darwins theory of evolution. Evolution is based on individual differences and the survival of adaptive features. Adaptation becomes a popular approach to measuring intelligence and Individual Differences become a valued part of mental research. Unlike most other psychologists who were interested in the structure of mental activity, functionalists were interested in functions, the mental aspects of adapting to an environment. Functionalist were equally interested in individual differences of all mental activity. Functionalism started with John Lockes political theory influenced the American and French Constitutions (Hergenhahn, 2005). His views on education have contributed to the thoughts of every subsequent theorizer in the field.The mind at birth possesses no innate ideas. The mind of man is a tabula rasa or blank slate at birth, upon which is impressed many sense impressions. All knowledge proceeds through sense experience. As the mind stores up a variety of sense impressions, associations occur which provide new knowledge. The mind is consequently passive. The senses provide the mind with the materials which represent reality. These materials are not identical with the extra mental object. The material is the idea within the mind which represents the object outside the mind being received by the senses. By combining, comparing and analyzing these materials or ideas arising through sensations, we derive thoughts. Knowledge is not sense perception but intellectual perception. Functionalists like American philosopher, John Dewey who criticized reductionistic approaches to psychology and argued that experience must be understood in a naturalistic context. He applied the assumptions of functionalism in developing the field of school psychology and educational practices. As the functionalists studied the functions of consciousness, gradually their attention shifted to the learning process itself. They paid less attention to the study of consciousness and more to the environmental conditions that facilitate mental functions. William James was the most influential functionalist.He presented much of the foundation functional psychology, but he did not develop his ideas to the point of an independent school of study. He endorsed some aspects of functionalism, and considered the father of American psychology. Consistent with materialism and evolution, James believed that science opposed the existence of free will. In turn, he proposed free will to be beyond the realm of science. The nature of free will is reflected in voluntary behaviour. To control our voluntary behaviour, we must control the ideas of behaviour. Ideas of action can lead to action, or can be held back consciously.According to James, both habits and instinct are within the brain (not in the mind) and outside of free will(Hergenhahn, 2005). Habits are learned and continuous repetition could stabilize mental functions in the brain. Instincts are unlearned and they are learned patterns of reacting. Instincts are not blind and invariable and can be moulded by habit. James was initially impressed with the scientific advancements tied to both materialism and evolution, but those sciences left him disappointed and even depressed.His depression ended while reading about free will. He doubted free will was an illusion if he could voluntarily believe in free will. Voluntary belief also influenced his approach to science. His major publication was Principles of Psychology which provided a solid foundation of modern psychology in America. James attempted to cover every aspect of psychology and took twelve years to write it, and it was 1,393 pages long (published as two volumes). Principles of Psychology generally support a dualist, interactionist approach to human nature. James presents separate mind phenomena and brain phenomena, and proposes ways in which they interact.Most experimental psychologists at that time were looking for elements of consciousness.James represented the concept of a stream of consciousness. According to James, consciousness is not made up of a bunch of little pieces put together. Consciousness is personal (no need for common elements), continuous (cannot be dismantled), always changing, always selective and choosing (free will) and dealt of objects other than itself (the purpose is functional and adaptive). According to James, the self is the sum of all things which a person can call mine. Including the body and all possessions (material self), the self as it is known by others (social self) and spiritual self(Hergenhahn, 2005). Self as knower (the I, pure ego) is an ultimate vantage point, self that does the knowing and a part of you that remains constant in a changing stream of consciousness. Self-esteem is a ratio of the actual self over the potential self. Esteem could come from achievements and from lowering expectations.The classic theory of emotion in functionalism is stimulus, emotion and response; perceive object, experience emotion and respond to it. Another theory of emotion is stimulus, response and emotion; the behaviour is a functional reaction to the stimulus and the emotion is the result of the response. As a functional result, behaviours associated with how you want to feel can give you that feeling. Functionalism was an overwhelming achievement, unfortunately, it was a bsorbed into the mainstream psychology and not on its own. However, the study of functionalism and the selfresultedthe development of the study of self-esteem which helps the world till today. James had a very simple definition of self-esteem: success divided by pretension. According to James the more success we have and the lower our expectations or pretensions then the higher our self-esteem. To raise self-esteem, therefore, we have two options: lower our expectations of ourselves or increase our achievements.This theorygives us and psychologists a better understanding on howpeople react to their thoughtsand perhaps to tackle depression and maintain self-esteem. Functionalism has taught us on how to get a better understanding of the functions of the mind and perhaps this theory could be useful for psychologists, counsellors and social workers who meet with suicidal or depressed clients.

To Kill a Mockingbird - Equality :: Kill Mockingbird essays

To Kill a Mockingbird - Equality Few people are the same as they are on the street in their homes. Few people can treat others equally; no matter what colour their skin is. Atticus Finch is one of those precious few. Racism in the town of Maycomb is nothing but disguised by the polite smiles and ladies missionary meetings; although it is the strongest belief that each person of the town holds apart from some such as Atticus. Racism is an issue of great importance, yet to the eye of a visitor waltzing through, it's just a slight whisk of air. Atticus is a good man, a just man. He upholds his morals, and judges by his conscience. He is shaken but not moved by the town of Maycomb in their gossip and hypocritical ways. When offered Tom's case, Atticus knows he will take it on. He won't just stand there with no proper defense for Tom, but he will let the truth be known, and prove that Tom is innocent. "...that boy might go to the chair, but he's not going till the truth's told." If Atticus didn't take on the case, he couldn't hold his head up in town; couldn't represent this country in the legislature; couldn't even tell Scout or Jem not to do something again'. "...before I can live with other folks I've got to live with myself. The one thing that doesn't abide by majority rule is a person's conscience." Atticus has a clear mind. He will not sit by and watch as his two children are abused and their views twisted to match the society of racism they live amongst. Atticus builds his morals up in the children very evidently, although no so much as to draw attention. He speaks words of wisdom to them in their distress, but also with the treatment and position of Calpurnia, he is able to demonstrate a precise view of his own conscience. Atticus knows that because of this, he is considered one of the most non-racist people in Maycomb, therefore being offered Tom's case. Judge Taylor knows the right man for the job. Before he even begins, Atticus knows the case is already lost. They were licked a hundred years before it even started, but still he fights for innocence.

The Economic Factors Affecting Poverty

Poverty is a major problem in the United States today. This mind map includes the categories of individual behavior, social factors, economic factors, political factors, and cultural factors are all contributing forces that causes poverty. For economic factors, low wages would be the variable that would lead to poverty. Families that receive low wages would barely support their living expenses. Thus they would not have enough money for programs that would aid their children†s education. Some families think that crime has better incentives than working a low paying job and thus crime could be put in as an economic factor that leads to poverty. Not having enough money for programs like education leads to the individual behavior of illiteracy and lower education, since the parents cannot afford to send their children to upper level education. And if these children know that they have no future in higher education, they will not have the motivation to do well in school and thus dropping out of school. In turn this will lead to having low self-esteem because they know that they will basically be stuck in poverty for the rest of their lives. This will eventually lead to substance abuse because they need something to overcome their high levels of stress that is produced by low self-esteem. In turn substance abuse could lead to sickness and disease, and then could possibly lead to mental illness. Once this happens, individual behavior will cause families to be in poverty. For social factors, discrimination would be the variable that causes poverty. Racial discrimination from an employer could lead for that person to not receive a higher paying job, in which could lead to violence from the potential employee towards the employer. In turn a crime could be committed in revolt of the employer. Thus the social factor of violence interconnects with the economic factor of crime. Also racial discrimination could lead to institutional discrimination. Thus this will lead to substandard schools in which teachers are told to split up a class and place each student in a designated group depending on their race and the teacher†s assumptions of the student†s learning ability from their social classifications. For cultural factors, biased IQ test would be interconnected to substandard schools. These tests measure a student†s school achievement. And if there are substandard schools, the students who are placed into the higher groups, the will do better than those who are placed in a lower group. And thus these IQ tests would lead to the deficiency theory, which suggests that ‘the poor are poor because they do not measure up to the more well to do in intellectual endowment.† Also the social factor of racial discrimination is interconnected to the cultural factor of minority race. Those who are the minority, the main culture will produce basic assumptions about minority†s abilities to be successful or well to do. For political factors, meritocracy would be interconnected to minority race. Meritocracy basically is the social classification by ability. Thus the assumptions produced will the levels of ability. The power elite produces meritocracy. These are the people who believe that ‘the fundamental assumption of capitalism is individual gain without regard for what the resulting behaviors may mean for other people†, especially those in poverty. Also the poor are not significantly counted in the US Census, so the government is misinformed on the levels of poverty.

Research methods Essays - Covariance And Correlation, Free Essays

Research methods Essays - Covariance And Correlation, Free Essays Research methods Scientific inquiry feres to a standardized way: Mking observations Gathering data Forming theories Testing predict Interpret results Correlation and causation Always confused in health and behavior science Correlation does not imply causation -smoking is correlated with alcohol use causation implies correlation -smoking causes lung cancer correlation the relationship between tjankgs rgar happen or change togetherthe state or relation of being correlated specifically a relation exis******* causation the act or process of cause something to happen or exist the relationship between an event or situation and a possible reason or cause 4 ways to explore correlation replicable can it be repeated besides from u falsifiable if my hypothesis can be proven wrong precise clear and concise parsimonious stingy, have the simpliest explanantion possible between now and monday do quiz online homework gun control I took a pic on my phone The qiz questions are midterms questions Choose an area of interest and an area of inquiry State the prevalence and importance -why do we care? About ur unanswered question Economic Mental health/deaths/impact on society of family Future based issue How has it been dealth with in the past -what is the common answer to the problem why has it not been effective or remains unswered? Main focus- possible solution/ alternative method What is the possibility of approaching it this way

The eNotes Blog Making the Most of a Missed Day What to Do When You Need a SubstituteTeacher

Making the Most of a Missed Day What to Do When You Need a SubstituteTeacher While the teacher is out, the students are still in class ready to learn. Your absence does not automatically mean that the students have to watch a video or do busy work to fill the day. Follow these tips to ensure that students continue to be engaged and productive while you are away. Create a collaborative project Though you will not be in class, the students still have a very valuable resource at their disposaleach other. This is a terrific opportunity to create a project that encourages collaboration. You can use the day before your absence to explain the project and get students started, and then have them continue their work during your absence. It is important that this project result in a final product that you can evaluate when you returnthis could be a group skit, a poster, a pamphlet, or a series of arguments to be used in a debate. The gap in daily activities can be an ideal moment to synthesize the work you’ve been doing together in the last few weeks. Students can reflect on the ideas they have been studying and apply them in new ways to demonstrate understanding. It might be best not to introduce new ideas here, given that you will not be present to answer questions about material that is unfamiliar to students. Set up the project the day before You should ensure that students understand exactly what they need to do while you are away. The role of each student and the expectations of the final product should be clearly communicated. Ideally, these expectations should be typed out and distributed to your students as well as the substitute so that there is no ambiguity about the assignment. Think carefully about the scope of the assignment and how best to involve every student in the activity. The project should be comprehensive enough to cover the entirety of the class periodthink of this not as â€Å"busy work† but rather an opportunity for students to think broadly and deeply about themes that they have covered in class thus far. To ensure that every student participates, it might make sense to give each student in the group a particular role. You may even want students to sign off on what they have contributed to the assignment so that one student does not end up taking on all the work for the group. Have clear guidelines for the students Students will be motivated to work if the final product counts for a grade and they know exactly what they need to do to succeed. Communicate to students that your absence is not a day off for themit’s a productive day that they must use to complete their project. A checklist might be a great way for students to know exactly what steps they need to take in order to complete their project and what rubric you will use to grade their work. Creating the list of steps for them helps to keep them on track while you are gone. Hold students accountable for their work Your class time is valuable. You’ve put thought into ensuring that your day off would be beneficial to students’ learning, and you’ve created an opportunity for students to demonstrate that they can work collaboratively in your absence. When you return, you should expect that students have followed through with the expectations you set out before you left. Inform the substitute Give the substitute as much information as possible about how the class time will be used while you are away. Offer instructions on how to handle misbehavior, particularly since students will be working in groups and may test the boundaries of appropriate volume and conduct. Finally, ask the substitute to leave a brief report on how the class worked together. This will give you valuable information that you can use to evaluate the success of the project. You may be surprised to find that the right planning will turn your day off into a day on for students!

Stem Cell Science Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Stem Cell Science - Case Study Example While many teams carry on to improve and develop the role played by bone marrow and cord blood stem cells in their frontline uses in blood and immune ailments, several others are considering to increase the uses of the different types of stem cells for instance, embryonic stem cell that can be used in the curing of diabetes. On the 16th April 2009, Dr. Carlos EB Couri and associates from the College of SÃ £o Paulo carried out an experiment to show how stem cell transplants can aid patients with diabetes. The study involved 23 patients with newly diagnosed type 1 diabetes, a medical condition in which the human immune structure quickly destroys the insulin-producing cells in the pancreas. The stem cell transplants seemingly work by rearranging the immune scheme so that the body halts attacking the pancreas. The study used follow-up figures on 16 patients who were initially transplanted with stem cells in an experiment that was earlier conducted and published in 2007, and then joined it with eight more recruits who joined the study up to 2008. The scientists had follow-up data for at least seven and 58 months on all the 23 patients who received the transplant. In the findings, they established that 20 patients with no prior ketoacidosis and had no use of corticosteroids throughout the preparative routinebecame free of insulin injections. Twelve patients continued to be insulin-free for a mean period of about 30 months, despite eight patients reverted and restarted insulin use however at a lower dose. Wainwright, S., Williams, C., Michael, M., Farsides, B., & Cribb, A. (2006). From bench to bedside? Biomedical scientists’ expectations of stem cell science as a future of therapy for diabetes. Social Science & Medicine , 63,

Effects of the Westward Expansion of the Colonies of the United States Essay

Effects of the Westward Expansion of the Colonies of the United States - Essay Example Gradually the Americans moved far into the west in search of fertile lands irrespective of being converts to Christianity or having religious freedom. They even began trading with the Indians, which led to several treaties with them. Inspite of these peace treaties war continued as the Indians hardly assumed to be bounded to treaties and the US government was loyal to its duty of protecting the movement towards the west. In 1848 San Francisco was a small region, which grew into a big city based on rapid commercialization, and industrialization while the mining industry became popularized. The move towards the west was initiated owing to a search for new and better opportunities in terms of land for farming and jobs to survive. The Midwest became the attractive zone for the settlers and the industrial revolution encouraged commercialization. The proprietors of the lands began to promote their commodities by proving adequate connectivity with the east. As the forest areas became reduce d in the east during 1849 the lumber industry moved westwards to Michigan and Minnesota. This would ensure they were not moving away from civilization. Again, the professions gradually shifted from farming to other activities like lumbering and mining. Industrial revolution brought about machineries, which saved labor, and farming became smoother.