Functional psychology Functional psychology or functionalism refers to a general psychological philosophy that considers mental life and behavior in terms of active adaptation to the person's environment.[1] As such, it provides the general basis for developing psychological theories not readily testable by controlled experiments and for applied psychology. History[edit] William James is considered to be the founder of functional psychology. Although he would not consider himself as a functionalist, nor did he truly like the way science divided itself into schools. John Dewey, George Herbert Mead, Harvey A. Carr, and especially James Rowland Angell were the main proponents of functionalism at the University of Chicago. Behaviorists also rejected the method of introspection but criticized functionalism because it was not based on controlled experiments and its theories provided little predictive ability. Contemporary descendants[edit] See also[edit] References[edit] Jump up ^ Gary R. External links[edit]
Behaviorism | Simply Psychology The Behaviorist Approach By Dr. Saul McLeod, updated 2020 Behaviorism, also known as behavioral psychology, is a theory of learning which states all behaviors are learned through interaction with the environment through a process called conditioning. Thus, behavior is simply a response to environmental stimuli. Behaviorism is only concerned with observable stimulus-response behaviors, as they can be studied in a systematic and observable manner. The behaviorist movement began in 1913 when John Watson wrote an article entitled 'Psychology as the behaviorist views it,' which set out a number of underlying assumptions regarding methodology and behavioral analysis: Basic Assumptions All behavior is learned from the environment: Behaviorism emphasizes the role of environmental factors in influencing behavior, to the near exclusion of innate or inherited factors. We learn new behavior through classical or operant conditioning (collectively known as 'learning theory'). Types of Behaviorism Strengths
History and Key Concepts of Behavioral Psychology Behaviorism, also known as behavioral psychology, is a theory of learning based on the idea that all behaviors are acquired through conditioning. Conditioning occurs through interaction with the environment. Behaviorists believe that our responses to environmental stimuli shape our actions.1 According to this school of thought, behavior can be studied in a systematic and observable manner regardless of internal mental states.2 According to this perspective, only observable behavior should be considered—cognitions, emotions, and moods are far too subjective. Strict behaviorists believed that any person can potentially be trained to perform any task, regardless of genetic background, personality traits, and internal thoughts (within the limits of their physical capabilities). A Brief History of Behaviorism Behaviorism was formally established with the 1913 publication of John B. Simply put, strict behaviorists believe that all behaviors are the result of experience. Key Concepts Strengths
Max Wertheimer Biography (1880-1943) Max Wertheimer was one of the founding figures of the school of thought known as Gestalt psychology. The Gestalt approach focused on looking at things as a whole, suggesting that the whole was more than simply the sum of its parts. This could be contrasted with the structuralist school of thought, which was focused on breaking things down to their smallest possible elements. Wertheimer's work and observations contributed to the Gestalt approach as well as to other areas such as experimental psychology and the study of sensation and perception. Best Known For Birth and Death Max Wertheimer was born on April 15, 1880.He died on October 12, 1943. Early Life Max Wertheimer was born in Prague, Czechoslovakia during the late 1800s. Career After observing how flashing lights at a train station created the illusion of movement, he became increasingly interested in the study of perception. His Contributions to Psychology A Word From Verywell