Psychological Concepts, Their Producers and Consumers

Abstract

The process of production and consumption of goods is presented as a metaphor which is applicable to the construction of psychological concepts. Researchers are equated with industrial workers and artisans, and research institutions with the owners of a company. Together they are the 'producers' of both immaterial (e.g. concepts) and material (e.g. books) forms of knowledge. Laypersons and implementing authorities are the 'consumers' of these products. Besides these two groups, decision-makers who fund research make up 'the market'. Thus, concepts are not produced only by researchers, but are socially and culturally constructed. There are several ways in which the producers and consumers of knowledge are shown to be interdependent. In knowledge production, much the same processes are found as in industrial production: competition, advertising, monopolies, and so on. Developmental psychology is used as an example to show that 'demand', that is, public interest, also directs the production of psychological concepts.

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