Psychology Has a Rosy Past, Present and Future

Abstract

This chapter considers specialization to be inevitable because of the magnitude of psychology's content and data, methodological considerations can increase the amount of specialization beyond what is really necessary. In this regard, William Bevan is especially concerned with "rule-bound methodology," the idea that one and only one method is appropriate for the entire array of research problems. In his talk at the 1971 symposium Bevan was concerned mostly with broad policy issues. For example, he argued that applied psychology should have greater financial support from government sources, and that there should be a national policy that guaranteed such support. Functionalism, Behaviorism, and Dynamic Psychology all felt that application of psychological science was important. These latter systems all had their origins in America, in keeping with the general American pragmatic culture. Most writers who have lamented the increasing role of the specialist have considered it to be bad for psychology.

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