3/30/2024 0 Comments Structuralism functionalism theory![]() In the most basic terms, it simply emphasizes "the effort to impute, as rigorously as possible, to each feature, custom, or practice, its effect on the functioning of a supposedly stable, cohesive system". Functionalism addresses society as a whole in terms of the function of its constituent elements namely norms, customs, traditions, and institutions.Ī common analogy, popularized by Herbert Spencer, presents these parts of society as "organs" that work toward the proper functioning of the "body" as a whole. This approach looks at both social structure and social functions. Still, the risk of false conclusions is high and mostly damaging.This approach looks at society through a macro-level orientation, which is a broad focus on the social structures that shape society as a whole, and believes that society has evolved like organisms. However, psychology and evolutionary biology will allow more data to converge on theories and models, reducing the risk. There is a risk of making false conclusions due to insufficient data. This means that the perception of individual differences is not properly covered, so its findings cannot be firmly generalized. Let’s now look at some disadvantages of functionalism.įunctionalism was not based on controlled experiments its theories did not provide much predictive abilities.įunctionalism is not robust enough to become objective. Behaviorism is a major school of thought still very much used in psychology today. Unlike structuralism, which focused mainly on introspections as its research method, functionalism introduced other methods such as mental tests, physiological measures, and even questionnaires.įunctionalism played a huge role in developing behavioral and applied psychology. It also introduced a broader range of research methods and techniques. It also helped develop other branches of psychology, such as developmental and child psychology. The Pros of Functionalismįunctionalism broadened the scope of psychology by conducting research with children, animals, and even the mentally disabled. Pros and Cons of Functionalismįunctionalism has some advantages as well as disadvantages. This means that you cannot observe your unconscious mental processes. Structuralism can not be used to study or observe the mental processes of children, animals, and the mentally disordered.Īlso, structuralism does not consider an individual’s unconscious experiences since it focuses mainly on observing conscious experiences. Therefore, the experience of an individual cannot be generalized. This is because different individuals often provide different observational reports about the same feeling or stimulus. The method of introspection, which is mainly used in structuralism, cannot give an objective or generalized report. Structuralism is static and not objective. Now let’s look at some disadvantages of structuralism ![]() The concept of structuralism has helped counseling psychologists counsel individuals on how to pay attention to their own conscious experiences to know what is truly going on in their mental processes. This makes it possible to carry out experiments, test hypotheses, record findings, and compare results. Structuralism gave birth to experimental psychology, thereby making psychology a science. Through introspection, which examines the basic units of consciousness, you can directly observe and be aware of your own experiences. Structuralism made it possible for you to observe your mental processes. ![]() Let’s start by first looking at some advantages of structuralism Pros and Cons of Structuralism Pros of structuralism They (functionalists) argued that consciousness consists of a continuous flow of thoughts, and instead of looking at the static point in that flow, they wanted to understand the flow itself. personFunctionalism was based on the belief that psychology should investigate the function and purpose of consciousness rather than its structure. ![]() On the other hand, functionalism, which later emerged under the leadership of William James in 1842, took a different and counter-view. To examine consciousness’s contents, the structuralist depended on introspection. Structuralism was based on the notion that the task of psychology is to analyze consciousness into its basic elements and investigate how these elements are related. This article will discuss the pros and Cons of structuralism and functionalism. Structuralism and functionalism are the two earliest schools of thought in psychology.
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