Contemporary Scientific Psychology

1st Edition - January 1, 1970
Editor: Albert R. Gilgen
Language: English
eBook ISBN:
9 7 8 - 1 - 4 8 3 2 - 6 6 1 8 - 3

Contemporary Scientific Psychology is a compendium of papers dealing with the scientific method in action in psychology. The first two papers introduce the paradigm, progress, and… Read more

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Contemporary Scientific Psychology is a compendium of papers dealing with the scientific method in action in psychology. The first two papers introduce the paradigm, progress, and problems found in scientific psychology, as well as the observation, discovery, and confirmation used in theory building (including fallacies pertaining to theory construction). Other papers deal with research areas such as the neurobehavioral foundations of the biology of mind. This research area includes the mechanism-specific approaches in behavior genetics, particularly the genetic effect as such effect is considered dependent on the mechanisms altered by the environment or the genetic equivalent of a stimuli. Another paper discusses comparative psychology in studies involving animal behavior, while another author tackles the significant trends in the field of developmental psychology, especially as this relates to the early learning processes of humans. This book can be helpful for students and teachers in courses related to experimental psychology, psychological theories, philosophy of science, and other academicians and professionals who are interested in general psychology.

List of Contributors

Preface

Acknowledgments

Part I. Scientific Psychology

Introduction: Progress, a Paradigm, and Problems in Scientific Psychology

I. Does Conditioning Research Constitute a Paradigm for Psychology?

II. Characteristics and Needs of the Research Areas

III. Guideline Topics

References

Observation, Discovery, Confirmation, and Theory Building

I. Observation

II. Discovery and Confirmation

III. Theory Building

IV. The Bandwagon Effect

V. Common Fallacies concerning Theory Construction

VI. Current Study of Psychology

References

Part II. The Research Areas

The Biology of Mind: Neurobehavνoral Foundations

I. What Psychology Can Be About

II. Minding Brain Facts

III. The Experimental Analysis of Mind

IV. A Difference That Makes a Difference

V. Of Interdisciplinary Endeavors

VI. The Language of the Brain

VII. The Emergence of a Biological Rationalism

References

Philosophy and Methods in Behavior Genetics: Its Relation to Biology

I. The Extent of Individual Differences

II. The Search for Genotypes

III. Mechanism-Specific Approaches in Behavior Genetics

IV. Adaptive Qualities of Behavior

V. Conclusion

References

Comparative Psychology

I. Animal Behavior

II. General-Experimental Psychology

IIΙ. Comparative Method

IV. Conclusions

References

Developmental Psychology

I. Development of Professional Interests

II. A New Direction for Child Psychology

III. Research on Neonates and Older Infants

IV. Promising Recent Research Developments

V. Concluding Remarks

References

A Learning-Behavior Theory: A Basis for Unity in Behavioral-Social Science

I. Personal Influences and Development

II. Critical Overview of the Field of Learning

III. Programmatic Outline of a Learning-Behavior Theory

References

Toward a Cognitive Theory of Perceptual Constancy

I. Autobiographical Remarks

II. The Topic of Perception

III. Theories of Perception

IV. The Perceptual Constancies

V. Theories and Research on the Constancies

References

Theoretical and Research Approaches in Experimental Social Psychology

I. Influences of the Questions Asked

II. Conclusion

References

Author Index

Subject Index