Functionalism by rustam

1. Topic; Functionalism
Instructor; Rustam Ali

2. Schools and Perspectives in Psychology
• Structuralism
• Functionalism
• Behaviorism
• Gestaltism
• Associationism
• Psychoadynamic
• Biological Perspective
• Cognitive Perspective
• Existential Perspective
• Humanistic Perspective
• Cultural Perspective
• Islamic Perspective

3. Willam James (1842-1910)
• William James was an American Psychologist,
• Willam James is the founder of Functionalism
• He tried to study various functions of the brain
• Wrote a book “Principles of Psychology”
• Wrote about the stream of consciousness, emotions,
the self, habit formation, mind-body link and more
• “Psychology is the science of mental life, both of its
phenomena and their conditions” W. James

4. Functionalism
• A function is a process or a relation that
associates each element
• Lism Means a strong belief
• Emerged as a reaction to the structuralism
• Studied the mental function and its factors
• The functionalist presented the relationship of
Stimulus » Mind » body » action to
adjust in the environment

5. Main Concepts
• This school of thought examined the way in which
behavior allows people to satisfy with their needs
• Functionalists were especially interested in education
and applied psychology.
• Function of the mind is more important rather than
structure of the mind
• Function of the mind is adjustment in the environment
• Role is more important than it's components
• John Dewy, Edward Thorndike and James cattle are
major Functionlists

6. Influenced By Darwin
• Functionalism influenced by "Darwin's Theory of
Evolution“
• As we experienced we learn better
• Mind also grows and evolves with the passage of
time
• As we experience we learn better
• Mind is not static, it’s growing
• Evaluation makes us wise

7. Structuralism & Functionalism
Structuralism
• Structuralism was the first
school of psychology,
• Focused on breaking down
mental processes into the
most basic components.
• Major structuralist thinkers
include Wilhelm Wundt and
Edward Titchener.
Functionalism
• Functionalism formed as the
reaction of Structuralism
• Focused on mental functions
and its factors
• Major functionalist thinkers
included John Dewey and
Harvey Carr.

8. Comparison
Structuralism
• Wilhelm Wundt
• Principles of Physiological Psy
• Components
• What the thing is
• What mental process are
• How they do
• Ignore individual differences
Functionalism
• Willam James
• Principles of Psychology
• Role
• What the thing is for
• Why they are
• What they do
• Believe on individual
differences

9. Introspection Criticism
• It’s a subjective Method
• Didn’t much Valid
• Couldn't easy to Explain
• Ignore individual differences

10. Thanks