Comparing structuralism, functionalism, and behaviorism in psychology

Psychology Term Comparison

Comparison of Three Early Psychological Theories: Structuralism, Functionalism and Behaviorism

Structuralism.

Like the other psychological terms under consideration here, Badcock (1976) makes the point that the term "structuralism" did not simply fall out of the sky, but rather can be traced to authors such as Claude Levi-Strauss, Emile Durkheim, Wilhelm Wundt and Edwards B. Tichner, among others, but the approach has not enjoyed the same level of acceptance of some others in use today. According to Noble (2006), in its psychological context, structuralism attempted to provide a framework in which the adult mind (defined as the sum total of experience from birth to the present) could be analyzed in terms of the simplest definable components, followed by an attempt to identify the precise manner in which these individual constituents fit together in complex forms. For this purpose, structuralist psychologists employed introspection; in this regard, Titchener maintained that individual experiences should be regarded as facts because they exist without any analysis of the significance or value of that experience being required and believed that the only components that were required to describe the conscious experience were affection and sensation (Noble, 2006).

Likewise, in his seminal work, Structuralism, Jean Piaget maintained that his concept of structure can be observed in an arrangement of entities that are comprised of the following fundamental ideas: (a) the idea of wholeness; (b) the idea of transformation; and - the idea of self-regulation (pp. 5-16, cited in Hawkes, 2003). In this regard, Piaget meant the sense of internal coherence when he used the term "wholeness"; in other words, the organization of the individual constituents will be complete in and of themselves rather than being part of something that is an amalgamation of otherwise independent components (Hawkes, 2003). Consequently, Piaget's concept of structures are significantly different than their arrangement as a whole, and their constituent elements do not enjoy any authentic independent existence outside the structure in the same form that they have within it (Hawkes, 2003).

Functionalism.

According to Owens and Wagner (1992), early functionalism can be regarded as the parent of contemporary scientific psychology; in fact, these authors maintain the spirit of functionalism remains a powerful guiding force in modern psychological research. Like the other psychological terms under consideration here, though, there have been a number of influential researchers who have contributed to the current manifestation of functionalism. In their book, Progress in Modern Psychology: The Legacy of American Functionalism, Owens and Wagner (1992) suggest that contemporary psychology reflects a common vision of the naturalistic framework that was first inspired by William James and later refined by John Dewey, James Rowland Angell, Harvey Carr, among others. In this regard, Owens and Wagner argue that one of the key contributors to early functionalism was John Dewey. In sharp contrast to the aforementioned structuralist approach which would analyze a situation into its continent parts, Dewey believed that sensation and the subsequent motor responses could not be legitimately separated, but rather comprised a more linear analysis that provided a coordinated response to a given condition (Owens & Wagner, 1992).

Behaviorism.

According to Zuriff (1985), behaviorism is not the science of behavior (consisting of findings, principles, laws, and theories that are formulated through the study of behavior) but rather provides a conceptual framework in which the assumptions, values, and presuppositions that support this science can be analyzed more fully. While behaviorism is a comprehensive framework, there are four key components involved: