Fungsionalisme

A. Socio-political and intellectual context of the U.S.

• In the 19th century, the United States (U.S.) divided by the Civil War. The nation entered the 20th century with optimism after the Civil War, with the spirit of unity and prosperity in economy and politics. The U.S. is also preparing to become the dominant country in the world.
• The same optimism is in the academic world, the university developed, the scientists who returned from the pursuit of knowledge in Europe began to develop the intellectual climate in the U.S..
• Psychology entry into the U.S. along with the optimism in the economic and academic and was greeted with enthusiasm by the U.S. as a bright prospect of new science.
• The U.S. absorbs a lot of thought the idea of ​​Europe, for example the idea of ​​empirism, model John Locke's ideas inspired the Declaration of Independence, every human being is born with the same rights.

B. Precursor ideas

American philosophy of pragmatism

• Philosophy of pragmatism is something that comes from the U.S. original. This philosophy stresses the system more than the results of the method, receiving a wide range of methods and approaches to generate knowledge. Pragmatic climate in the U.S. more emphasis on how human beings live processes and do not put too much emphasis on what or who the man is.
• Triggered by a group of young people from the Boston upper class, al William James
• The main concepts: human behavior is driven by the belief held. Belief evolve according to the principles of evolutionary "survival of the fittest", which is maintained is the most needed people. Through this process of human behavior and habit forming.

Darwin's Theory of Evolution

• By the time humans interact with their environment, it must adapt.
• The adaptation process is what causes the occurrence of natural selection, both in terms of a superior group of species (Darwin) and in terms of the characteristics of the species that survive, such as members of the body (Spencer).
• Specific nature of the adaptation process, only applies to a particular environment. A group of well-adapted species in one environment may not be able to adapt to other environments.
• As a dualist who believed in mind-body separation, Darwin also apply this view to the development of the mental function of living things. Living groups are most successful in adapting to the environment are those that have the highest mental functions, in this case is a human.
• The importance of this adaptation causes the flow of functionalism is often viewed as the 'psychology of adaptation'.

Sir Francis Galton

• Darwin's cousin is a lot to apply Darwin's theory into the realm of psychology.
• Emphasis on the hereditary aspects of (embedded) as a determinant of the quality of human mental functions. Environment does not play a role. Based on his studies at prominent families, he concluded that intelligence is something that is inherited.
• In line with the views of Darwin's theory, he also believes that there is a constant variation in mental function, known as an individual difference.
• The existence of individual differences are brought to mind the necessity of measuring the differences in human mental functioning. This can be done through a statistical and testing techniques for the measurement of human mental capacity.
• Intelligence / human intelligence can be measured through penginderaannya sharpness. Those who have a keen sensing are those who cerdas.Selanjutnya results of these measurements should be poured into the classification of humans according to the level of intelligence. This is done through statistical techniques dpat psychology.
• Galton also believe that different racial groups of humans to survive in different parts of the earth as a result of adaptation to their environment.

William James

• A predecessor considered most important for the flow of functionalism. Early education is a doctor and he first taught at Harvard physiological in 1872. Since the year 1878 he was steeped in philosophy and psychology and earned a professor for both fields TSB. According to Lundin (1991), James better emerging as a philosopher than a psychologist. Very strong influence on the flow of functionalism, particularly the Chicago school.
• The main work of the Principles of Psychology. The work is often used as a reference for the initial year psychology students were Psychology: Briefer Course.
• Definition and scope of psychology. Psychology is the science of mental life, both of its phenomenon and of Their conditions "phenomenon is the subject and the condition is a physiological process in the brain. Psychology is a natural science.
• Methods of psychology. There are three main methods in psychology:

1. Introspection
2. An important method and major in psychology. Introspection is very different from introspection in the flow of structuralism. For James, introspection is a natural human tendency, the ability to realize what had happened.
3. Experimentation
4. James recognizes this method as an important method but never do it alone. He considers this method needs to be explored further.
5. Comparative method
6. Additional methods can be used for the psychology of children, animals, savages, and people with mental disorders.

• In his views of others, it seems clear that for James, the physiological processes in the brain and in the human body is the representation of mental processes and this is the determinant of the behavior and determine how people perceive the environment. James also acknowledges the habituation process is automated, and increasingly do not realize, though leaving traces in the human mind. For him, the mind is more important than the elements of mind itself. This view is represented clearly in his theory of emotion, along with Carl Lange, known as the James-Lange Theory. (Read the views of the habit James, instintct, emotion, reason and memory, this Lundin 104-106)
• James is known as one of the greatest American psychologist. He is also recognized as a person popular and charming, as well as writing skills are very impressive. It is also known as a strong opponent of the flow of structuralism of Wundt. Although the idea is very influential in his time, with the passage of time only a few views that stood until the present.

C. Characteristic of Functionalism

• More emphasis on mental functioning than mental elements.
• These functions are the psychological adaptation to the environment as a biological adaptation Darwin. Individual's ability to change according to the demands in relation to the environment is something that is important
• Functionalism view is also very important aspect or function of applied psychology itself to a variety of fields and groups of people.
• Mental activity can not be separated from physical activity, the stimulus and response are unity
• Strongly associated with biological psychology and is a developing branch of biology. So an understanding of the anatomy and physiological functions will greatly assist the understanding of mental functioning terhdap.
• Receive a variety of methods in study of human mental activity. Although most research in the Union. Chicago (the center of the growing flow of functionalism) using an experimental method, basically the flow of functionalism does not stick to the core method. The method used depends on the problems faced

D. Figures

John Dewey (1859-1952)

• His background is a teacher and received a Ph.D. in philosophy. He later taught at the University of Chicago and participated in the development of functionalism in Chicago. In 1904 moved to Columbia University and lived there until his death.
• The main view that a psychological action tends to be a unified whole, can not be broken down into parts or elements (as practiced by structuralism). Then any psychological events can not be viewed as abstract constructs. It would be more useful if focused on psy function. These events, which in context of human adaptation. Example: The boy who held his finger in response to the fire and burned.

James Rowland Angell (1867-1949)

• Came from educated families, father and grandfather had served as rector of a large university in the U.S.. He earned his M.A. from Harvard and became a disciple of William James in there. Throughout his career he never got a Ph.D., but gained 23 honorary doctorates. He was head of the department of psychology and has served as president of the APA.
• Angell is a critical to structuralism. At the time of its activity, the flow of functionalism is growing and striving to gain an established place in the repertoire of world science, and also gave rise to much criticism of structuralism flow dlu who had already established. For him, there is no psychological entity that can be broken down like cells in the biological sciences. Psychological is a complex entity we know as perception. This is clearly not in line with structuralism.
• Functional psychology is a study of mental operations, to learn the functions of consciousness in the bridge between human needs and the environment. Functionalism emphasizes the totality of the mind and body connection.

Harvey A. Carr (1873-1954)

• Angell Carr replaced as head of the Department of Psychology in Chicago after receiving his Ph.Dnya. At this time the flow of functionalism has become an established and not compete anymore with structuralism
• For Carr, an important aspect of the psychology of human behavior is adaptive. He describes a variety of human mental functions (perception, learning, emotion and thinking) with a frame of mind of human adaptive behavior.

D. Donation

• Expand the scope of psychology in terms of subject groups (children, animals) and field studies (abnormal psychology, psychological testing, applied psychology). This is possible because the flow of functionalism is more open to individual differences and areas of application rather than structuralism. One of the pioneers of psychological testing is James McKeen Cattell, a former disciple of Wundt. The next field of psychological testing is becoming one of the areas most popular and important studies in psychology.
• Introduces the importance of the real behavior as a representation of mental activity. This view is preparing the way for the development of a new flow, behaviorism, which holds the real behavior as the only object of psychology
• Introduce the concept of self as an object of psychological adjustment. The concept of adaptation and adjustmen is a concept that is very important and central to several areas of further study of psychology, such as mental health and abnormal psychology.

E. Criticisms of Functionalism

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• The main criticism of structuralism is more important stream of content / mental element rather than the process. At a time when there fierce competition between functionalism and structuralism, critical attention is quite important.
• Lack of clear focus and direction in the flow of functionalism. The characters are never too obvious and elaboratif in expressing the concepts in their work. As a result, the flow is considered to be not too full and integrated and have an impact on the less powerful position as a system.
• Is teleological, something determined by the destination. This illustrates the orientation of pragmatism that is often criticized as being more results-oriented and do not pay attention to the process.
• Too eclectic, mixing a variety of ideas and concepts from various sources so impressed compromise and loss of original shape. Basically, functionalism does not want to appear as a stream of strict and prefer to be more flexible in achieving its goals.

Functionalism does not last long as well as a stream, just as structuralism are often opposed. Nevertheless, many of these ideas flow which is then absorbed by the flow of modern psychology in the U.S..