Introduction
Functionalism and structuralism were the first schools of thought in psychology. They are understood through a consideration of historical and the social contexts of their development. AS an independent discipline, psychology was founded by Wilhelm, a Germany scholar in 1879. He explained psychology as a study of conscious experience which is organized into two broad categories. The two broad categories were the cultural psychology and experimental psychology. In order, to enhance psychological study, further research was conducted which resulted in functional and structural psychology (Sternberg, 89).
The underlying psychology explained that psychology consisted of an immediate thought, and conscious experience while the functionalists explained that psychology entailed mental processes and practical results. Both functionalism and structuralism played a unique purpose in the field of psychology. They used each other to achieve legitimacy in the world of science and the evolution of modern psychology. Therefore, the structuralisms were committed to researching conscious elements while the functionalists had the belief that psychology was supposed to focus on knowing the use of functional and consciousness (Hilgard, 159).
Structuralism
Structuralism is known to be among the first schools of psychology, and its main focus was to break the mental processes into the necessary components. A method known as introspection was used to understand the critical aspects of consciousness. Wilhelm Wundt is known to be the founder of the psychology lab. He helped in establishing psychology as a different science. Wundt referred to his subjective view as an as volunteerism. The idea of structuralism was later introduced into the United States by Titchener. He developed structuralism which came up with the first school of psychology. However, structuralism did not last long after the death of Titchener.
The criticisms and the strengths of structuralism.
Today, psychology has highly developed. Psychologists today argue that methods used in the study of the mind structures were very subjective. The introspection method used in the study was very personal and contributed to poor results. On the other hand, critics explain that structuralism was much to the internal behavior. They argue that civil action cannot be observed easily and cannot be measured. However, the main argument of the critics is not that structuralism was not necessary. Structuralism was the first school of thought and hence very critical. Therefore, the school of structuralisms’ influenced the development of psychology.
Functionalism
Functionalism was developed to react to the structuralism directly. It was profoundly affected by the work of William James and the theory of evolution developed by Charles Darwin. Functionalism explained the process of the mind more accurately and systematically. The main focus of functionalism the behavior and the importance of consciousness. It described the significance of the individual differences which have a direct result on education (Wertheimer, 259).
Criticisms and the strengths of functionalism.
Wundt was the leading critic of functionalism. He explained that it was beautiful and literature and not psychology. However, functionalism profoundly influenced psychology. It impacted the development of psychology and behaviorism directly. It also changed the system of education. It contradicted with Dewey’s belief about children. Dewey explained that the learning of children should take place at a level in which they are prepared psychologically and developmentally.
Comparing the two theories, it is evident that both were founded at prior influences. The foundation of structuralism was on the teaching by Wilhelm Wundt, known as the father of psychology. Even though Titchener profoundly discredited structuralism, the theory possessed qualities which included observational dependency as explained by the researchers. Wundt believed that the concern of the psychologists should be the immediate experience. It should not be speculation. It is an argument which was rendered biased (Witherington, 345).
On the other hand, Titchener in his view described the atoms of mind. In structuralism, the functioning of the brain was discussed, and hence the Titchener was very definite in his opinions that reduced the brain into three experiences of the mind. Mental experience, affections and sensations. He described that the states of the mind are entirely functional and hence can have input and output causes and associations. Therefore, structuralism was known as the formal school of thought. On the other hand, psychology believed that it should focus purely on the functions of mental life.
Conclusion
Although both the functional and the structural theories differed significantly, both played an essential role in the development of modern psychology which is today the current science. Structuralism was critical in that it made psychology more experimental while the main advantage of functionalism is that it helped psychology develop an actual process that could be used in solving problems. Therefore, both functionalism and structuralism had an essential role in the development of modern psychology up to where is in the present day.
Works cited
Sternberg, Robert J., and Karin Sternberg. Cognitive psychology. Nelson Education, 2016.89
Hilgard, Ernest R. "Harvey Carr and Chicago Functionalism: A Simulated Interview." Portraits of Pioneers in Psychology. Psychology Press, 2014. 147-164.
Wertheimer, Michael. "Early Reception of Gestalt Psychology in the United States." Max Wertheimer and Gestalt Theory. Routledge, 2017. 245-270.
Witherington, David C., and Shirley Heying. "The study of process and the nature of explanation in developmental science." Review of General Psychology 19.3 (2015): 345.
