What is Functionalism in Psychology?

Functionalism, according to the definition of Stanford University, is “the doctrine what makes something a thought, desire, or any mental state a function and the role it plays. William James, the founder of the school of thought of Functionalism, believes that only organisms or things with a mental state have the capacity to be in pain since pain is a direct outcome of triggers. For example, a person feels pain because it is caused by bodily injury or emotional triggers. In addition, functionalist theorists believe that only organisms with internal states are capable of feeling pain or any other feeling. This theory was popularized in the 19^th to 20^th century and has antecedents in both modern and ancient philosophy and early theories of computation and artificial intelligence. However, the functionalist theory was criticized by other theorists and psychologists like Wilhelm Wundt. Though criticized, functionalism still paved way for the birth of other schools of thought in the world of psychology.

The post What is Functionalism in Psychology? appeared first on interaksyonph.