Historical roots of Social Representation theory
, Understanding the ‘split’ in Social Psychology
• There are a few points of divergence within experimental/traditional and critical social
Psychology
• Assumptions:
• Experimental/traditional approaches prioritise the scientific method as the valid way
to understand the social world
• Critical approaches prioritise qualitative methods as understanding the social world.
What “talk” can tell us about the person and what society they are in.
• This divergence comes from historical differences in Psychology
Roots of Qualitative Methods: Early Movements in Social Psychology
• William James (1890)
• Seen as the father of Psychology
• The Principles of Psychology – did it in two volumes, one volume on qualitative
methods and one on more traditional and empirical methods.
• Critical of introspection, did not address the “connectedness” of human thought.
• His work documented that there are different ways to approaching the human
experience and that one shouldn’t necessarily be done without the other
• Völkerpsychologie (early 1900s)
• Early movement in Social Psychology, originating from Germany
• Direct translation - ‘Folk Psychology’ or better known as ‘Psychology of the people’ –
how everyday people make sense of their world
• Link between culture and language (underpins current Critical Social Psychology)
• E.g. Lazarus & Steinthal: language to examine social knowledge
• E.g. Wundt: wrote on extensively on völkerpsychologie → ‘father of experimental
psychology’
Roots of Qualitative Methods: The parting of the ways
• There was a split in approaches, philosophy, and the role between the person and society
• European & American split
• America had developed its own individualistic culture → social forces determined by
individuals (psychological social psychology) – represents more traditional
psychology
, Understanding the ‘split’ in Social Psychology
• There are a few points of divergence within experimental/traditional and critical social
Psychology
• Assumptions:
• Experimental/traditional approaches prioritise the scientific method as the valid way
to understand the social world
• Critical approaches prioritise qualitative methods as understanding the social world.
What “talk” can tell us about the person and what society they are in.
• This divergence comes from historical differences in Psychology
Roots of Qualitative Methods: Early Movements in Social Psychology
• William James (1890)
• Seen as the father of Psychology
• The Principles of Psychology – did it in two volumes, one volume on qualitative
methods and one on more traditional and empirical methods.
• Critical of introspection, did not address the “connectedness” of human thought.
• His work documented that there are different ways to approaching the human
experience and that one shouldn’t necessarily be done without the other
• Völkerpsychologie (early 1900s)
• Early movement in Social Psychology, originating from Germany
• Direct translation - ‘Folk Psychology’ or better known as ‘Psychology of the people’ –
how everyday people make sense of their world
• Link between culture and language (underpins current Critical Social Psychology)
• E.g. Lazarus & Steinthal: language to examine social knowledge
• E.g. Wundt: wrote on extensively on völkerpsychologie → ‘father of experimental
psychology’
Roots of Qualitative Methods: The parting of the ways
• There was a split in approaches, philosophy, and the role between the person and society
• European & American split
• America had developed its own individualistic culture → social forces determined by
individuals (psychological social psychology) – represents more traditional
psychology
