Intro to psychology
08/11/19 A critical look at social psychology: reconceptualising ‘selves’
Big theories of identity: Essentialists VS Non-essentialists
Essentialists
- All our objects, our ‘selves’ included, have a core essence
- Continuous core of sameness (call it a self, a soul, DNA, ego, etc) that is resistant
to change
- A conceptualism that underpins mainstream (social and cognitive) psychology
Non-essentialists
- See identity in relational terms rather than as an inner essence or core
- Ever influenced by context and circumstances
- Attempted objectification of self is only a narrative approximation
- ‘Identity’ becomes ‘identities’.
What are mainstream and critical psychologies?
Mainstream psychology
- The main part of the discipline in any particular time and place
- Those who share the same assumptions (broadly):
o E.g. cognitive psychologists, social psychologists and neuropsychologists
Critical psychology
- Those who do not share the prevailing assumptions of the mainstream
- Those who make judgements (are critical) of the assumptions made by
mainstream psychologists.
Mainstream Psychology Critical Psychology
Social world external to and Social world inseparable from
separate from people people
People are passive onlookers in the People are active agents in the
world world
Knowledge equal facts waiting to be Knowledge constructed through
discovered meaning-making
One true objective knowledge Multiple knowledges contingent on
transcending history and culture time and cultural location
Claims to be detached and Open about standpoint and
apolitical. affiliations. Does not claim to be
objective.
A pragmatist perspective on understanding our being in the world
Early pragmatists (circa 1900s)
- Charles S. Pierce
08/11/19 A critical look at social psychology: reconceptualising ‘selves’
Big theories of identity: Essentialists VS Non-essentialists
Essentialists
- All our objects, our ‘selves’ included, have a core essence
- Continuous core of sameness (call it a self, a soul, DNA, ego, etc) that is resistant
to change
- A conceptualism that underpins mainstream (social and cognitive) psychology
Non-essentialists
- See identity in relational terms rather than as an inner essence or core
- Ever influenced by context and circumstances
- Attempted objectification of self is only a narrative approximation
- ‘Identity’ becomes ‘identities’.
What are mainstream and critical psychologies?
Mainstream psychology
- The main part of the discipline in any particular time and place
- Those who share the same assumptions (broadly):
o E.g. cognitive psychologists, social psychologists and neuropsychologists
Critical psychology
- Those who do not share the prevailing assumptions of the mainstream
- Those who make judgements (are critical) of the assumptions made by
mainstream psychologists.
Mainstream Psychology Critical Psychology
Social world external to and Social world inseparable from
separate from people people
People are passive onlookers in the People are active agents in the
world world
Knowledge equal facts waiting to be Knowledge constructed through
discovered meaning-making
One true objective knowledge Multiple knowledges contingent on
transcending history and culture time and cultural location
Claims to be detached and Open about standpoint and
apolitical. affiliations. Does not claim to be
objective.
A pragmatist perspective on understanding our being in the world
Early pragmatists (circa 1900s)
- Charles S. Pierce
