2010, Number 2
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Rev Mex Invest Psic 2010; 2 (2)
The Unity of Psychology. The Paradigm of the Experimental Synthesis of Behavior
Ardila R
Language: Spanish
References: 23
Page: 72-83
PDF size: 209.87 Kb.
ABSTRACT
The problems of the unity of psychology, the conceptual
frames of reference proposed, the diverse methodologies,
and the convenience or inconvenience of unifying the discipline
of psychology, are analyzed. The so-called “psychological
studies” are contrasted with a unified psychology. It is
pointed out that in present-day psychology there are many
convergence factors, and that the majority of psychologists
do not ascribe themselves to a particular “school of psychology”.
The paradigm of the experimental synthesis of behavior
(ESB) is proposed as a research program to reach the unification
of psychology, in consonance with current trends.
The main characteristics of ESB as a program for the unification
of psychology are as follows: (1) A behavioral level of
explanation, psychology has its own level, which includes
the behavior of organisms and their varied relations to the
environment; behavior is not reducible , in strict sense, to
biology or to social science. (2) The method is experimentation,
but in the initial stages importance is given to observational
and correlational procedures. (3) Emphasis is on
learning: human behavior is primarily learned, with a biological
(genetic) basis. (4) The wide range of phenomena
that are to be explained include all the traditional fields of
scientific psychological research. (5) Emphasis is also on the
environment, both social and physical. (6) Importance is given
to the basic technology derived from behavioral research. In
the ESB the findings of scientific psychology investigated with
other conceptual frames of references are “translated” (translationed)
to the principles, concepts and laws of behavioral research.
Eclecticism is avoided. The unity of psychology brings
coherence and relevance to the discipline, facilitates basic research
and applications, and allows a coherent language for
scientific communication within the several areas of psychology
and also with other disciplines.
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