In this Book
- Psychology and the Question of Agency
- Book
- 2003
- Published by: State University of New York Press
- Series: SUNY series, Alternatives in Psychology
summary
Disciplinary psychology has failed to achieve a coherent conception of human agency. Instead, it oscillates between two differing conceptions of agency that are equally untenable: a scientistic, reductive approach to choice and action, and an instrumental approach that celebrates a romantic notion of free will. This book examines theoretical, philosophical psychology and argues for a historically and socioculturally situated human capacity for choosing and acting in ways not entirely determined by culture and/or biology. The authors present a detailed developmental theory of how agentic capability emerges from the pre-reflective activity of humans in a real physical and social world. Implications of the theory are considered for psychological research and practice, and for the broader socio-political impact of disciplinary psychology in Western liberal democracies.
Table of Contents
Download Full Book
- Front Cover
- pp. -00000000
- 2. Reductionism in Psychology
- pp. 17-44
- 6. Putting Agency Into Psychology
- pp. 133-166
- References
- pp. 167-174
Additional Information
ISBN
9780791486849
DOI
MARC Record
OCLC
56406337
Pages
196
Launched on MUSE
2012-04-16
Language
English
Open Access
No