Social Psychology in Search of a Paradigm

Abstract

This address discusses the nature of Kuhnian paradigms in science, and offers four imperatives tnat social psychology must meet if it is to become a mature science: (1) Person parameters must be taken into account: these interact with treatment conditions or dependent variables and thus make trivial propositions about people-in-general. (2) People are at times active agents who play some part in directing their own behaviors; this sequential process must be studied. (3) A taxonomy ot situations--a complex theory of interactions among people in various settings--must be developed; otherwise, it is impossible to generalize from laboratory situations. (4) An adequate systematic treatment must also allow for behaviors that are not self-directed or even comprehended by the actors them selves.

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

Bandura, A. Behavior theory and the models of man. American Psychologist , 1974, 29, 859-869.

Barker, R.G. Ecological Psychology: Concepts and methods for studying the environment of human behavior. Stanford, Calif: Stanford University Press, 1968.

Chase, W. G. (Ed.) Visual information processing . New York: Academic Press, 1972.

Cronbach, L.J. Beyond the two disciplines of scientific psychology. American Psychologist, 1975, 30, 116-127.

Harré, R. , & Secord, P.F. The explanation of social behavior. Oxford, England: Basil Blackwell, 1972. Paperback: Totowa, N.J.: Littlefield, Adams, 1973.

Kuhn, T.S. The structure of scientific revolutions. 2nd edition. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1970. (Originally published 1962.)

Leventhal, H. Findings and theory in the study of fear communications. In L. Berkowitz (ed.), Advances in experimental social psychology. Vol. 5. New York: Academic Press, 1970. Pp. 120-186.

Masterman, M. The nature of a paradigm. In I. Lakatos & A. Musgrave (eds.), Criticism and the growth of knowledge. Proceedings of the International Colloquium in the Philosophy of Science, London, 1965, Vol. 4. Cambridge, England: Cambridge University Press, 1970.

Polanyi, M. Personal knowledge: Towards a post-critical philosophy. New York: Harper & Row, 1958 .

10.

Secord, P.F. , & Backman, C.W. Personality theory and the problem of stability and change in individual behavior: An interpersonal approach. Psychological Review , 1961, 68, 31-32.

11.

Secord, P.F. , & Backman, C.W. Interpersonal approach to personality. In B. H. Maher (ed.), Progress in experimental personality research. Vol. 2. New York: Academic Press, 1965. Pp. 91-125.

12.

Secord, P.F. , & Backman, C.W. Social Psychology. 2nd edition. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1974. Pp. 528-553.

13.

Underwood, B.J. Individual differences as a crucible in theory construction. American Psychologist, 1975, 30, 128-139.