The Antecedents of The Antecedents of FunctionalismFunctionalism

The Functionalist Protest• Structuralism was too limiting• What does the mind do?• Functionalism is all about applying

knowledge

Evolution before Darwin

Plato and AristotleChristian thoughtDivine CreationErasmus Darwin

Set it and forget itJean Lemark

Environmental changes result in structural changes

Charles Lyell

Humans and Ape-like creatures

Charles Darwin (1809-1882)Charles Darwin (1809-1882) Party Boy from Rich FamilyParty Boy from Rich Family

HMS Beagle Captain Fitzroy was a deeply religious man Trip lasted from 1831-1836

Journey of the HMS Beagle

Survival of the Fittest (or good enough)

• The constant battle between creationism and evolutionary perspectives exists today

Darwin’s ContributionDarwin’s Contribution►A focus on animal psychology, which A focus on animal psychology, which

formed the basis of comparative formed the basis of comparative psychologypsychology

►An emphasis on the functions rather than An emphasis on the functions rather than the structure of functionsthe structure of functions

►The acceptance of methodology and data The acceptance of methodology and data from Many fieldsfrom Many fields

►A focus on the description and A focus on the description and measurement of individual differences.measurement of individual differences.

Sir Francis Galton (1822-1911)Sir Francis Galton (1822-1911)

• Darwin’s Cousin• Hereditary Genius• Eugenics: Good genes

Statistical methodsStatistical methodsMental testsMental testsAssociation of IdeasAssociation of IdeasMental ImageryMental ImageryArithmetic by SmellArithmetic by Smell

George John Romanes (1848-1894)

Anecdotal method: the use of observational reports about animal behavior.Introspection by analogy: a technique for studying animal behavior by assuming that the same mental processes that occur in the observer’s mind also occur in the animal’s mind/

Romanes believed cats were the Romanes believed cats were the most intelligent of all creaturesmost intelligent of all creatures

Ontogeny recapitulates Phylogeny

C. Lloyd Morgan

(Lloyd Morgan’s Canon). The notion that animal behavior must not be attributed to a higher mental process when it can be explained by a lower mental process