The Wiley Handbook of Theoretical and Philosophical Psychology: Methods, Approaches, and New Directions for Social Sciences

This handbook is a treasure trove of papers that both analyze the historical and philosophical basis of contemporary theories and methods in experimental psychology and its applied off–shoots, and recommend carefully crafted alternative theoretical paradigms for psychology s future. A major contribution to the field. Ronald B. Miller, PhD, Professor of Psychology, Saint Michael s College, Chair, Vermont Board of Psychological Examiners, APA Fellow One of the chief antidotes to the narrowness and overspecialization of contemporary psychology is critical thinking or, as my ex–philosophy professor called it, talk about talk. This volume fairly brims with talk about talk, and as a result brilliantly widens the scope of our understanding about how and why we behave as we do. I highly recommend this volume to all those who seek to illuminate in vivid and concrete detail the array of philosophical contexts in psychology and, by implication, the very edges of our inquiry. Kirk Schneider, PhD, Adjunct faculty, Saybrook University and Teachers College, Columbia University; author of The Polarized Mind and Existential–Integrative Therapy A volume of vast scope that provides an indispensable resource for anyone undertaking a serious study of almost any field of psychological inquiry. Presenting original ideas as well as authoritative overviews, the chapters of this book are remarkable for their foundational quality. Kurt Danziger, Professor Emeritus, York University, Canada This handbook brings together chapters by many key contributors to give the reader a rich overview of the subdiscipline of theoretical and philosophical psychology. I especially appreciate the chapters that examine how work in psychology at large is historically situated and the chapters that illustrate how consideration of fundamental philosophical matters can make contributions to our understanding of specific substantive issues in the field. Michael A. Westerman, Associate Professor of Psychology, New York University Theoretical and philosophical psychology has emerged in recent years as a distinctive subdiscipline within psychology, yet its methodologies and motives remain surprisingly little understood by practicing psychologists and students in the field. Filling this critical need, The Wiley Handbook of Theoretical and Philosophical Psychology presents a comprehensive exploration of the wide range of methods and approaches utilized by contemporary theoretical and philosophical psychologists. Chapters explicate the inner workings of theoretical psychology showing exactly what it is that theoretical psychologists do and why they do it, while revealing theoretical and philosophical ways to approach the study of psychological phenomena and psychology itself. Topics include conceptual, philosophical, and historical approaches to theoretical psychology, narrative approaches to the nature of human conduct, theoretical bases of contemporary psychotherapeutic practices, and the historical uses and misuses of statistical methodologies to measure human progress. Featuring contributions from international experts in a variety of disciplines, The Wiley Handbook of Theoretical and Philosophical Psychology is an invaluable resource for current thinking on the major issues, theories, and diverse methodological approaches relating to the theoretical foundations of psychology.