History of Psychology

Functionalism was the first American school of psychology. Structuralism and Gestalt psychology were influential in the United States, but they were imports from abroad. Functionalism was American in origin, approach, and character. Unlike structuralism, with Titchener as its leader, functionalism did not have a single leader. There is even some question as to whether functionalism was ever a formal school of psychology. But there is no doubt as to the influence and importance of the psychologists, loosely described as functionalists, presented in this chapter. As you read about the work of the functionalists, consider what unifies them. What ideas do they have in common?