This paper attempts to show how the concept of authoritarianism can be applied, in a metatheoretical sense, to the activities of paradigms found in modern psychology. The argument is advanced that current paradigm-languages tend to obscure important epistemological issues and create an aurora of authority that serves to curtail too self-critical thinking.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
AdornoT. W.Frenkel-BrunswikE.LevtnsonD.StanfordR. N.The authoritarian personality. New York: Harper, 1950.
2.
AyerA. J.Can there be a private language?Proceedings of the Aristotelian Society, 1954, 28 (Suppl.), 63–76.
3.
BoringE. G.A history of experimental psychology. New York: Appleton-Cenrury-Crofts, 1957.
4.
BorsodiR.The neglected science of values: Eight propositions about values. Journal of Human Relations, 1965, 13, 433–445.
5.
BregerL.McGaughJ. L.Critique and reformulation of ‘learning theory’ approaches to psychotherapy and neurosis. Psychological Bulletin, 1965, 63, 338–358.
6.
BrunerR. J. S.OlverR. R.GreenfieldP. M. (Eds.) Studies in cognitive growth. New York: Wiley, 1966.
7.
BuchwaldA.Comments on Rozeboom's “Formal analysis and the language of behavior theory.” In FeiglH.MaxwellG. (Eds.), Current issues in the philosophy of science. New York: Holt, Rinehart & Winston, 1961. Pp. 483–484.
8.
ChomskyN.Review of B. F. Skinner, Verbal behavior. Language, 1959, 35, 26–58.
9.
EnglishH. B.EnglishA. C.A dictionary of psychological and psychoanalytical terms. London: Longmans, 1958.
10.
FeyerabendP. K.Explanation, reductionism and empiricism. In FeiglH.MaxwellG. (Eds.), Minnesota studies in the philosophy of science. Vol. III. Minneapolis: Minnesota Univer. Press, 1962. Pp. 28–97.
11.
FeyerabendP. K.Problems of empiricism. In ColodnyR. G. (Ed.), Beyond the edge of certainly. Englewood Cliffs: Prentice-Hall, 1965. Pp. 145–260.
12.
GiorgiA.Phenomenology and experimental psychology: II. Review of Existential Psychology and Psychiatry, 1966, 6, 37–50.
13.
GorowitzS.Causal judgments and causal explanations. Journal of Philosophy, 1962, 23, 695–711.
14.
GuntherP. A. Y.The philosophy of science: Its functions. Main Currents in Modern Thought, 1968, 24, 68–74.
15.
HayekF. A.The counter-revolution of science. Glencoe: Free Press, 1952.
16.
HenleM.On the relation between logic and thinking. Psychological Review, 1962, 69, 366–378.
17.
KatahnM.KoplinJ. H.Paradigm clash: Comment on “Some recent criticisms of behaviorism and learning theory with special reference to Breger and McGaugh and to Chomsky.”Psychological Bulletin, 1968, 69, 147–148.
18.
KelmanH. C.BarclayJ.The F scale as a measure of breadth of perspective. Journal of Abnormal and Social Psychology, 1963, 67, 608–615.
19.
KesselF. S.The philosophy of science as proclaimed and science as practiced: “Identity” or “Dualism?”American Psychologist, 1969, 24, 999–1005.
20.
KuhnT. S.The structure of scientific revolutions. Chicago: Univer. of Chicago Press, 1962.
21.
LambleyP.Psychology and epistemology: Operationism revisited. Psychological Record, 1970, in press.
22.
Levi-StrausC.The savage mind. London: Wuidenfield & Nicolson, 1966.
23.
LyndH. M.Thinking from parts to wholes. In StoodleyB. H. (Ed.), Society and self. Glencoe: Free Press, 1962. Pp. 620–629.
24.
MargoshesA.LittS.Psychology of the scientist: XII. Neglect of revolutionary ideas in psychology. Psychological Reports, 1965, 16, 621–624.
25.
MaslowA. H.Psychology of science. New York: Harper & Row, 1966.
26.
McClureG.TylerF. B.Policy decisions in science: Psychological considerations and implications for psychology. Journal of General Psychology, 1967, 77, 69–86. (a)
27.
McClureG.TylerF. B.Role of values in the study of values. Journal of General Psychology, 1967, 77, 217–235. (b)
28.
MertonR. K.Social theory and social structure. Glencoe: Free Press, 1957.
29.
NeisserU.Cognitive psychology. New York: Appleton-Century-Crofts, 1967.
30.
PiagetJ.The language and thought of the child. New York: Routledge & Kegan Paul, 1959.
31.
PopperK. R.Conjectures and refutations. London: Roudedge & Kegan Paul, 1965.
32.
RaChmanS.EysenckH. J.Reply to a “critique and reformulation” of behavior therapy. Psychological Bulletin, 1966, 65, 165–169.
33.
RokeachM.The open and closed mind. New York: Basic Books, 1960.
34.
RussellB.Mysticism and logic. London: G. Allen, 1917.
35.
RussellB.On the notion of cause with applications to the free-will problem. In FeiglH.BrodbeckM. (Eds.), Readings in the philosophy of science. New York: Appleton-Century-Crofts, 1953. Pp. 387–407.
36.
SchoeckH.WigginsJ. W. (Eds.) Scientism and values. New York: Van Nostrand, 1960.
37.
SkinnerB. F.Contingencies of reinforcement: A theoretical analysis. New York: Appleton-Century-Crofts, 1969.
38.
TaylorC.Phenomenology and linguistic analysis. Proceedings of the Aristotelian Society, 1959, 33 (Suppl.), 93–110.
39.
TaylorJ. G.The behavioral basis of perception. New Haven: Yale Univer. Press, 1962.
40.
TaylorJ. G.The role of axioms in psychological theory. Bulletin of the British Psychological Society, 1968, 21, 221–227.
41.
TitusH. E.HollanderE. P.The California F scale in psychological research: 1950–1955. Psychological Bulletin, 1957, 54, 47–64.
42.
TurnerM. B.Philosophy and the science of behavior. New York: Appleton-Century-Crofts, 1967.
43.
WatsonR. I.Psychology: A prescriptive science. American Psychologist, 1967, 22, 435–443.
44.
WiestW. M.Some recent criticisms of behaviorism and learning theory with special reference to Breger and McGaugh and to Chomsky. Psychological Bulletin, 1967, 67, 214–225.
45.
WinthropH.Some neglected considerations concerning the problem of value in psychology. Journal of General Psychology, 1961, 64, 37–59.