Time and Psychological Explanation / Edition 1

by Brent D. Slife

Overview

Psychology has been captured by an assumption that is almost totally unrecognized. This assumption—the linearity of time—unduly restricts theory and therapy, yet this restriction is so common, so customary, that it is often completely ignored. This book traces the influence of this assumption and reveals the many overlooked "anomalies" to its dominance. Slife describes the many findings and explanations that are incompatible with linear time in several psychological specialties. He contends that these unnoticed anomalies point to alternative conceptions of time that offer innovative ideas for psychological explanation and treatment.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780791414705
Publisher:	State University of New York Press
Publication date:	07/01/1993
Series:	SUNY series, Alternatives in Psychology
Edition description:	New Edition
Pages:	356
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 1.00(d)

About the Author

Brent D. Slife is Director of Clinical Training and Associate Professor of Psychology at Baylor University. He is Senior Editor of Taking Sides: Clashing Views on Controversial Psychological Issues (now in its seventh edition), Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Theoretical and Philosophical Psychology, and on the Editorial Boards of Theory & Psychology and the Journal of Mind and Behavior.

Table of Contents

Preface

Introduction

Linear Time and Psychological Explanation

Purpose of the Book

Content of the Book

1 Newtonian Time and Psychological Explanation

The Rise of Linear Time in Western Culture

Newtonian Time

Newton's Temporal Framework for Explanation

Criticisms of Newton's Framework

Psychology's Newtonian Framework

Conclusion

2 Developmental Psychology

The History of Time and Developmental Studies

The Newtonian Framework and Developmental Stages

Newtonian Explanations of Social Development

Anomalies to the Newtonian Paradigm for Development

Conclusion

3 Personality Theory

The Conceptual Roots of Personality Theory

Objectivist and Subjectivist Models of Time

Freud as a Mixed Model Theorist

The Objectivist Tradition in Personality

Bandura's Social Cognitive Theory

The Subjectivist Tradition—Newtonian Anomalies

Kurt Lewin

Carl Jung

Conclusion

4 Psychological Method

The History of Method and Time

The Newtonian Framework of Method

Objectivity

Continuity

Linearity

Universality

Reductivity

Anomalous Methods

Systemic Method

Hermeneutic Method

Conclusion

5 Cognitive Psychology

Time and Associationism—A Brief History

Rationalism Versus Empiricism

Time and Contemporary Cognitive Psychology

Language and Problem Solving

Anomalies to the Current Paradigm

Rationalistic Constructivism

Humanistic Learning Theory

The Black Knight of Artificial Intelligence

Conclusion

6 Individual Therapy

The History of Individual Therapy and Time

Modern Individual Therapy and Time

Psychoanalysis

Behavior Therapy

Cognitive Therapy

Existential Psychotherapy—Temporal Anomaly

Conclusion

7 Group Therapy

Linear Time and the Study of Groups

The History of Group Therapy and Time

The Current Status of Group Therapy

Psychoanalytic Group Therapy

Educative and Behavioral Group Therapy

Experiential and Existential Anomalies

Conclusion

8 Family Therapy

The History of Family Therapy and Time

The Current Status of Family Therapy

Individual Models of Family Therapy

Mechanistic Systems Therapy

Organismic Systems Therapy—Linear Anomaly

Cybernetics of Cybernetics

Conclusion

9 General Temporal Themes of Explanation

General Themes of the Newtonian Temporal Paradigm

The Objectivity of Time

The Continuity of Time

The Universality of Time

The Linearity of Time

The Reductivity of Time

General Anomalies to the Newtonian Temporal Paradigm

The Objectivity of Time

The Continuity of Time

The Universality of Time

The Linearity of Time

The Reductivity of Time

Implications of the Anomalies for Causation and Change

Separating Causality and Linear Time

Separating Change and Linear Time

Conclusion

10 Alternative Assumptions of Time

Organismic Holism

Conceptual Roots

Comparative Description

Objectivity

Linearity

Continuity

Universality

Reductivity

Conclusion

Criticism

Application to Psychology

Development

Personality

Method

Cognition

Individual Therapy

Group Therapy

Family Therapy

Hermeneutic Temporality

Conceptual Roots

Traditional Metaphysics

Hermeneutic "Metaphysics"

Comparative Description

Objectivity

Continuity

Linearity

Universality

Reductivity

Conclusion

Criticism

Application to Psychology

Development

Personality

Method

Cognition

Individual Therapy

Group Therapy

Family Therapy

General Conclusion

Notes

Bibliography

Index

Editorial Reviews

"This is a top-notch, scholarly work. I believe that Slife took a very difficult, complex topic and brought considerable understanding to it for the reader. Books of this type raise the level of sophistication in psychology." — Joseph F. Rychlak, Loyola University

"The book makes an effective case that questions of time lie at the very soul of psychology and how we try to understand and to explain.The type of analysis that Slife does in the course of the book is also important as a model for what should be going on with increasing frequency in the field. I believe the book will be a significant contribution to the emerging field of critical, theoretical psychology." — Richard N. Williams, Brigham Young University

From the Publisher

Identifying linear time as an assumption of psychology that unduly restricts both theory and therapy, the author shows how its dominance creates anomalies in several psychological specialties. He contends that these unnoticed anomalies point to alternative conceptions of time that offer innovative ideas for psychological explanation and treatment. Paper edition (unseen), $16.95. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

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