Describe the diversity in the disciplinary thoughts with special reference to structuralism, functionalism and behaviourism.

Structuralism: Deconstructing Consciousness

Founded by Wilhelm Wundt and popularized by Edward Titchener, structuralism (late 19th century) aimed to understand the structure of consciousness by breaking it down into its most basic elements – sensations, feelings, and images. Wundt established the first psychology laboratory in Leipzig, Germany, in 1879, marking a pivotal moment in the discipline’s history. The primary method employed was introspection, a process of self-examination where individuals carefully reported their subjective experiences.

• Core Principles: Analysis of consciousness into basic elements; emphasis on objective observation.
• Methodology: Introspection – highly controlled and trained observers.
• Key Figures: Wilhelm Wundt, Edward Titchener.
• Criticisms: Subjectivity of introspection; difficulty in replicating results; limited scope (focused solely on conscious experience).

Functionalism: The Purpose of Mental Processes

Emerging as a reaction to structuralism, functionalism, led by William James, John Dewey, and Harvey Carr, focused on the function or purpose of consciousness rather than its structure. Influenced by Darwin’s theory of evolution, functionalists believed that consciousness evolved to help organisms adapt to their environment. William James’s Principles of Psychology (1890) is considered a foundational text of functionalism.

• Core Principles: Emphasis on the adaptive functions of mental processes; study of consciousness as a continuous stream.
• Methodology: Introspection, observation, and comparative methods (studying animals and children).
• Key Figures: William James, John Dewey, Harvey Carr.
• Criticisms: Lack of rigorous methodology; difficulty in objectively studying subjective experiences.

Behaviourism: The Science of Observable Behaviour

Behaviourism, which rose to prominence in the early 20th century, represented a radical departure from both structuralism and functionalism. Championed by John B. Watson and later B.F. Skinner, behaviourism rejected the study of consciousness altogether, arguing that psychology should focus solely on observable behaviours and their environmental determinants. Watson’s 1913 paper, “Psychology as the Behaviourist Views It,” is considered the manifesto of this school of thought. Classical conditioning (Pavlov) and operant conditioning (Skinner) became central concepts.

• Core Principles: Focus on observable behaviours; rejection of introspection; emphasis on learning through conditioning.
• Methodology: Controlled experiments, observation of behaviour in response to stimuli.
• Key Figures: John B. Watson, B.F. Skinner, Ivan Pavlov.
• Criticisms: Neglect of internal mental processes; oversimplification of human behaviour; ethical concerns regarding animal experimentation.

Comparative Table of the Three Schools

School of Thought	Focus	Methodology	Key Figures	Limitations
Structuralism	Structure of consciousness	Introspection	Wundt, Titchener	Subjectivity, limited scope
Functionalism	Function of consciousness	Introspection, observation	James, Dewey	Lack of rigor
Behaviourism	Observable behaviour	Controlled experiments	Watson, Skinner	Neglect of mental processes

These schools of thought weren’t isolated entities. Functionalism emerged as a response to the perceived limitations of structuralism, and behaviourism arose as a reaction against the subjective nature of both structuralism and functionalism. Each school contributed to the development of psychological science, laying the groundwork for subsequent perspectives like Gestalt psychology, psychoanalysis, and cognitive psychology.