Critical psychology : contributions to an historical science of the subject

In this volume, Klaus Holzkamp and his colleagues provide a coherent and broadly elaborated description of Critical Psychology--a theory of the evolution of the social constitution of human consciousness and forms of mental activity--which has been in development in Germany for more than twenty years and constitutes a radical critique and reconstruction of scientific psychology from a dialectical and historical- materialistic point of view. Its aim is to provide a firmer foundation than presently exists for a psychology that is methodologically sound, practically relevant, and theoretically determinate. In this volume, Tolman and Maiers coordinate the contributions of several German psychologists led by Klaus Holzkamp and his colleagues. Infused with theoretical sophistication, the papers detail the implications of Critical Psychology on several fronts: a theory of emotions, forms of psychotherapy, the impact of automation in the workplace, and a theory of learning. Chapters build upon each other, going from general issues of methodology to more specific issues. Critical Psychology: Contributions to an Historical Science of the Subject is the first book to make Critical Psychology accessible to an English-speaking audience. As a central force in the exploration of activity theory, this work will be of interest to cognitive psychologists, developmental psychologists, social anthropologists, and educators. Critical Psychology : An Overview / Charles W. Tolman -- Critical Psychology : Historical Background And Task / Wolfgang Maiers -- Societal And Individual Life Processes ; Experience Of Self And Scientific Objectivity ; Psychoanalysis And Marxist Psychology / Klaus Holzkamp -- Emotion, Cognition And Action Potence ; Action Potence, Education And Psychotherapy ; Personality : Self-actualization In Social Vacuums? / Ute Holzkamp-osterkamp -- The Concept Of Attitude / Morus Markard -- Client Interests And Possibilities In Psychotherapy / Ole Dreier -- Play And Ontogenesis / Karl-heinz Braun -- Functions Of The Private Sphere In Social Movements / Frigga Haug. Edited By Charles W. Tolman, Wolfgang Maiers. Chiefly Essays Translated From German. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 251-261) And Index. Critical psychology constitutes a radical critique and reconstruction of scientific psychology from a dialectical and historical-materialistic point of view. Its aim is to provide a firmer foundation than presently exists for a psychology that is methodologically sound, practically relevant and theoretically determinate. This book was first published in 1991. This text examines critical psychology - a theory of the evolution of the social constitution of human consciousness and forms of mental activity, which offers a critique and reconstruction of scientific psychology from a dialectical and historical-materialistic point of view To one degree or another a state of crisis has existed in psychology from the beginning of its existence as a separate scientific discipline in the second half of the nineteenth century.