Unity and diversity in the behavioral and natural sciences

Paul Fraisse

pp. 213-240

in: Arthur W. Staats, Leendert Mos (eds), Annals of theoretical psychology, Berlin, Springer, 1987

Abstract

There are those who believe that psychology is unusually marked by diversity. However, when one examines the natural sciences, one can also see considerable diversity. In physics there is a schism between microphysics and macrophysics. In biology, the common strings of DNA do not explain the differences in organismic levels of organization. It is proposed that there is indeed a paradigm that is common to all psychologists. All psychologists study behavior taking into account the situation (S) and the personality (P) of the subject, both interacting to determine the response (R). But every psychologist studies only one portion of this paradigm, and in the process multiplies the facts and theories in a manner that gives the impression of diversity. However, psychology is a young science!