Historical Dimensions of Psychological Discourse [Paperback]

This book challenges the popular and scholarly concepts of psychological reality throughout history.In this volume, prominent American and European scholars from various disciplines illustrate the historical shaping of psychological discourse. They expose the ideological, intellectual, political, economic, and literary forces that enter into the cultural construction of mental life. Exploring emotion, cognition, development, psychotherapy and gender differences, this book not only challenges the reality of the taken-for-granted world of everyday life, but questions the ability of the psychological science to establish historically-independent knowledge of mental process.In this volume, prominent American and European scholars from various disciplines illustrate the historical shaping of psychological discourse. They expose the ideological, intellectual, political, economic, and literary forces that enter into the cultural construction of mental life. Exploring emotion, cognition, development, psychotherapy and gender differences, this book not only challenges the reality of the taken-for-granted world of everyday life, but questions the ability of the psychological science to establish historically-independent knowledge of mental process.In this volume, prominent American and European scholars explore the historical shaping of psychological discourse. Speaking from several disciplinary standpoints, contributors focus on the ideological, intellectual, political, economic, and literary forces that enter into the cultural construction of mental life. In its explorations, the volume not only challenges the reality of the unquestioned world of everyday life, but raises fundamental questions concerning the potential of psychological science to establish historically-independent knowledge of mental process. Contributions variously cover the emotions, cognition, the concept of child development, psychotherapy, gender differences, and knowledge. Additional chapters repl#«