As Lise and Michael Wallach (2001) demonstrate, much social psychological research is gratuitous because, so often, experiments in that discipline merely confirm a set of unfalsifiable presuppositions. In spite of that major flaw, however, social psychological research may make important contributions, by revealing the effectiveness of manipulations that may be either stronger or weaker than common sense suggests, by helping us understand real-life phenomena, and by showing how desired ends may be achieved by practical means. My only quibble with the paper concerns the Wallachs' ideas about the status and functioning of psychological concepts. If they assume, as they sometimes seem to, that concepts are identities with independent existence apart from observation, I take exception. Social psychological phenomena should be treated as expressions of more general principles of a very general psychology that begins with empirical evidence.
This book presents a series of informal biographies about major figures in the history of psychology. A unique combination of expertise and human appeal, the volume places the contributions of each pioneer in a new and fascinating perspective. For instance, several of the authors use the novel approach of having the pioneers return to the present day to reflect back on their work as it relates to the here and now. Revisions of speeches given in a popular series of invited addresses at psychological conventions, the chapters offer appealing glimpses into the lives of individuals who made a difference in the early years of psychology as a field of study. Each of the five volumes in this series contains different profiles thereby bringing more than 100 of the pioneers in psychology more vividly to life.
'%3e%3cpath fill='%23012169' d='M0 0v30h60V0z'/%3e%3cpath stroke='%23fff' stroke-width='6' d='m0 0 60 30m0-30L0 30'/%3e%3cpath stroke='%23C8102E' stroke-width='4' d='m0 0 60 30m0-30L0 30' clip-path='url(%23b)'/%3e%3cpath stroke='%23fff' stroke-width='10' d='M30 0v30M0 15h60'/%3e%3cpath stroke='%23C8102E' stroke-width='6' d='M30 0v30M0 15h60'/%3e%3c/g%3e%3c/svg%3e)