Psychological Science: Inquiry and Implications

As we all know, psychological science is not a new endeavor. It has, as our history book tell us, been around for at least 112 years, that is if Leipzig in 1879 is to be accepted as the founding place and date. Perhaps it is best to consider the founding date as an era — the period from 1880 to 1900 — to give Wundt, Ebbinghaus, James, and Thorndike proper recognition. The aims of the pioneering psychological scientists of the 19th century are those that guide us today. And our inquiry has built on the findings and theories of these pioneers. They wanted to know then, as we do now, the nature and bases of experience and behavior.

Although I am willing to admit bias, I find it difficult (actually, impossible) to imagine a more interesting and intellectually challenging scientific task. And, although it certainly must have been exciting to be among the first to apply scientific methodology to the exploration of the mind, it is no less exciting today. In fact, it seems to me psychological science is even more exciting today because of the facts, theories, and techniques that are now available to aid our inquiry. We can inquire into the basic principles of perception, emotion, thought, judgment, memory, language, and interpersonal behavior. We can examine how these processes differ among individuals and change over the life span of individuals.

And, the fact that this is the Decade of the Brain reminds us that we can examine the brain processes underlying these processes. Progress continues to be made in all of these and other challenging areas of psychological science.

Later this month the participants of the third APS-hosted Behavioral Science Summit will meet in Houston, Texas, to continue the process — initiated at last year’s conference — of developing a national research agenda for psychology. The aim of this effort is to provide a guide for those involved in establishing research funding policies and priorities. The basic assumption guiding this effort is that psychological scientists must be more effective in communicating their research questions, their findings, and the implications of their findings, to those who create and implement research funding policies.

This is an important undertaking of the representatives of over 65 psychological organizations. But, beyond that, it is an effort that we should all be engaged in on a continuing basis. With a little thought it should not be too difficult to justify our inquiry. After all, as someone not too long ago said — with respect to psychological science — it is difficult “to imagine a more interesting and intellectually challenging scientific task.” And, if I had said it, I would add the obvious point that it is also difficult to imagine an area of science with greater implication for the welfare of our society.