William James: The Founder Of Functionalism

Though psychology is commonplace in our current society, there was a time not so long ago when people were not exploring how the body and mind worked together. That is, until William James. 

William James, an American psychologist and philosopher, is known as the founder of functionalism and is widely regarded as one of the founding fathers of psychology. 

Who Was William James? 

William James was a curious mind who initially studied painting, but then turned to chemistry and anatomy at Harvard University and later attended medical school. He also spent time in Germany, studying with Hermann von Helmholtz. 

When James returned to Harvard, he taught one of the university’s first psychology courses, “The Relations between Physiology and Psychology”. He also set up Harvard’s first experimental psychology laboratory. G. Stanley Hall, James’ doctoral student and a prominent American psychologist, said James’ course was the only one in the country that familiarised students with German physiological psychology at that time [1].

William James’ Contribution To Psychology

William James’ contribution to psychology initially focused on how individuals experience and become aware of sensations and feelings. This focus led him to develop the James-Lange theory of emotion from his work in his sensation and perception lab [2]. 

At its core, the theory proposes that when sensory organs are stimulated, they send impulses to the brain. This process creates new perceptions of the object. Perceiving the nature of an object leads to the formation of associated emotions. James was one of, if not the, first to suggest that emotions result from how individuals interpret the body’s physical sensations that follow an event. 

James’ work, though subject to criticism, was important in connecting the mind and body; it provided a foundation for later fields of psychology and came to be known as functionalism. 

What Is Functionalism (In Psychology)? 

Functionalism is an approach that arose almost in protest against structuralism, an approach founded by Wilhelm Wundt. Influenced by evolutionary theory and Charles Darwin, functionalism suggests our mental states and behaviours are survival mechanisms, acting in line with our biological goals. 

“The greatest discovery of my generation is that a human being can alter his life by altering his attitudes.”

– William James, American psychologist

As a result of the growing interest in this approach, the trajectory of the broader field of psychology was altered; existing, dominant structuralist ideas were up for legitimate dispute and ultimately many did not survive to this day. Likely the most notable result of functionalism was behaviourism, which saw figures like B.F. Skinner and Ivan Pavlov find evidence for their ideas around reinforcement learning and conditioning. 

William James’ Books

The Principles Of Psychology

The Principles of Psychology (1890) was seen as a definitive and innovative way to establish the functional point of view in psychology. The book gained widespread attention across North America and Europe, with praise from Sigmund Freud and Carl Jung in Vienna. Combining the study of mental states with their biological processes, the book treats thinking and knowledge as instruments for survival used to adapt to the surrounding environment [3].

Psychology: The Briefer Course

Psychology: The Briefer Course (1892) is a shorter version of The Principles of Psychology, presenting James’s main ideas in an accessible way and supporting a unified view of mind and body. The book emphasises psychology as a natural science and views it as a study of states of consciousness based on physiological processes [4].

The Varieties Of Religious Experience

The Varieties of Religious Experience: A Study in Human Nature (1902) comprises James’ series of Gifford Lectures, delivered at the University of Edinburgh, Scotland, between 1901 and 1902. In this book, James explores personal religious experiences and mysticism [5].

Later, chapters of the book focus on pragmatism—a field of philosophical thought which evaluates theories, beliefs and ideas based on their practical applications, consequences and successes. 

Final Words on William James 

William James profoundly influenced psychology and philosophy. James’s founding of functionalism shaped subsequent fields of psychology, such as behaviourism, which has had a lasting impact on the field of psychology. 

William James’ initial ideas laid the foundation for much later, extremely valuable and influential work. His work continues to influence contemporary psychology and there is no doubt that his legacy will remain for many years to come.