Final answer:
Functionalism in psychology is a perspective that focuses on studying the function of behavior in the world, emphasizing adaptation and the role of mental activities in helping an organism fit into its environment.
Step-by-step explanation:
Functionalism in psychology is a perspective that focuses on how mental activities and behaviors help an organism fit into its environment. It emphasizes studying the function of behavior in the world, rather than focusing on the individual parts of the mind.
This perspective was developed by psychologists William James, John Dewey, and Charles Sanders Peirce, who accepted Darwin's theory of evolution and applied it to psychology. Functionalism views adaptation as a key aspect of behavior, where traits that have a function for the survival and reproduction of an organism are naturally selected.