140k views
3 votes
Which of the following is true about Functionalism? Select one:

a. None of the statements is true.
b. It is proposed by James Watson
c. It is derived from structuralism
d. It is influenced by evolutionary principles

User Pzr
by
7.6k points

1 Answer

4 votes

Final answer:

The true statement about Functionalism is that it is influenced by evolutionary principles. This psychological theory, associated with figures like William James, focuses on how behavior and mental processes serve adaptive functions for survival and reproduction.

Step-by-step explanation:

Regarding the question of which statement is true about Functionalism, the correct answer is that it is influenced by evolutionary principles. Functionalism is a psychological theory that was established by influential figures like William James, John Dewey, and Charles Sanders Peirce. These founders were inspired by Darwin's evolutionary theory and believed that behaviors and mental processes had functional roles in helping organisms adapt to their environment for survival and reproduction.

Functionalism is also compared to structuralism, as functionalists are interested in the operation of the whole mind rather than its individual parts. It should not be confused with the sociological perspective of structural-functionalism, sometimes just referred to as functionalism, credited to theorists like Herbert Spencer and Émile Durkheim, who see society as a structure with interrelated parts meant to meet the needs of individuals within a society.

User Colin R
by
8.1k points