AP PSYCHOLOGY

Detailed explanation-1: -Inspired by evolutionary theory, James’s theoretical perspective on psychology came to be known as functionalism, which sought causal relationships between internal states and external behaviors.

Detailed explanation-2: -William James, (born January 11, 1842, New York, New York, U.S.-died August 26, 1910, Chocorua, New Hampshire), American philosopher and psychologist, a leader of the philosophical movement of pragmatism and a founder of the psychological movement of functionalism.

Detailed explanation-3: -History. The origins of functionalism are traced back to William James, the renowned American psychologist of the late 19th century. James was heavily influenced by Darwin’s theory of evolution, and was critical of the structural approach to psychology that had dominated the field since its inception.

Detailed explanation-4: -William James was a psychologist and philosopher who had a major influence on the development of psychology in the United States. Among his many accomplishments, he was the first to teach a psychology course in the U.S. and is often referred to as the father of American psychology.

Detailed explanation-5: -James proposed we instead focus on what he called the “cash value, ” or usefulness, of an idea. According to functionalism, mental activity (e.g. perception, memory, feeling) is to be evaluated in terms of how it serves the organism in adapting to its environment.