Essential Psychology
Chapter Summary
In this chapter, we have tried to address poor Alice’s dilemma in answering the question – who are you? The earliest psychologists thought that it was a fundamental matter for psychology to investigate and devise theories that answered questions in their own terms and not those of the philosophers or playwrights (though Shakespeare did a good job). We have considered the main approaches that, over the past 60 years or so, have been successful but have, in turn, raised further issues: of methodology, ontology, levels of explanation and real-world usefulness. We have also shown that recent studies have moved away from the traditional understanding of self as a fixed ‘thing’ that is ‘real’ or ‘true’, towards self as being constantly produced through interactions that take place in specific, cultural, political, social, temporal, geographic and, increasingly, intrapersonal and virtual contexts or digital spaces. We see that psychological research can be interdisciplinary and provide useful understandings for people about ourselves in an increasingly technological world.
- In answering the question "Who are you?", we have shown how psychologists have moved from self as a fundamental aspect of a person and the self as a fixed ‘thing’ that is ‘real’ or ‘true’ to more dynamic models
- Recent studies take account of people's interactions in specific cultural, political, social, temporal, geographic and, increasingly and importantly, in virtual contexts or spaces
- Further issues are raised in terms of methodology, ontology and levels of explanation and include recent critical ideas of social construction, dramaturgy and discursive practices
- Psychological research can be interdisciplinary and provide useful understandings for people in our increasingly technological world.