Edward Titchener
British-American psychologist who brought structuralism to the US, focusing on conscious experience.
Most quoted
"The business of psychology is to analyze mental structure, to synthesize mental elements, and to explain mental processes."
— from An Outline of Psychology, 1896
"The psychologist must be a trained observer, capable of analyzing his own mental states without bias or preconception."
— from Experimental Psychology: A Manual of Laboratory Practice, 1901
"The aim of psychology is to describe and explain the states of consciousness as they occur in the human mind."
— from An Outline of Psychology, 1896
All quotes by Edward Titchener (107)
Psychology is the science of the general adult mind.
The task of psychology is to describe and explain conscious experience.
We must distinguish between the 'mind' as a collection of processes and the 'self' as a personal identity.
The psychologist must be a dispassionate observer of his own mental states.
The elements of consciousness are simple and irreducible.
Psychology is concerned with the 'what' of experience, not the 'why' or 'wherefore'.
The method of introspection is difficult, but indispensable.
The mind is a system of processes, not a static entity.
The psychologist must be free from metaphysical assumptions.
The goal of psychology is to provide a complete description of conscious experience.
Psychology is a natural science, akin to physics and chemistry.
The psychologist must be a trained observer, not a mere introspector.
The mind is a stream of consciousness, ever-changing and dynamic.
The elements of consciousness combine to form complex mental states.
Psychology is concerned with the immediate experience, not with its remote causes or effects.
The psychologist must be objective in his observations, even of his own mind.
The mind is a structure of elementary processes.
Psychology is the science of the normal adult human mind.
The task of psychology is to analyze consciousness into its simplest components.
The psychologist must avoid the 'meaning error' and focus on the raw experience.
Contemporaries of Edward Titchener
Other Psychologys born within 50 years of Edward Titchener (1867–1927).