A Search for Principles in <i>Principles of Psychology</i>

Abstract

Principles of Psychology was published as an introductory textbook, with the contemporary virtue of having chapters that “can be assigned in any order.” It is a compendium of speculation, with very few connecting threads to tie materials together. This article reports one psychologist's travels through the Principles, in search of latent organizing structure, using as a guidebook the methodological and substantive content of two recent articles (Kimble, 1989, 1990a). The journey had its low and high points: The methodology encountered was hardly worth the trip. The exciting moments were the views of correspondences between James’ insights and what we know today.