EDUCATIONAL

PSYCHOLOGY
HISTORY
John Locke & William James
• At Oxford, he studied
medicine, which would play
SYNOPSIS
a central role in his life.
• He became a highly
influential philosopher,
writing about such topics as
political philosophy,
epistemology (the
investigation of what
distinguishes justified belief
from opinion), and education.
• Locke's writings helped
found modern Western
philosophy.
WILLIAM JAMES
• William James was born in New York City on January
11, 1842, into an intellectual household; his father was
a philosopher and his brother, Henry James, grew up
to become a renowed novelist.
• After medical school, James focused on the human
psyche, writing a masterwork on the subject,
entitled The Principles of Psychology.
• He later became known for the literary piece The Will
to Believe and Other Essays in Popular Philosophy,
which was published in 1897.
PRAGMATISM
 THE DIFFERENCE
BETWEEN IDEALISM AND PRAGMATISM

Idealism is the property of a person

•  

of having high ideals that are usually

unrealizable or at odds with practical
life while pragmatism is the pursuit
of practicality over aesthetic
qualities; a concentration on facts
rather than emotions or ideals.
 FUNCTIONALISM
• Functionalists adopt a consensus view of
society, that is, one based on harmony and
agreement between its members.

• They emphasize the positive aspects of education,

for example, History teaches students about a
shared heritage and culture and Civics teaches
them about responsible citizenship.
RESEARCH – ASSIGNMENT IN
GROUPS:  
IDENTIFY WAYS IN WHICH
FUNCTIONALISTS WOULD SEE
THE STUDY OF THAT SUBJECT
AS BEING BENEFICIAL FOR
BOTH INDIVIDUALS AND
SOCIETY.  
http://www.discoversociology.co.uk/social-inequalities/Functiona