Phenomenology and Psychological Science: Historical and Philosophical Perspectives

Phenomenological studies of human experience are a vital component of caring professions such as counseling and nursing, and qualitative research has had increasing acceptance in American psychology. At the same time, the debate continues over whether phenomenology is legitimate science, and whether qualitative approaches carry any empirical validity.

Ashworth and Chung’s Phenomenology and Psychological Science places phenomenology firmly in the context of psychological tradition. And to dispel the basic misconceptions surrounding this field, the editors and their seven collaborators trace the evolution of phenomenological philosophy (including the work of Sartre and Heidegger) and its parallel impact on psychological science, revealing key points of compatibility:

• The phenomenological roots of mainstream psychology
• Controversies within phenomenology on the nature of consciousness
• Existentialist currents in contemporary psychology
• The value of qualitative methods in science-based practice
• Applications of phenomenology in case conceptualization and therapy
• Possibilities for qualitative-based research

The unique presentation of its subject makes this volume a source of considerable interest for readers involved in theoretical and historical psychology. It will also prove to be important reading for the professional or advanced student concerned with the search for meaning that unites philosophy and psychology.