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Summarizes ideas abstracted from evolutionary psychology, cognitive science and paleoanthropology on Darwinian functionalism. Features of Darwinian functionalism; Asking questions about behavior; Understanding the past; Building models of mental life; Necessary and sufficient conditions for defining a cognitive mechanism; Issues of measurement in the observation of behavior.

Discusses the possibility of using functionalism as basis for a core theory of psychoanalysis. Reformulation of psychoanalysis based on cognitive science; Examination of the theories of Sigmund Freud; Importance of incorporating a philosophy of qualia at the core of psychoanalysis.

Focuses on the role of process-product research on studying teacher thinking. Link between process-product research and psychology; Efficiency of functionalism on studying interactive thoughts and decisions; Recommendation on building research agenda.

Presents an integration of the Living Systems Theory (LST) and contemporary sociological theory. Author J. Alexander's neofunctionalism; Emphases on time, space, process, structure and concrete systems; Contribution made by LST; Congruency and complementarity of LST and contemporary sociological theory.

Describes an emerging perspective of self-organizing processes and applies it to a new approach to a theory of human psychological functioning. Traditional orientation in human psychological functioning; Self-organizational perspective; Concept of structural coupling; Examination of the processes of recognition and configurational organization; Evolution of psychological functioning.

Social Judgement Theory (SJT) evolved from Egon Brunswik's Probabilistic Functionalist psychology coupled with multiple correlation and regression-based statistical analysis. Through its representational device, the Lens Model, SJT has become a widely used, systems-oriented perspective for analysing human judgement in specific ecological circumstances. Judgements are assumed to result from the integration of different cues or sources of perceptual information from the environment. Special advantages accrue to the SJT approach when criterion values (or correct values) for judgement are also available, as this permits the comparison of judgement processes to environmental processes and leads naturally to the generation of cognitive feedback as an aid to facilitate learning. In contrast to more prescriptive approaches to decision analysis, the SJT approach analyses judgements by decomposing the judgement process after judgements have been rendered. This a posteriori decomposition is accomplished by first using multiple regression analysis to recover prediction equations for both the judgement and ecological systems and then using the Lens Model Equation to compare those systems. SJT methods maintain close contact with ecological circumstances by employing the principle of representative design (which focuses on how the researcher obtains the stimuli for judgement) and avoiding unwarranted over-generalisations from nomothetic aggregation (e.g. averaging across judges) through the use of idiographic statistical analysis. SJT methods have proven valuable in the analysis of individual judgements as well as groupbased judgements where conflict becomes likely. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Discusses moral functionalism, supervenience and reductionism. Argument suggesting that moral functionalism gives a plausible account of the content of moral statements and beliefs as supported by the distinctive way that the ethical supervenes on the descriptive; Mark van Roojen's reductive naturalism; Concept of moral functionalism; Parallel interpretation between reductive naturalism and moral functionalism.

Focuses on the theory propounded by Frank Jackson and Philip Pettit delving into a functionalist analyses of mental states and moral reductionism. Explication of the theory with respect to the supervenience of the evaluative facts on the naturalistic facts and moral epistemology; Utilization of the theory to explain the plausibility of motivational internalism; Identity thesis.

Discusses issues concerning understanding the philosophy of the mind. Explanation of particular constraints on a proper psychology; Role in functionalism in forging an understanding of the mind.

Focuses on the failure of philosopher David Lewis' functionalism. Lewis' defense of functionalist account of the mental on a priori grounds; Original formulation of Lewis' functionalism stating that names of mental state abbreviate descriptions which characterize states in terms of their typical causes and effects.

Postulates the main principles of the general theory of functional systems. General properties of functional systems; System-organizing role of basic needs; Self-regulation as the main principle of organization of functional systems; Selective involvement of organs and tissues in functional system; Systemic organization of the whole organism.

In this reply to Eysenck, we attempt to clarify why we have criticized Eysenck’s Psychoticism model and have found it necessary to introduce our own alternative model. It is concluded that the validity o f the )I scale as a measure of Psychoticism has not been demonstrated and that the P construct itself is untenable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Presents a study which compares and contract prospective single-state and two-state functional status transitions in elderly persons who participated in the Longitudinal Study on Aging (LSOA). Method used to conduct the study; Assessment of functional status; Examination of the functional status transitions.

Functionalism is basic to Durkheim's sociology. Like other functionalists, he focused on the problem of order and the positive effects of social institutions, explaining their existence in terms of their functionally necessary contributions. As a pioneer he grappled with many of the basic problems posed by this perspective. He derived more than one explanation linking existence and necessity. The most distinctive, and yet widely ignored, aspect of his approach is the implicit argument that as a powerful, self-conscious entity controlling the behavior of its individual members, society can perpetuate the social conditions of its own existence. Many of the characteristic strengths and weaknesses of Durkheim's sociological theory may be traced to his functionalism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To be truly effective, designers working in a distributed environment need to spend less effort on integration of their ideas and work and more on the actual design task. However, the distributed, sequential, and iterative nature of the process typically results in wasted resources and long lead times. The purpose of this research is the development of parallelism models for the configuration of design tasks to accomplish the most effective integration in a distributed environment. The analogy to parallel computing is described. Four dependence primitives are compared and a new one, codependence, is defined. Six types of integration function are defined. A new representation called IDM (iterative design model) is developed and explained relative to product design tasks. Advantages of IDM compared with previous approaches are also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Durkheim's The Rules of Sociological Method has never enjoyed the same reputation as his major books, in part because the book is uncongenial to standard interpretations of Durkheim. In particular, its attacks on teleology do not fit his reputation as a functionalist. The papers in this special issue address the work historically. Both Porter and Stedman Jones deal with aspects of the context in which Durkheim worked and transformed. Schmaus and Nemedi deal with problems of interpreting Durkheim's development, and Platt discusses the reception of The Rules. The papers shed light on such important questions as the meaning of Durkheim's slogan "society is made of representations." Durkheim, it appears, was not only what would now be called a constructionist, he went on to ask whether the fact that constructions are real in their consequences did not imply the reality causal reality of construction and, therefore, a specific kind of "social realism." The problem The Rules poses, of what is the fundamental stuff of society, is "classic" in significance, and Durkheim's answer is classically radical. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Examines the functionalism in Adlerian psychology. Details of the philosophy of the 'as if'; Aspects of Vaihinger's fictions; Difference between fictions and hypotheses.

Presents studies which explored the nature of form-function relationships recognized by infants. Embodiment of form-function correlations within different parts of objects; Infants' recognition of a form-function correlation that was inconsistent with the kinds of correlations found in real objects.

Explores the typology of functions in the context of analytical psychology. Oppositional continuum of extraversion and introversion; Perception-judgment distinction; Process of individuation; Models of consciousness.

The article presents a comparison of the Jewish traditional views of man in the functional and diagnostic schools of social work. Since the diagnostic school of thought is based on psychology of illness, the social worker feels responsible to diagnose and treat a pathological condition and change is centered in the worker. On the other hand, the functional school, which is based on psychology of growth and centers change in the client, enables the worker to engage in a relationship wherein the client has power for choice and growth. The diagnostic group calls the process treatment while the functional group calls its method, helping.

Brunswik's probabilistic functionalism and the lens model offers a conceptual framework for linking environmental assessment with environmental perception and cognition in the study of such urban problems as inference and action regarding crime opportunity and crime vulnerability. An adaptation of Brunswik's lens model is applied to analysis of inferences about urban conditions. The ecological validity of cues generated by technical and observational assessments of residential streets in San Francisco is gauged for three conditions: traffic volume, average family income and residents' concern about crime. The functional validity of estimates of these conditions by expert judges is also appraised, and policy capturing is illustrated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Discusses the problems in the ascription of functions to objects found in archaeological sites for archaeologists concerned with understanding human behavior on the basis of material remains. Absence of any means to question the makers of the artifacts with respect to their purposes; Lack of direct observation on how the artifacts functioned in the society which produced and used them.

Objective: The aim of this study was to determine whether individuals who experience transient cocaine-induced paranoia are vulnerable to psychosis. Method: The subjects were 20 cocaine-dependent men who had been using more than 5 g of cocaine per week and were undergoing substance abuse treatment; half reported binge-limited cocaine-induced paranoia. The men were assessed with the Perceptual Aberration Scale and the Magical Ideation Scale, self-report measures of symptoms thought to precede the development of functional psychosis. Results: The combined scores on the Perceptual Aberration Scale and Magical Ideation Scale were strongly correlated with a history of cocaine-induced paranoia. The sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive power were 80.0%, 90.0%, 88.9%, and 81.8%, respectively. Conclusions: Heavy cocaine users who experience transient paranoia while intoxicated may be at higher risk for development of psychosis than cocaine users who do not experience paranoia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The three most widely used diagnostic systems in American psychiatry—the Feighner criteria, the Research Diagnostic Criteria, and DSM-III—appeared sequentially at 4-year intervals. The fact that the latter two systems each incorporated changes in essentially all diagnostic categories implied progress toward greater validity; however, this assumption has rarely been tested directly. To do this, the authors applied each of these three systems to 98 consecutively admitted patients with nonmanic psychoses. Although family history and 6-month follow-up data strongly supported the validity of diagnostic distinctions made in each of the three systems, they did not show increments in validity with successively developed criteria sets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper sketches the origins and development of one of the most widely influential of anthropological contributions to thinking about Indian society, 'Sanskritization', tracing its sources and its evolution in the thought of M.N. Srinivas, its author. As a process, he identified it first in his work as a student of G.S. Ghurye on 1930's rural Mysore The roots and the form of this identification are examined The theory was named and proclaimed in his classic Religion and society among the Coorgs, based on his Ph. D. work for Ghurye which he had reworked under the influence of Radcliffe-Brown's structural-functionalism. Appearing thus, its original limited base was hidden it was no longer a theory about Mysore society but about India in general, and indeed India resurgent in the era of Independence Two diverging theses developed, linked by the centrality of the Brahman. One, seminal for future theoretical development, introduced social mobility into caste analysis; the other, more politically significant, was on the integration of Indian society. The paper discusses the subsequent development of the theory and, in a postscript, the way in which it reappears at the centre of current ideological oppositions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The word «profession» and its derivatives (professionalism, professionalization) are frequently used in the common language and also in the social science, but little clarity exists about their meanings. The paper investigates the origins of the concept of profession as a special, prestigious and selective type of occupation in the history of social thought, and examines the different meanings attached toit by different theoretical perspectives, from functionalism to symbolic interactionism, from (neo)marxism to (neo)weberianism. Recognizing in the semantic ambiguity of the term -- and therefore in its political productivity the cause of its diffusion, the paper argues also for a deeper attention to the reflexive nature of the concept and to the historicity of its meanings and usages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article traces the development of functional theory at the Pennsylvania School of Social Work in the 1920s and I 930s against a contextual backdrop of social work's struggle to carve Out a professional identity. The evolution of this theoretical orientation to social work practice is discussed, including the often acrimonious functional- diagnostic debates of the 1930s and 1940s. Finally, the lasting influence of functional theory on current social work practice is addressed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While the concepts of manifest and latent function are commonly described in textbooks as "valuable' and "important," they are rarely used in sociological research. Merton's original formulation and discussion, together with subsequent criticism, is examined in the hope of finding an explanation for this paradox. Four different meanings of the manifest-latent distinction are identified together with a widespread tendency to replace the contrast between purpose and consquence with that between commonsense knowledge and sociological understanding. This practice is, in turn, related to an inability to accommodate normative and idealistic behavior into the scheme, a fundamental weakness which stems from its character as an unintegrated product of functionalism and action theory. This. insight leads into a discussion of some of the larger problems surrounding the juxtaposition of an interpretative, phenomenological approach with that of functionalism and, while recognizing that there is a real need for such a unified perspective, concludes that Merton's manifest and latent function distinction does not meet it. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: We wished to explore the sociodemographic and clinical characteristics associated with admission to hospital in patients with a non-organic non-affective psychosis.Method: Subjects were 484 first-contact patients with a non-affective functional psychosis from an inner-city catchment area over 20 years from the mid-1960s. Sociodemographic and clinical characteristics associated with admission to hospital were analysed.Results: Around 20% of patients were not admitted, and the proportion did not change significantly over the years. Ethnicity, sex, and marital and employment status did not predict admission. Factors associated with admission included police involvement, and violence to self or others. A diagnosis of schizoaffective disorder, and persecutory delusions, auditory hallucinations, and bizarre behaviour were all more common in patients admitted to hospital.Conclusions: The study indicates biases which might arise in research based exclusively on patients admitted to hospital. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

"Functional psychosis is conventionally subdivided into schizophrenia and manic depressive psychosis. Response to treatment is assumed to be a validating criterion for these diagnoses. The efficacy of pimozide (a dopamine antagonist neuroleptic), lithium, and a combination of the two was compared with that of placebo in a 4-week trial in 120 functionally psychotic patients, each of whom was assessed for psychotic symptoms, manic symptoms, and depressive symptoms. The sample was subdivided into patients with predominantly elevated mood, predominantly depressed mood, and no consistent mood change. Pimozide reduced psychotic symptoms in all groups of patients. The only significant effect of lithium was to reduce elevated mood. Thus dopamine blockade seems relevant to the resolution of psychotic symptoms in all types of 'functional' psychosis, but the mode of action of lithium in psychotic patients concerns only mood. Application of standardised classifications of functional psychosis to these data did not change this conclusion." [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To gain more insight into the social (as opposed to clinical) outcome of schizophrenia, a unidimensional, heirarchical scale was constructed. Items were selected from the Disability Assessment Schedule (DAS)--a new instrument, used in the WHO Collaborative Study on the Assessment and Reduction of Psychiatric Disability. Data were derived from the Dutch cohort participating in this study, which consisted of patients with a first life-time episode of a non-affective, functional psychosis. Patients were followed-up during the first three years of their illness, and analyses of the stability and reliability of the scale proved to be satisfactory. It was subsequently used to characterise the course of social disability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is not intended to be yet another contribution to the Methodenstreit underlying the controversy of the last two decades over the functionalist theory of social stratification. Its purpose is, rather, to explain why efforts to synthesize functionalist and non-functionalist approaches have failed to create a qualitatively new and feasible paradigm in the sociological field of social stratification. It aims to demonstrate that scientific progress in empirically explanatory and predictive stratification theory and research can only be attained by surmounting the current "prerevolutionary stage," a progress, however, which is not necessarily tantamount to a cumulative combination of the current approaches to social stratification. After confrontation of the central elements of the contrasting "schools" and a critical investigation of Lenski's attempted but failed compromise, it shall be critically proposed and discussed that efforts in the direction of a structural power analysis of social stratification are more promising for the emergence of the desired paradigm and testable theoretical formulations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article discusses the psychological aspects of furniture. It is said that the field of furnishing experiences the struggle between traditions and habits. In the article, the term modern style is used to describe furniture which is produced according to the principles of functionalism. Functionalism denotes that a piece of furniture is ought to be suitable for its purpose.

The article focuses on the functional analysis of developmental retardation. Hypothetical, internal determining factors and biological processes do not explain the condition. Abnormal anatomical structure and functioning, inadequate reinforcement and discrimination histories, the consequences of aversive stimulation, and reinforcement of aversive behavior play roles in retardation. Also discussed is the possible discontinuity in the interaction with a mother figure.

Both critics and defenders tend to regard structural-functionalism as a single school with a distinct identity and a common strategy. This paper argues that the illusion of unity has obfuscated the debate. It suggests that structural-functionalism harbors at least two quite different approaches. While both are "legitimate," they lead to different conclusions and different vulnerabilities. Thus, it matters whether one is primarily concerned with the structural part or the systematic whole. In each case there are advantages and disadvantages, but charges of Panglossian unity, illusions of indispensability, static analysis, and ideological conservatism do not apply equally to both. Each is exposed to biases, but the biases are not the same. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Development of the field of social change has seriously lagged during the past generation. Retardation has been due to numerous forces, among them a structural and functional bias which in emphasizing the study of organizational adjustment to innovation has restricted the scope of change theory and research. Additionally, an emphasis upon cultural, as distinct from social, processes has obscured the interactional roots of change. Also the repudiation of 19th century evolutionary thought has tended to make suspect any directional, long range theorizing. A revitalization of social change analysis in the fullest develomental sense is required for the comprehension of change sequences and processes in the new nations. It is probable that our most feasible methodology for a "sociology of development" lies in the construction of a series of real models as refinements of the Gemeinschaft-Gesellschaft, Sacred-Secular theoretical tradition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent research portrays the counselor as not only tender, gentle, loving, and Passive-receptive in a Farsonian sense but also active and assertive, and able to confront and interpret immediacy when appropriate. Functional definitions of masculinity and femininity would suggest that the counselor initiates communication and is action-oriented as well as responsive and facilitative. Those counselors who offer the highest levels of facilitative dimensions also offer the highest levels of action-oriented dimensions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Explores the issue of the obsolescence of the functional form of organization. Comparison between functional and patchwork structured organizations; Factors that contributed to the declining popularity of functional organization.

The apologetic attitude of sociologists on the subject of social change is unwarranted. Both empirical generalizations and theoretical derivations are available. For theoretical derivation, however, various modifications are necessary in the usual models of society employed by functionalists. Such modifications permit the identification of the sources of change in all societies. Various non-social causes and social determinisms have been rejected but other dynamic factors remain. These include both flexibilities and strains inherent in the structure of societies. it is suggested that a "pure" theory of social change, independent of substantive identification of the patterns undergoing transformation, would be uninteresting. Rather, social change can be integrated with standard theory around the very structural topics already in use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Examines differences in functional development through finger tapping with controlled hand and arm movement in children and adults. Interrelation between maturity of performance in tapping and the size of muscle group involved; Computation of coefficients of reliability for finger tapping; Comparison of bimanual tapping reliability between children and adults.

An introduction to the journal is presented in which the editor discusses various reports published within the issue including the Vitalii Shabel'nikov's concept on functional psychology, László Garai's journal interview in "Voprosy filosofii," and Asenov Geraskov on the conscious and unconscious phenomena of the human mind.

Presents information on a study which compared two tests on executive functioning. Methodology of the study; Results and discussion on the study; Conclusion.

The article focuses on the issues concerning the textbooks related to psychiatry studies, which was published in Great Britain. An example is the case of the book "Companion to Psychiatric Studies," edited by R. E. Kendell and A. K. Zealley, which was considered as useful as anything related to functional psychosis. However, large textbooks took time to finish and published a few years ago which means written longer in the past. This trend created a problem of unupdated information which lacked of any developments such as molecular genetics and liaison psychiatry.

The article discusses the occupational therapy program for treatment of cerebral palsy in children. Under the occupational therapy, sensory-motor functions are developed into skilled activity, which are then related to the performance of the child. Disturbance in neuromotor, visual, kinesthetic or auditory spheres may limit the child's total performance. Occupational therapists can locate where the functional breakdown occurs. The occupational therapy program covers basic eye-hand patterns, integrative patterns and functional skills.

The paper by Cramer and colleagues illustrates how a network approach can model personality systems without positing causal latent factors such as the Big Five. We applaud this effort but argue that nodes should be distinguished on more than quantitative grounds (e.g. displayed centrality or connectivity). To realistically model the affects, cognitions and behaviours that constitute real personalities, organizing constructs such as needs and comparators seems necessary. Incorporating them requires greater consideration of functionalist personality theories that link together environmental features and adaptive behaviour in meaningful and stable ways. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Performing two tasks concomitantly (dual task) is common in every day life. Sometimes, individuals are successful; at other times, they are not. The aim of this study was to examine and compare brain responses, in particular functional connectivity, when individuals performed the dual task correctly and when they committed errors. Thus, 13 musically naive subjects observed sequential finger movements while concomitantly performed either similar, dissimilar or semi-similar movements. We also manipulated the point of view of the observed movements. They were presented in either egocentric or allocentric perspective. Electroencephalograms were recorded from 64 electrodes. Activity was considered in 5 frequency bands (4–8 Hz, 8–10 Hz, 10–13 Hz, 13–20 Hz, 20–30 Hz) using a non-linear measure of functional connectivity (FC). When the perspective of the observed movements was egocentric, no FC difference was observed between successful and unsuccessful trials irrespective of the frequency bands. However, with an allocentric perspective and in the 8–10 Hz frequency band, FC for the parietal area was greater when subjects were successful in producing the dual task compared to when they were unsuccessful. In the 13–20 Hz frequency band, a reverse pattern was observed. FC for central, parietal, and right temporal areas were greater when the subjects committed errors during the dual task. Explanations related to: (i) the task demands (i.e., attention, mental effort), (ii) the role(s) of alpha and beta oscillations in cognitive processes, and (iii) the function(s) of cortical areas are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]