Discuss Cattell’s approach to functional psychology at Columbia.
James McKeen Cattell presented the different appearance of the concept of functionalism. He was greatly influenced by the Galton. He accepted the post of the professor at the University of the Columbia. His basic interest areas of the research were the reaction time, mental testing and the psychophysics. He had followed the Galton by assuming that the measurement of the intelligence could be done on the basis of the study of the motor as well as the sensory abilities.
According to the Cattell the science is developing the organisms not the immutable species. He also believed that the evaluation of the methods and the ideas has to be done on the basis of their usefulness. Cattell in association with the Thorndike founded the famous psychology corporation. It was founded to provide the various services in the field of the industry and the education.
Under the influence of the Cattell the Columbia became the stronghold of the functionalism. He became the leading producer of the philosophy of the doctorate in the field of the psychology in the Columbia. Functionalism was became the typical psychology of the Americans.