Interpreting Human Kinds: Beginnings of a Hermeneutic Psychology

During the past decade, a number of theoretical psychologists have argued that the subject matter of psychology is distinct from that of the physical sciences in ways that require interpretation as a method of inquiry. Rejecting what they regard as a mistaken scientism in the conduct of traditional...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Theory & psychology 2001-04, Vol.11 (2), p.193-207
Main Authors: Martin, Jack, Sugarman, Jeff
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Classification
Hermeneutics
Philosophical thought
Psychoanalysis
Psychology
Psychotherapy
Social construction
Subjectivity
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Summary:During the past decade, a number of theoretical psychologists have argued that the subject matter of psychology is distinct from that of the physical sciences in ways that require interpretation as a method of inquiry. Rejecting what they regard as a mistaken scientism in the conduct of traditional psychological research, these hermeneutically inspired theorists also have been critical of what they regard as overly strong anti-realist, anti-subjectivist and relativistic aspects of postmodern social constructionism as it has been developed by some psychologists. In this article, we elaborate a distinction between natural and human kinds, summarize concerns that have been expressed with respect to Gergen's social constructionism, review recent attempts to develop a hermeneutically informed interpretative psychology, and highlight central features of this developing approach to psychological inquiry.
ISSN:0959-3543
1461-7447
DOI:10.1177/0959354301112003