William James:
A) argued that psychological inquiry should be deductive.
B) did not feel that physiology was a critical factor in psychological processes.
C) was opposed to laboratory study.
D) provided an intellectual atmosphere conducive to psychology.
E) was a detailed experimenter.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

William James is often considered the father of American psychology and provided an intellectual atmosphere that was conducive to the development of psychology as a discipline. He emphasized the importance of studying the functions of the mind in adapting to the environment, which laid the groundwork for functionalism. Unlike the statements suggested in options A, B, C, and E, James was not opposed to laboratory study per se, nor did he disregard physiology; rather, his approach was more philosophical and less experimental compared to some of his contemporaries.