Given the persistant discussion of postmodern times in various fields of human activity, from art to science, I am interested to know what psychologists think of it. If modern psychology is earmarked by such things as Freud's invention of psychoanalysis, Wundt's laboratory, the gestalt theory of perception, and so on, what, if anything, marks psychology as a postmodern human activity?

-- John Hedlin (jhedlin@canada.com), October 23, 2001

Answers

You might have a look at work by Ken Gergen, or by Edward Sampson. They wrote influential articles on the topic for _American Psychologist_ in the 1980s. Since then there has a been a growing group of psychologists who identify themselves (to varying degrees) with postmodernism. You might have a look at _Journal of Theoretical and Philosophical Psychology_ (the offical journal of Division 24 of the APA), or at _Theory and Psychology_ a journal associated with the International Soctiey for Theoretical Psychology. There are also university programs devoted to related "Critical Psychology" in Berlin and in Sydney, Australia.

-- Christopher Green (christo@yorku.ca), October 23, 2001.

The most recent issue of American Psychologist (October 2001) contains an article by Gergen on postmodernism and psychology. There was also a "debate" between Gergen and M. Brewster Smith about the (de-)merits of postmodernism for psychology in the May 1994 issue of American Psychologist, and some discussion in the "Comments" section of the May 1995 issue.

-- Christopher Green (christo@yorku.ca), October 26, 2001.