William James

American psychologist and philosopher whose Principles of Psychology (1890) made him a leading proponent of functionalism.

Specifications & Metrics

lifespan

1842-1910

nationality

American

tradition

Functionalism / pragmatism

Core Principles & Analysis

• The Principles of Psychology (1890) took twelve years and covered consciousness, habit, emotion, and will.
• The James-Lange theory of emotion proposed that bodily change precedes, rather than follows, felt emotion.
• A leading proponent of functionalism, he asked what mental processes do rather than what elements they are built from.

Sources

• Wikipedia: William James