"Doing theory" in psychology

feminist re-actions

Mary Gergen

pp. 145-153

in: Michael E. Hyland, William J. Baker, René van Hezewijk, Terwee (eds), Recent trends in theoretical psychology, Berlin, Springer, 1990

Abstract

Feminist theorists have developed a range of alternative approaches to scientific work in the last three decades. The application of these ideas would have strong implications for change in psychology. Especially vulnerable would be the notion of "objective" and value-neutral scientific inquiry. A feminist psychology would require value explicit theorizing. The focus of change would be on discourse systems, which are the producers of meaning in science and in society. In addition, the creation of new theories in which individuals as origins of behavior would be replaced by situationally dependent relational units is recommended. Lastly subjects of study would be encouraged to participate in the making of theory, and be users of the outcomes of theoretical work.