Comparative Methods in Psychology

Book excerpt: First published in 1980. Psychology is today increasingly diversified, sophisticated, pluralistic, and specialized, and psychologists venture beyond the confines of their narrow subdiscipline only rarely. Yet psychologists with different specialties encounter similar problems, ask similar questions, and share similar concerns. Unfortunately, there are far too few forums for the expression or exploration of what is common in psychology. The series, Crosscurrents in Contemporary Psychology, is intended to serve as such a forum. The purpose of this volume, Comparative Methods in Psychology is to make available to the psychological community thoughtful essays that examine the history, philosophy, theory, methodology, and experimentation representative of major comparative methods. The chapters in this collection are intended to introduce students of psychology to specialized modes of comparison from the perspectives of prominent contributors and to promote mutual discussion among comparativists of issues and concerns common to all types of comparison.