The central idea developed in this thesis is that our understanding of the institutionalisation of scientific disciplines may be deepened by it consideration of the potential clients who served as 'markets' for the knowledge generated by the new discipline. I argue that successful institutionalisation, and ultimately the 'shape' of the new discipline, depends upon the social interests of these clients who perceive the discipline in terms of the solution of major problems confronting them. In Chapter 2,I apply this model to the emergence of experimental psychology in Edwardian Britain. Here, the importance of. clients in education and mental health cannot be overemphasised. They not only provided the institutional framework for psychology, they also contributed to psychological knowledge. The reasons for this are to be found in the clients' professional interests: psychology offered a scientific basis for their practice which promised to enhance their autonomy and status. The remaining chapters are devoted to industrial psychology, specifically to the N. I. I. P. Chapter 3 deals with the Institute's sponsors, who are categorised both in terms of the problems they faced and their perceptions of the value of industrial psychology. This provides the framework used in the following chapter to interpret the industrial psychologists' rhetoric, scientific orientation and specific techniques. The N. I. I. P. 's programme of 'rationalising' work and securing the adjustment of people and their surroundings' in a meritocratic system reflected the aspirations of the new professional middle-class and the needs of the ruling class.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:bl.uk/oai:ethos.bl.uk:496912 |
| Date | January 1979 |
| Creators | Doyle, D. C. |
| Publisher | University of Manchester |
| Source Sets | Ethos UK |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Electronic Thesis or Dissertation |
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