vbid/9783319010625

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??Edgar Rubin�was one of the outstanding pioneers of perceptual psychology in the early twentieth�century. His approach involved a turning away from an earlier elementaristic psychology�towards an approach based on �perceptual wholes.� Rubin�s approach is closely�linked to the Gestalt revolution in perceptual psychology and was eagerly embraced by the Gestaltists. This has often led to Rubin being classified as a Gestalt psychologist. This misrepresents his position as is�shown in the book. Rubin�s aim was to develop a descriptive�psychology � or aspective psychology to use his terminology � which would do full justice to the complex nature of psychological phenomena. Thus he rejected attempts by the Gestalt psychologists to explain diverse phenomena within a single overarching framework. While Rubin is internationally often misclassified as a Gestalt psychologist, in Denmark he is often hailed as a pioneer of a specific Danish �school of phenomenology.� This also misrepresents Rubin�s approach who was highly critical of psychological �schools.� His criticisms of the overambitious theoretical aspirations of Gestalt psychology, his negative attitude towards school formation�in psychology were both highly prescient. What remains today of Gestalt psychology�is primarily its descriptive parts; the idea of schools of psychology, so common in early�twentieth century psychology is now seen as a totally outmoded viewpoint. There is�an interesting moral in this story for the history and status of psychology; to wit,�that Rubin�s emphasis on the correct description of psychological phenomena shows�what is likely to live on as classic contributions to psychology. This certainly holds for�his own work on figure and ground which, after almost a century, is still universally�known and admired by psychologists. He was indeed a consummate psychological�observer. The book argues for the importance of description in psychology.?Typham this is the title: Edgar Rubin and Psychology in Denmark Figure and Ground