Integration And Differentiation: William James And Modern Psychology

William James has been acknowledged as Father of American Psychology. From the perspective that development in modern psychology has undergone the process from integration to differentiation and then back to integration again, this dissertation looks at the relationship between James and modern psychology. James was the first in the history of psychology to integrate the previous psychological thoughts in his time and built an integrated psychology, which is conveyed in the discipline nature, subject matter, research methods and research toptics in his psychology. However, psychology afterwards did not follow this line of integration, but rather differentiates along different directions with an origin from this integrated psychology, which resulted in the phenomena of differentiation and disunity of modern psychology. This dissertation specifically examined James' influence on: (1)the psychological fields based on scientific approach in modern psychology such as experimental psychology, functionalism, behaviorism, cognitive psychology; (2)the psychological fields based on humanistic approach in modern psychology such as psychoanalysis, existential-phenomenological psychology, Gestalt psychology, humanistic psychology; (3)recently-occurred psychological fields including, such as ecological psychology, evolutionary psychology, transpersonal psychology, post-modern psychology.After James, the phenomena of differentiation and disunity in the century-long history of psychology has aroused much attention of psychologists with insight. These psychologists raised the issue of integrating modern psychology again. The author tries to expose the modern implications of James' thoughts on integrating psychology, which are indispensable ideological resources for a solution to the integration problems. James' view on integration was "a view of star cluster", which means differential unity. That is, psychological integration is pluralistic rather than monistic. Modern psychology can draw inspirations from James' psychological thoughts on integration.In this dissertation, theoretical implications of James' thoughts to the integration of modern psychology are as follows: (1)taking an integrated view of psychology; (2)integrating psychological discipline based on scientific and humanistic approach; (3)making efforts to develop theoretical psychology so as to integrate the theoretical research and positive research; (4)strengthening the development of applied psychology.