CHAPTER 1

THE PSYCHOLOGICAL BASIS OF EDUCATION

Education depends heavily upon psychology because the kind and amount of
education that the learner acquires is conditioned by his psychological traits such as
general mental ability, aptitudes, temperament, interest, effort making capacity,
physical condition, etc. Hence, the principle of education are principally based upon
the facts and principles of psychology.
THE SYSTEM OR SCHOOLS OF PSYCHOLOGY
The different schools or systems of psychology upon which many important
educational principles are based are the following:
1. Structuralism. This point of view held by Wundt and Titchener. They
contend that experience or mental states are made of sensation, images or
ideas, and feelings, as well as analysis of these elements, their attributes,
and their combinations.
2. Functionalism. Asserts that the mental processes should be regarded as
functions or operations of the organism in its adaptation to and modification
of the environment. Dewey and Carr, functionalists are interested in how an
organism makes its adjustment to its environment, that is either it changes or
makes adaptation to it. For instance, a big river separates a barrio from the
town. To be able to go to town, the barrio folks have to learn how to swim or
construct a bridge across the river.
3. Behaviorism. Founded by Watson, behaviorism considers the stimulusresponse hypothesis as its basic theory. This believes that a stimulus physical
or otherwise creates a response.
Thorndike laws of learning were formulated by the behaviorists and stressed
the law of exercise as well as the importance of drill and repetition as a mode
of learning.
4. Gestalt psychology. The central thesis of this system or school is that the
conception of experience at any given moment is determined by the totality
of its related phases which constitute an integrated pattern of configuration.
The whole is more than the sum of all its parts, meaning that the whole
possess qualities, attributes or functions which the individual component
elements do not possess.
5. Other psychological schools. Minor system or school of psychology
are:
The Hormic or purposive psychology of MacDougall which emphasizes the
function of urges or purpose in behavior; Woodworths dynamic psychology
which regards the human individual as dynamic striving organism instead of
a passive one, and the school of psychoanalysis, founded by Frued and
developed further by Alder and Jung which furnished explanations for mental
and emotional maladjustments in terms of the inability of the individual to
satisfy his own desire.
THE ECLECTIC APPROACH
The point of common agreement of the different schools or systems should be used
to determine the validity or usefulness of an educational practice suited to the
particular purpose on hand.
THE PSYCHOLOGICAL FACTORS THAT CONDITION THE INTELLECTUAL AND
BEHVIORAL DEVELOPPPMENT OF AN INDIVIDUAL
1. Reflexes. Inborn automatic response to simple localized stimulation involving
particular muscles and parts of the body.
2. Drives, needs, wants, urges.
3. Capacities and special aptitude.
4. Temperament or emotion.