The Systems’ Principle in Contemporary Psychology

Abstract

The article discusses the foundations, content and developments of contemporary psychology. The author argues that the systems’ principle has entered psychological theory and practice. Analysing contemporary tendencies in science, the author observes the following changes: 1) a genetic turn in the systems approach; 2) a focus on integration and holism in studies of psychological phenomena; 3) an interest in the ontology of the mind. The author suggests that the systems approach requires, first, sensitivity to the integral (systemic) qualities of reality under examination and, second, possibilities for synthesising various dimensions of research. The paper discusses the prospects for the systems approach in psychology, a science that is marked by multiple paradigms and is based on the principles of mutual inclusiveness and complementarity.