Reply to post The Development of Experimental Psychology in Mexico Part 2

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Post by Abraham
 
The history of modern-psychology has been both predominantly influenced and articulated through the version of a western world.  However, there is evidence, from data fragments which indicate that modern-psychology also has a faction that was developed in the non-westernized world of Latin America (Escobar, 2014).  In fact, Mexico begun to develop its own edition of modern-psychology (Escobar, 2014). Thus, there is a section of psychology that can be only conveyed through non-westernized data fragments.
 Certainly, the Zeitgeist of an era is not limited to and only capable of influencing specific regions (Schultz & Schultz, 2015).  For example, both technology and world war can provide a medium for the Zeitgeist to stimulate ideas on a global scale (Schultz & Schultz, 2015).  Indeed, this was the case, as Wilhelm Wundt’s development of modern-psychology influenced both Enrique O. Aragon and Ezequiel Chavez to pursue structuralist psychology in Mexico (Escobar, 2014.)  As a result, Mexico would develop laboratories in the early 1900s that resembled a Wundt perimeter (Escobar, 2014). 
 Moreover, these laboratories would perform experiments that would gage stimulus response in the same manner as Wundt applied his methods of introspection when measuring a volunteer’s mediate and intermediate experience (Escobar, 2014). Introspection is the studying of one’s own mind in an effort to articulate thoughts and feelings (Schultz & Schultz, 2015).  In fact, some of Wundt’s experimental machines were used in Aragon’s laboratories. For this reason, the determination can be made that Wundt’s style of structuralism play a major role of development of psychology in Mexico.
 However, structuralism was not the only theory that influenced the development of psychology in Mexico. The theory of functionalism also played role in Aragon’s psychological laboratories (Escobar, 2014).  Functionalism is a psychological philosophy that contemplates behavior and mindfulness in terms of a person’s adaption of their environment (Escobar, 2014).  For instance, functionalism is evident in Mexican Psychology Professor, Guadalupe Zuniga, development of training methods which targeted behavior rehabilitation of inmates (Escobar, 2014).  Indeed, the development of psychology in Mexico differentiated from Wundt’s psychology because it incorporated both functionalism with structuralism (Escobar, 2014).  Whereas, Wundt was more focused on the characterizations of the mind (Schultz & Schultz, 2015). As a result, psychology in Mexico developed past the science of studying the mind and into a social science that examined the behaviors of people (Escobar, 2014). 
 Although structuralism and functionalism influenced the development of psychology in non-westernized regions, like Mexico, the two theories do not fully encompass its faction of thought.  In fact, there are advancement in psychology that may be missed because countries are conducting studies that do not embody western thinking.  Certainly, if psychology, as a science, is seeking to understand the human experience then it must asses the cultural difference that exist across the globe.  Surely, the Zeitgeist and technology of the current era would allow for the incorporation of psychology that is cross cultural and functional. 

References:
Escobar, R. (2014). The instruments in the first psychological laboratory in Mexico: Antecedents, influence, and methods. History of Psychology, 17(4), 296–311. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0038038
Schultz, D. P & Shultz, S. E. (Eds.).  (2015). A History of Modern Psychology. Boston, MA. Cengage Learning.