Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

The Psychology of Human Freedom

A Human Science Perspective and Critique

  • Book
  • © 1988

Overview

Authors:
  1. Malcolm R. Westcott

    1. Department of Psychology, York University, North York, Canada

    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed   Google Scholar

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this book

Log in via an institution
eBook USD 84.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book USD 109.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Other ways to access

Licence this eBook for your library

Institutional subscriptions

Table of contents (10 chapters)

  1. Front Matter

    Pages i-xii
    Download chapter PDF

  2. Introduction

    1. Introduction

      • Malcolm R. Westcott
      Pages 1-4

  3. Context

    1. Front Matter

      Pages 5-5
      Download chapter PDF

    2. A Philosophical Foray

      • Malcolm R. Westcott
      Pages 7-26

    3. Views from a Bridge

      • Malcolm R. Westcott
      Pages 27-45

  4. Psychological Studies: The Nat Sci Variations

    1. Front Matter

      Pages 47-47
      Download chapter PDF

    2. Reacting to Reactance

      • Malcolm R. Westcott
      Pages 49-73

    3. Attributed Freedom, Perceived Freedom, Choice, and Self Control

      • Malcolm R. Westcott
      Pages 75-94

  5. Metaconsiderations

    1. Front Matter

      Pages 95-95
      Download chapter PDF

    2. Criticisms and Transitions

      • Malcolm R. Westcott
      Pages 97-114

  6. Psychological Studies: The Hum Sci Variations

    1. Front Matter

      Pages 115-115
      Download chapter PDF

    2. Systematic Personal Reports of Freedom

      • Malcolm R. Westcott
      Pages 117-136

    3. Systematic Surveys of Experienced Freedom

      • Malcolm R. Westcott
      Pages 137-162

    4. Further Direct Inquiry

      • Malcolm R. Westcott
      Pages 163-190

  7. Further Facets of Human Freedom

    1. Front Matter

      Pages 191-191
      Download chapter PDF

    2. Loose Ends, Missed Opportunities, and Possible Futures

      • Malcolm R. Westcott
      Pages 193-203

  8. Back Matter

    Pages 204-227
    Download chapter PDF
Back to top

Keywords

About this book

In this book I pursue three goals. The first is to describe what has been learned about human freedom through psychological research. The second is to provide a conceptual and methodological critique of the large body of that research which has been conducted within the framework of a positivist natural science ex­ perimental social psychology. My third goal is to offer a contrasting human science approach to the study of human freedom and to illustrate its use in empirical study. For more than twenty years psychologists have inves­ tigated the conditions under which people are seen to be free, the conditions under which they report feeling free, the psychological consequences of interference with be­ havioural freedoms, and to a lesser extent, how it feels to feel free. Empirical fmdings on each of these facets of human freedom have arisen in quite separate research traditions, and they are brought together here for the first time. During the same twenty years, a general critique of the dominant positivist natural science approach to complex human phenomena has been growing. Although it has escalated recently, this critique has fIrm roots that go back to the turn of the century. I review this general critique and apply it specifically to the study of human freedom - surely a complex human phenomenon, more complex, ambiguous, and paradoxical than most of us im­ agine.

Authors and Affiliations

  • Department of Psychology, York University, North York, Canada

    Malcolm R. Westcott

Bibliographic Information

  • Book Title: The Psychology of Human Freedom

  • Book Subtitle: A Human Science Perspective and Critique

  • Authors: Malcolm R. Westcott

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4613-8813-5

  • Publisher: Springer New York, NY

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

  • Copyright Information: Springer-Verlag New York Inc. 1988

  • Softcover ISBN: 978-0-387-96809-4Published: 25 August 1988

  • eBook ISBN: 978-1-4613-8813-5Published: 06 December 2012

  • Edition Number: 1

  • Number of Pages: XII, 227

  • Topics: Psychology Research

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Back to top

Search

Navigation