FUNDAMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY AND PRACTICE: PROBLEMS AND TENDENCIES
OF INTERACTION
A.L. Zhuravlev*, D.V. Ushakov **
*Corresponding Member of RAS, Director of the Establishment of the Russian Academy of
Sciences, Institute of Psychology RAS, Sc.D. (psychology), professor, Moscow;
**Sc.D. (psychology), head of laboratory, the same place
The problem of interaction between fundamental psychological science and practice is
analyzed. Two main approaches to explanation of their rupture are considered. According to the
first one, the reason is due to specific character of knowledge obtained by the present-day
experimental psychology. According to the second one, the structure of fundamental psychology,
its adherence to natural-science standards is the basis for its separation from the practice. It is
shown that modern psychology creates local models of phenomena for practical tasks’ solving.
At the same time conversion to more optimal interaction with practice is connected with
synthetic models’ elaboration. Possibilities of practice at the macro-psychological level
connected with diagnostics and optimization of psychological state of society in toto are
analyzed.
Key words: fundamental psychology, psychological practice, interaction, type of
scientific knowledge, experiment, local and synthetic model, psychological constructivism.