Metapsychology and Discourse: A Note on Some Neglected issues in the Psychology of Religion
International Journal for the Psychology of Religion July 1, 1996 DOI: 10.1207/s15327582ijpr0603_1 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Citations | 16 |
| Key points | Argues that the psychology of religion has neglected two tasks: developing adequate models of the inner world, which the author calls "metapsychology," and analyzing the written or spoken discourse of religious experience. Including this more hermeneutic research agenda, the author contends, would point toward a reconceptualized psychology of religion with a broadened self-understanding and greater independence from mainstream psychology. |
Abstract
Based on a brief discussion of some of the classic problems in the psychology of religion, the concepts metapsychology and discourse are introduced as pointing to the hitherto neglected task of developing adequate models of the inner world (metapsy- chology) and analyzing the written or spoken discourse of religious experience. Finally, it is argued that an inclusion of this more hermeneutic research agenda points in the direction of a reconceptualized psychology of religion, that is, a scientific discipline with a broadened self-understanding and a more independent status vis-a-vis mainstream psychology.