William James, the father of American psychology, once wrote: 'Thinking is for doing'.What did he mean by this?
A)The human brain probably developed its current cognitive abilities in large part to enable effective decision-making and to facilitate behaviour.
B)People typically engage in conscious thought only when engaged in a task (e.g., only when solving a puzzle, trying to construct an argument, or making a decision about something).
C)Every behaviour that a person engages in implies a particular thought or set of thoughts; researchers can therefore infer thoughts from behaviours.
D)Because the primary role of thoughts is simply to plan behaviours, the proper focus of study for psychologists is behaviours themselves (and not thoughts).

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

William James believed that thinking evolved as a tool for action, and that its primary purpose was to help individuals make decisions and act in the world. Therefore, thinking is most important when it leads to action. This idea is consistent with the functionalist perspective that James championed in psychology, which emphasized the ways that mental processes serve adaptive functions to help individuals survive and thrive in their environments.

William James, the Father of American Psychology, Once Wrote: 'Thinking