Utopianism in psychology

The case of Wilhelm Reich

Bibliographic Data

ID5010049
AuthorsPetteri Pietikainen (0000-0001-9067-8402, University of Helsinki, corresponding author)
Year2002
Volume38
Issue2
Pages157-175
Publication date2002-03-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueJournal of the History of the Behavioral Sciences (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0022-5061 • E-ISSN: 1520-6696
PublisherWiley (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1002/jhbs.10034
PMID11954039
OpenAlexW2077763324
LanguageEN
Citations received5
References cited15

This article examines utopian elements in Wilhelm Reich's writings in his American phase (1939-1957) in order to illustrate utopian sources of dynamic psychology. Although there are scholars who have used the term "psychological utopia" and applied it to individual thinkers (Reich, Marcuse, Fromm) and to specific psychological disciplines (psychoanalysis, behaviorism, cognitive psychology), the term itself has remained elusive and vague. Furthermore, there have been few attempts to systematically examine utopian elements in twentieth-century psychology in general and the basic assumptions of psychological utopianism in particular. While pointing out that Reich's orgonomic theories have no scientific merit, this article argues for the relevancy of his ideas for understanding the nature of utopianism in dynamic psychology. (c) 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc

Art history · Behaviorism · Epistemology · German · History of psychology · Nazi Germany · Philosophy of psychology · Psychoanalysis · Psychology of science · Sociology · Theoretical psychology · Utopia · Academic and Historical Perspectives in Psychology · Philosophy · Psychology · Space Science and Extraterrestrial Life · Utopian, Dystopian, and Speculative Fiction

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