Transspective analysis as a method of historical and psychological research

In modern historical and psychological research carried out in line with post-non-classical methodology, there is a need to move cognitive landmarks: from directions, schools, research programs, concepts of a certain historical period in the development of psychological science to the ways of thinking implemented in them and types of rationality; from a monological, retrospective description of the processes of formation and transformation of the conceptual apparatus of a particular psychological school to a reflexive-dialogical reconstruction of the conceptual heritage of eternally relevant scientists, in the light of today and tomorrow in the development of psychology; from the usual thematic headings and sections of psychological knowledge to the areas of “overlapping” (metaphor V. E. Klochko) of different types of scientific rationality, within the moving boundaries of which the processes of “rebirth of the scientific fabric” (metaphor L. S. Vygotsky) of psychology were most actively and fruitfully going; from well-known and recognized theories to concepts that were previously recognized as peripheral or even marginal, but containing underestimated heuristic potential; from the traditions of adaptation in psychology of natural-science explanatory schemes to the assimilation by scientists-psychologists of the philosophical and ideological heritage and the descriptive potential of literature and art. In order to compare the traditional and post-non-classical views on historical and psychological research, the author proposes the metaphors of “restoration” and “renaissance”, which illustrate different approaches to the reconstruction of historical forms of scientific thought: the preservation of the conceptual “monuments” of psychological science and the meaningful reconstruction of the conceptual heritage of psychology with a constructive revision its heuristic potential. The effectiveness of the application of transspective analysis (developed by V. E. Klochko) in historical and psychological research is substantiated, since it allows: to overcome the rigid conceptual boundaries of conditionally closed scientific systems and schools; to understand the natural tendencies of the complication of psychological knowledge, taking into account the tendencies of changing the types of scientific rationality; to model the possible communication of such psychological concepts, between which there are significant temporal or paradigmatic distances; to simulate an incessant dialogue and confrontation of scientists whose scientific views were conceptually consonant, despite the fact that they were not contemporaries or, being contemporaries, for various reasons, were not clear representatives of one opponent circle.

history of psychology, methodology, subject matter of psychology, psychological concepts, transspective analysis, reflection