Developmental psychology and society

Edited by
John Sants

pp. 71-94

in: Klaus F. Riegel, Psychology of development and history, Berlin, Springer, 1976

Abstract

Inquiries into the distant past of our society are similar to attempts by psychoanalysts to discover points of choice and/or catastrophe in the life of an individual (Wyatt, 1963). The psychoanalyst restricts his efforts to the discovery of these points; it is left to the patient to reconstruct his life in a new and "healthier" manner. Similarly, our historical inquiries aim at uncovering points in time at which crucial choices were made. We can trace the history back to these points, but any distinct groups, such as minority groups, would have to construct on their own a new interpretation of life, a new philosophy of man and his development. They alone can find their identity and aim at its conceptual description.