"La frammentazione della psicologia: alcune riflessioni epistemologiche"

Psychology is mostly applied psychology, where the standard application is in the clinical field. Therefore, the problem of the relationship between theory and practice arises with regard to it. In this context, too the distinction between first-person and third-person proves to be central. The attempt to eliminate the first-person perspective at the theoretical level cannot meet any success at the clinical level, where the psychotherapist cultivates relationships of care with subjects. But this means that not even the theoretical level can be understood in a mere naturalist fashion, on pain of psychology fragmentation. Once unity in the diversity between the two levels pf psychological inquiry has been reconstituted, further methodological questions arise; first of all those regarding construction of bridge-theories that set the basis for the realisation of practice. Observational data deriving from application of these steps, if correct, have a justificatory role both for the theory of practice and for the “pure” theory, from which the whole theoretical construct originates.