History and Systems of Psychology – PSY502 VU
Lesson 42
PSYCHOLOGY IN THE THIRD WORLD
CHINA AND PAKISTAN
As mentioned in earlier lectures, third world countries are those regions and countries that gained
independence and self-rule after World War II. These countries were either under the occupation of
America or the European countries. Few of these were also under the occupation of other forces. For
example, countries such as Pakistan, India, most of the countries in Africa, some in the Far East as Vietnam
and Indonesia, and the biggest of them all was China, are included in the list of third world countries. The
Second World War brought numerous sufferings to mankind. Millions of human lives were lost, but this
great disaster in the history of mankind also resulted in freeing most of these regions and countries form the
curse of modern slavery or colonialism. Following is a review of psychology in some of the third world
countries.
Psychology in China
China became free from foreign domination in 1949, under the leadership of Mao-Tze-Tung, who was a
leader of the Chinese Communist Party. Before the revolution of 1949 China was under the influence of
American psychologists. Peking University offered the first course in psychology in the first decade of the
20th century related to American psychologist’s view point. The books of American psychologists notably,
William James and John Dewey were translated into Chinese and became a part of the Chinese courses of
psychology. James is considered the founder of the functionalism. William James put forward the view that
consciousness is not epiphenomena, which means that consciousness cannot be considered as something
whose functions or working cannot be explained.
John Dewey was an educationist who put forward the view that education, particularly of children, should
be based upon the needs of the children. This means that children of different ages have different needs.
The education system should concentrate on understanding those needs and should adjust itself to meet the
needs. John Dewey also delivered lectures at various places in China during 1919 and 1920.
Another American psychologist named Sailor, who had been educated at Teachers College Columbia
University, delivered lectures in China. After the revolution of 1949 in China, Sailor came to Pakistan and
delivered lectures in Lahore and other places. So psychology in China before 1949 could be called
functionalist psychology. It also carried the influence of behaviorism and psychoanalysis.
When the Communist party gained control of the country in 1949, they recognized psychology as an
important field of study. Psychology was recognized as a separate science in 1950 in China. In 1956 a
commission was established to prepare a plan for the progress of psychology in China. As a result of
recommendations of the commission and other sources, three branches of psychology gained permanence
in China. They were:
oClinical Psychology
oPsychology of work and labor
oEducational Psychology
In Clinical Psychology research was undertaken in diagnostics and treatment of mental disorders,
particularly schizophrenia and manic depressive psychosis. Chinese psychologists developed what they
called “Speedy Synthetic Method” for treatment of mental disorders.
In the realm of Psychology of Work or Labor, manual labor was declared to be superior as compared to
mental labor. Chinese psychologists discovered ways by which efficiency of manual labor could be
increased.
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