Abstract
Selectionist theory in psychology conceptualizes behavior as a dynamic phenomenon subject to a variation and selection process similar to that characterizing biological evolution. Though not formally recognized as a dominant psychological metatheory, selectionist thought can be identified in the writings of many of the discipline’s eminent scholars. Although selectionism may possess considerable promise as a unifying theory, its widespread acceptance has likely been impeded by the large sample, null hypothesis testing research deSigns associated with the Fisherian tradition.
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Morgan, D.L. Selectionist Thought and Methodological Orthodoxy in Psychological Science. Psychol Rec 48, 439–456 (1998). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03395283
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03395283