Characteristics of Psychological Space

Abstract

An important goal of science is to describe complex phenomena in manageable and understandable terms. Scientists attempt to isolate a fragment of a whole, and then try to specify its characteristics and the factors affecting it. Yet despite a long history of philosophical and scientific theorizing about psychological space, there currently exists no widely accepted description of this phenomenon. Attempts at describing it have been like trying to define flecks of mica in beach sand: when enough particles are present their existence is evident, but it is almost impossible to describe them as an entity separate from the sand. Similarly, although fragments of the construct of psychological space are currently being researched enthusiastically, it remains a difficult task to fashion a coherent overall description of the construct from such fragments. Perhaps a useful way to begin a consideration of psychological space would be to try to specify some of its characteristics.