Psychobiography as a Branch of Discipline: Current Dilemmas and Coping

Journal of Psychological Science ›› 2021, Vol. 44 ›› Issue (3) : 761-767.

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PDF(450 KB)
Journal of Psychological Science ›› 2021, Vol. 44 ›› Issue (3) : 761-767.

Psychobiography as a Branch of Discipline: Current Dilemmas and Coping

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Abstract

After a hundred years of development, the social organization of psychobiography as a branch discipline has gradually matured. However, in the process of obtaining social recognition, the development of the discipline of psychobiography is still facing some difficulties. Ethical considerations are an important aspect for the discipline to gain wider social recognition, and it is also a key point for the further development of disciplines. However, the non-anonymity of the research objects of psychobiography and the difficulty of achieving the "informed consent principle" have caused psychological research to encounter an unprecedented dilemma in ethics. How to avoid real-name research from causing social and psychological harm to the research objects requires corresponding ethical norms and guidance. The ethical principles of traditional qualitative research cannot provide such guidance. Although predecessors proposed "time influence model" and "moral decision model" in order to reduce the risks brought to the research objects or their relatives and friends, the ethical guidance of psychobiography is still relatively weak, and it is urgent for psychobiography to form ethical guidelines suitable for this field. As psychobiography enters the field of vision of Chinese scholars, the "pan-moralization" of Chinese people's psychological problems has also brought challenges to the ethical issues of psychobiography. Therefore, when studying Chinese historical celebrities, the ethical issues involved require not only ethical considerations in the Western sense, but also " emotional " considerations suitable for Chinese culture. The solution of this problem will help the development of the localization of psychobiography research. At the same time, a "emotional decision-making model " suitable for character research in my country needs to be proposed. In addition, a mature paradigm must have a common knowledge system, which must not only exist in papers, works, and textbooks, but also in higher talent training systems and courses, so that the academic community can achieve intergenerational expansion. Although psychobiography has made some progress in journal papers, postgraduate papers, books and research institutions, there is still a long way to go before it can be incorporated into the training system of higher education. If psychobiography cannot occupy an appropriate position in the talent training of universities and cannot achieve efficient intergenerational transmission, then the field lacks hematopoietic ability, which is a very dangerous thing. Since the development of psychological biography, more and more schools have begun to realize the significance of psychological biography courses, and affirmed the value of psychological biography talent training. Based on the unique value of psychobiography in the training of psychology professionals, it has become an inevitable trend for the future development of psychobiography to incorporate psychobiography into professional training. Single course mode, integrated course mode and interest group are helpful to improve the position of this field in higher education talent training system. Entering the talent training system of colleges and universities, the discipline community corresponding to psychobiography can realize the extension of generations, and the social organization of the discipline can be continuously developed. In addition, from the perspective of academic prosperity, the guidance of postgraduate tutors in the topic selection of the dissertation may be a more important influencing factor, because it will determine the academic interest and diverse research horizons of the new generation of psychologists.

Key words

psychobiography / ethical issues / disciplinary paradigm / social recognition

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Psychobiography as a Branch of Discipline: Current Dilemmas and Coping[J]. Journal of Psychological Science. 2021, 44(3): 761-767
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