Abstract: An in-depth analysis is performed on the theoretical characteristics of phenomenological psychology. Phenomenological psychology, which is one of the branches of the generalized “third force” in psychology, is a radical human science approach of psychology that attempts to apply phenomenological philosophy into psychology thoroughly. It keeps phenomenological slogan “back to things themselves” in mind, and then goes to an extreme by being loyal to human experiences, just like the way behaviorism goes to the other extreme by rejecting consciousness completely in order to remain objective. So, it is of important significance to discuss its theoretical characteristics for deeply understanding the approach, and particularly, human science psychology. There are mainly six theoretical characteristics in phenomenological psychology. First, phenomenological psychology assumes a strict view of phenomenological philosophy, which is reflected in two aspects. On one hand, it resists naturalism that phenomenology criticizes for its distorting experiences by naturalizing everything. On the other hand, it follows a way that phenomenology points toward truth through studying real experiences. Second, it insists on a radical view of human science psychology. By “human”, it insists on being loyal to experiences themselves, to the real human as human. By “science”, it insists on gaining general and systematic knowledge through rigorous method. Third, it has a clear standpoint of facing life. It is influenced by phenomenology’s life-world (lebenswelt) notion, which is proposed by Husserl and means that human lives in life-world, and it is on this world that scientific world is built. Phenomenological psychology gives primacy to life experience and sets it as the research object. In particular, it advocates participating in, but not controlling, life by using some techniques. Fourth, it has a specific view on the essence of experience. It borrows the notion “intentionality” from phenomenology. With this notion, it believes that there is a significant and direct relation between mind and world at empirical level. Fifth, it has a solid view on qualitative research approach. It believes that experience has not only quantitive aspect, but structures that can be qualitilized, which has been an important component of qualitative research approach in psychology. Sixth, it has a critical value-loaded view on value orientation. It accepts value-loaded view by recognizing the researcher’s subjectivity in research. Value shall be implied in the research since the researcher involves in the research, but the researcher may be excessively subjective in research activities. So, phenomenological psychology claims that the research should take a critical standpoint, restrain itself and be honest to experiences themselves. In this regard, it also takes an objective position just as natural science psychology. From the above, it can be seen that phenomenological psychology characterizes itself by radicalness. Phenomenological psychology risks itself the rupture with naturalism in order to maintain the unique essence of mind, and develops a self-contained psychological approach that is different to the mainstream natural science psychology such as behaviorism or cognitive psychology. For its own, this makes itself drive on a briar patch. But for psychology, the actions of phenomenological psychology are beneficial to the future development of the discipline. Phenomenological psychology has explicit theoretical ideas, and carries out solid researches consistently. Thereby, phenomenological psychology can establish a benchmark for human science psychology, helping to form a platform with which to launch a dialogue with natural science psychology.

Key words: phenomenological psychology, theoretical characteristics, human science, naturalism

摘要： 现象学心理学将现象学哲学落实到心理学中，反对自然科学心理学的自然主义主张，以维护心理现象的原本面目为己任，成为一种激进的人文科学心理学。其理论特征表现为：严格的现象学哲学观；激进的人文科学观；鲜明的生活面向观；独特的意向性心理本质观；坚实的质性研究观；批判的价值负载观。

关键词: 现象学心理学, 理论特征, 人文科学, 自然主义