The Revival of the Romantic Means a Revival of Psychology

Abstract

In the past 20 years, American psychology has firmly dissociated itself from its romantic roots. This article elaborates the reasons for this development, the consequences of it, and the rationale for reclaiming those roots. The marginalization of existential-humanistic psychology within mainstream academia, the loss of the influences of the arts and humanities on psychology, and the rich and practical advantages of literary investigations of human experience are detailed. Finally, romanticism is discussed in light of the growing postmodernist movement in psychology. Although the orientations are seen as compatible in certain respects, the limitations of this compatibility also are acknowledged.