Theory Crises in Psychology – What Can We Learn From Structuralism?

Theory crises have been repeatedly identified throughout the history of psychology. In this article, we explore the potential of structuralism (or a structuralist approach) to address current concerns about theory development, formalization, and evaluation. Although structuralism has a rich history and has been applied across various scientific domains, it could receive more attention in current psychological discourse. First, we review the historical background and conceptual foundations of structuralism. Second, we illustrate its basic concepts by schematically reconstructing two theories and point to additional examples of theory (re)constructions. Finally, we compare the structuralist approach to alternative frameworks and discuss its advantages and limitations. We argue that structuralism offers a promising meta-theoretical framework that aligns with the goals of current approaches and could contribute to the advancement of psychological theories.