Chapter 2: The Cognitive Revolution in Scientific Psychology: Epistemological Roots and Impact on Reading Research

We examine the epistemological and philosophical roots of modern American psychology in this chapter. In particular, we examine the influence of different epistemological stances on the cognitive revolution in American scientific psychology and on research and theory in reading. We argue that basic process reading research and reading comprehension research have emerged from different epistemological standpoints, leading to a divergence in their research orientations. Finally, we call for the next movement of the cognitive revolution to include concepts such as true conscious control, internally initiated learning, and intentional actions. These constructs are necessary if reading researchers are to understand the multiple levels of the reading process. Tenets from Kantian and Cartesian epistemologies and evolutionary psychology are used to provide theoretical support for the inclusion of intentional concepts into learning research.