Abstract

The article discusses methodological potential of the concept of paradigm in psychology. The issues of paradigm’s definition, the base of psychological paradigms allocation, classification of paradigms and paradigm’s patterns of development in psychology are considered. The author offers her own view of the problem of paradigms in psychology. She analyzes the four research paradigms of psychology: gnoseological, phenomenological, activity and existential one — and emphasizes their connection with certain currents of philosophy. The features of transformations of these paradigms in their transition to applied psychology, practical psychology and psychotherapy are followed. The reasons for the coexistence and integration of different paradigms in modern psychology are analyzed.