GHOSTS, TAXONOMIES, AND SOCIAL-PSYCHOLOGY

This article critically analyzes social psychology's assumption that p sychological states can explain social behavior On the basis of an ana lysis of the logic of classification systems, the author argues that t here are no procedures available to independently verify the existence of these psychological states. As a consequence, explanations of soci al behavior are subject to continual challenge and replacement. Furthe rmore, it is-argued that focusing on psychological states serves to in hibit the systematic study of societal changes (particularly changes i n technology) that are affecting and shaping all aspects of human exis tence. This article describes an alternate paradigm that coordinates o ne dimension of societal events - technology - with changes in people' s consciousness and subsequent behavior A taxonomy of technology is de scribed in the closing section of the article.