configurationism: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
Very low (academic/specialist)Academic/technical
Quick answer
What does “configurationism” mean?
A theoretical approach in psychology and social sciences that emphasizes the importance of examining whole patterns, structures, or configurations rather than analyzing isolated elements.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A theoretical approach in psychology and social sciences that emphasizes the importance of examining whole patterns, structures, or configurations rather than analyzing isolated elements.
The philosophical or methodological position that systems, behaviors, or cultural phenomena should be understood as organized wholes whose properties cannot be deduced from the mere sum of their parts; sometimes associated with Gestalt psychology or structuralism.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant spelling differences. Usage is equally rare in both varieties.
Connotations
Neutral academic term in both varieties; no regional connotative differences.
Frequency
Extremely low frequency in both corpora, appearing almost exclusively in specialized academic texts.
Grammar
How to Use “configurationism” in a Sentence
[Subject] adopts configurationism[Subject] critiques configurationismconfigurationism in [field]configurationism versus reductionismVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “configurationism” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The researcher configurationises the data patterns.
American English
- She configurationizes social behaviors as integrated wholes.
adverb
British English
- They analysed the data configurationistically.
American English
- The study proceeds configurationistically rather than elementally.
adjective
British English
- His configurationist approach yielded novel insights.
American English
- A configurationist perspective reveals underlying patterns.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Virtually never used
Academic
Used in psychology, anthropology, and sociology to describe theoretical approaches that analyze whole patterns
Everyday
Never used
Technical
Specialist term in social sciences and humanities
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “configurationism”
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “configurationism”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “configurationism”
- Misspelling as 'configurationalism' (though related)
- Using in non-academic contexts
- Confusing with 'configuration' (the noun)
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it is an extremely rare academic term used almost exclusively in specialized literature in psychology, anthropology, and sociology.
While both emphasize patterns and relationships, structuralism often focuses on underlying universal structures, while configurationism typically examines how elements form unique, context-specific wholes.
Yes, the term has been used in anthropology to study cultural patterns, in sociology to analyze social systems, and occasionally in organizational studies.
British: /kənˌfɪɡ.ə.reɪ.ʃənˈɪz.əm/; American: /kənˌfɪɡ.jə.reɪ.ʃənˈɪz.əm/. The main difference is in the 'g' sound in the second syllable.
A theoretical approach in psychology and social sciences that emphasizes the importance of examining whole patterns, structures, or configurations rather than analyzing isolated elements.
Configurationism is usually academic/technical in register.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “No established idioms”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
CONFIGURATION + ISM = the 'ism' (theory/approach) that studies CONFIGURATIONS (whole patterns).
Conceptual Metaphor
UNDERSTANDING IS SEEING A COMPLETE PICTURE (rather than separate pieces)
Practice
Quiz
Configurationism is PRIMARILY associated with which field?