Aim & Scope

NOUS: Journal of Theoretical Psychology [NOUS: Teorik Psikoloji Dergisi] is a peer-reviewed, open-access online academic journal published twice a year, in February and September. The journal provides a scholarly platform for the discussion of theoretical issues in the discipline of psychology.

The primary aim of NOUS is to open up the theoretical problems that psychology faces as a scientific discipline, to develop possible solutions, and to produce original contributions by engaging with theoretical frameworks from other disciplines. In doing so, the journal seeks to enrich theoretical discourse and address a significant gap in the literature.

Nous (νοῦς) means “mind” in Ancient Greek, and psychology has been concerned with nous since its earliest formulations. At the time psychology was being established as an independent discipline, revolutionary transformations were occurring in the physical sciences, and evolutionary theory was bringing major advances to biology. Within this context, the criteria for being considered scientific increasingly centered on quantitative methods, particularly experimentation and observation. It is therefore understandable that the scientific history of psychology is commonly traced back to Wilhelm Wundt’s laboratory work.

Since Wundt, psychologists have debated a wide range of theories and taken differing positions, but a consistent feature of mainstream psychology has been the dominant use of quantitative methods. This tendency is not necessarily problematic for scientific progress; on the contrary, experimental methods have made significant contributions to the advancement of science. However, it must not be forgotten that theory precedes experiment, and that experiments only gain meaning within a theoretical context. Today, while most psychology journals in our country are heavily populated with quantitative research articles, the limited space given to theoretical work points to a structural deficiency in academic publishing that must be addressed.

In the contemporary world, there is no escaping psychology. Numerous disciplines are influenced—directly or indirectly—by psychological science: the philosophy of science examines the psychological factors underlying knowledge production; economic theory investigates the role of human decision-making in markets; medicine and physiology incorporate psychopathological dimensions into diagnostic and therapeutic processes; and evolutionary biology generates hypotheses about the origins of human psychological faculties.

Science is a rational enterprise that progresses cumulatively and through critical scrutiny. Psychology, as a scientific field, must continuously evaluate and renew its theoretical foundations. To maintain the relevance, validity, and explanatory power of psychological knowledge, the theoretical framework upon which it is based must remain open to ongoing reflection and debate.