The early psychologist most likely to agree with the statement "the study of the mind should focus on how it functions in everyday life" is William James. He was a leading figure in the school of thought known as functionalism, which emphasized understanding the purpose and practical functions of mental processes in helping individuals adapt to their environment and daily life. James believed consciousness and mental activities have adaptive functions that enable people to consider their past, adjust to their present, and plan for the future
. In contrast, Wilhelm Wundt focused more on structuralism, which aimed to break down mental processes into their basic components rather than their functions. John Watson, a behaviorist, rejected studying the mind altogether in favor of observable behavior, and Sigmund Freud concentrated on unconscious processes and inner conflicts, which does not align with the functionalist perspective
. Thus, William James and his functionalist approach best fit the idea of studying how the mind operates in everyday life.
