{"id":{"repo_id":"cape-town","oai_identifier":"oai:open.uct.ac.za:11427/17019"},"canonical_url":"https://search.dev.ndltd.org/etd/cape-town/oai:open.uct.ac.za:11427/17019","repository":{"repo_id":"cape-town","name":"University of Cape Town","base_url":"https://open.uct.ac.za/oai/request"},"display":{"title":"Complementarity and the practice of psychotherapy : an alternative to eclecticism","abstract":"The problem of competing theories in psychology presents major difficulties for the practicing psychotherapist. These difficulties have traditionally been addressed in mono-theoretical, eclectic and integrative approaches. This work critically examines the problems associated with these traditional methods. It draws on the philosophy of complementarity as postulated by Niels Bohr in order to develop an alternative approach. This philosophy stresses the indeterminate nature of the object of study in psychology, and therefore holds that it is necessary to entertain multiple perspectives. It also holds that in order to counteract the problem of indeterminism there is a need for clarity of theoretical descriptions. For psychotherapy practice this implies, in contradistinction to eclecticism, the separate rather than mixed use of diverse approaches. The practical options suggested by therapeutic complementarity are outlined and their benefits are discussed.","abstract_html":"The problem of competing theories in psychology presents major difficulties for the practicing psychotherapist. These difficulties have traditionally been addressed in mono-theoretical, eclectic and integrative approaches. This work critically examines the problems associated with these traditional methods. It draws on the philosophy of complementarity as postulated by Niels Bohr in order to develop an alternative approach. This philosophy stresses the indeterminate nature of the object of study in psychology, and therefore holds that it is necessary to entertain multiple perspectives. It also holds that in order to counteract the problem of indeterminism there is a need for clarity of theoretical descriptions. For psychotherapy practice this implies, in contradistinction to eclecticism, the separate rather than mixed use of diverse approaches. The practical options suggested by therapeutic complementarity are outlined and their benefits are discussed.","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Jordan, Ann Burns"],"institution":"Department of Psychology","degree_name":null,"degree_level":null,"degree_discipline":null,"degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":[],"advisors":["Saayman, Graham"],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":1984,"date_issued":"1984","date_published":"1984","updated_at":"2026-07-22T22:22:41Z","subjects":[],"languages":["eng"],"rights":[],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"http://hdl.handle.net/11427/17019","outbound_label":"Handle","outbound_source":"dc:identifier.uri"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor.advisor","label":"Advisor","values":["Saayman, Graham"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Jordan, Ann Burns"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date.accessioned","label":"Dc Date Accessioned","values":["2016-02-15T07:12:29Z"]},{"key":"dc:date.available","label":"Dc Date Available","values":["2016-02-15T07:12:29Z"]},{"key":"dc:date.issued","label":"Date","values":["1984"]},{"key":"dc:publisher.department","label":"Dc Publisher Department","values":["Department of Psychology"]},{"key":"dc:publisher.institution","label":"Dc Publisher Institution","values":["University of Cape Town"]},{"key":"dc:type","label":"Dc Type","values":["Master Thesis"]},{"key":"dc:type.qualificationlevel","label":"Dc Type Qualificationlevel","values":["Masters"]},{"key":"dc:type.qualificationname","label":"Dc Type Qualificationname","values":["MSc"]}]},{"id":"language_rights","label":"Language and Rights","entries":[{"key":"dc:language.iso","label":"Language (ISO)","values":["eng"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier.uri","label":"Identifier URI","values":["http://hdl.handle.net/11427/17019"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description","label":"Description","values":["Bibliography: pages 135-149."]},{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["The problem of competing theories in psychology presents major difficulties for the practicing psychotherapist. These difficulties have traditionally been addressed in mono-theoretical, eclectic and integrative approaches. This work critically examines the problems associated with these traditional methods. It draws on the philosophy of complementarity as postulated by Niels Bohr in order to develop an alternative approach. This philosophy stresses the indeterminate nature of the object of study in psychology, and therefore holds that it is necessary to entertain multiple perspectives. It also holds that in order to counteract the problem of indeterminism there is a need for clarity of theoretical descriptions. For psychotherapy practice this implies, in contradistinction to eclecticism, the separate rather than mixed use of diverse approaches. 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This philosophy stresses the indeterminate nature of the object of study in psychology, and therefore holds that it is necessary to entertain multiple perspectives. It also holds that in order to counteract the problem of indeterminism there is a need for clarity of theoretical descriptions. For psychotherapy practice this implies, in contradistinction to eclecticism, the separate rather than mixed use of diverse approaches. The practical options suggested by therapeutic complementarity are outlined and their benefits are discussed."],"dc:identifier.uri":["http://hdl.handle.net/11427/17019"],"dc:language.iso":["eng"],"dc:publisher.department":["Department of Psychology"],"dc:publisher.institution":["University of Cape Town"],"dc:title":["Complementarity and the practice of psychotherapy : an alternative to eclecticism"],"dc:type":["Master Thesis"],"dc:type.qualificationlevel":["Masters"],"dc:type.qualificationname":["MSc"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-22T22:22:41Z"}