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Chapter 10 - Macbeth

from Part II - Thought Experiments and the Power of Context

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 June 2021

Fathali M. Moghaddam
Affiliation:
Georgetown University, Washington DC
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Summary

The play Macbeth has traditionally been interpreted through mainstream psychological concepts that are reductionist and dispositional. That is, characteristics within Macbeth, such as his “ambition,” seem to explain the play. From another perspective, this play is a thought experiment on the power of scaffolding, constructed around Macbeth through various agents (mainly the Three Witches and Lady Macbeth). Vygotsky’s concept of scaffolding is applied to interpreting the play Macbeth, through a distinction between “M” (”Micro”) and “E” (”Extended”) components of personalty. “M” personality refers to the intrapersonal, fixed, causal agents that are assumed in mainstream psychology to cause certain behavior patterns. “E” personality refers to the contextual factors that shape behavior. The play Macbeth represents a thought experiment demonstrating the power of “E” personality.

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Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2021

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  • Macbeth
  • Fathali M. Moghaddam, Georgetown University, Washington DC
  • Book: Shakespeare and the Experimental Psychologist
  • Online publication: 10 June 2021
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/9781108868945.011
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  • Macbeth
  • Fathali M. Moghaddam, Georgetown University, Washington DC
  • Book: Shakespeare and the Experimental Psychologist
  • Online publication: 10 June 2021
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/9781108868945.011
Available formats
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Save book to Google Drive

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Google Drive.

  • Macbeth
  • Fathali M. Moghaddam, Georgetown University, Washington DC
  • Book: Shakespeare and the Experimental Psychologist
  • Online publication: 10 June 2021
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/9781108868945.011
Available formats
×