ABSTRACT
The phenomenological approach has come to be something of a rallying cry to a number of psychologists who share the tender-minded-bias that psychology must come to terms with human experience, and who go so far as to believe that careful attention to this experience will leave the science of psychology not merely more satisfying to like-minded people, but also better science. One of the genuine merits of the phenomenological approach is that it brings psychology somewhat closer to the world of common sense. Snygg and Combs give much attention to the individual's perceptual-cognitive field, particularly to the self, as its salient feature. Written from this standpoint, psychology comes close to a rapprochement with common sense. While applauding their emphasis on perception and the self, this chapter proposes that they are confusing phenomenology with what may be termed the subjective frame of reference. Sharply maintained, this distinction helps to clarify certain persistent ambiguities in the theory of ego and self.
