SOURCE: "Mead's Theory of the Act and Perception: Some Empirical Confirmations," in The Personalist, Vol. LV, No. 2, Spring, 1974, pp. 115-38.

In the following essay, Tibbetts explores Mead's theory of the act and suggests how it can be used to interpret recent findings in experimental psychology.

Introduction

To students of recent American philosophy George Herbert Mead presents a paradox, for whereas Dewey and Whitehead recognized Mead as perhaps this country's most profound and original thinker, his writings largely continue to be ignored by most philosophers today. Though substantial work has been done on Mead's place in the history of ideas^1-5, his social psychology^6-9, and his theory of knowledge^10-13, little has appeared on his theory of the act^14-17. This is highly unfortunate since this was Mead's most distinctive and suggestive contribution to philosophy. Certainly no attempts have been made to my knowledge to relate Mead's theory...