The History of The History of PsychologyPsychology

ObjectiveObjective

Students will create a timeline in Students will create a timeline in order to explain the historical order to explain the historical emergence of Psychology as a emergence of Psychology as a field of study.field of study.

The RootsThe Roots

Ancient GreeceAncient Greece– 377 BC – Hippocrates377 BC – Hippocrates

Problems of confusion and madness are caused Problems of confusion and madness are caused by brain abnormalitiesby brain abnormalities

– 347 BC – Plato and Socrates347 BC – Plato and Socrates ““Know Thyself” – we can learn a great deal by Know Thyself” – we can learn a great deal by

examining our thoughts and feelingsexamining our thoughts and feelings

– 322 BC – Aristotle322 BC – Aristotle Associationism - experiences often remind us of Associationism - experiences often remind us of

similar experiences from our pastsimilar experiences from our past

The Roots (continued)The Roots (continued)

The Middle AgesThe Middle Ages– 1400 – 1600 AD1400 – 1600 AD

Agitation and confusion were signs of Agitation and confusion were signs of possession by demons, which was possession by demons, which was punishment for sins or making deals punishment for sins or making deals with the devilwith the devil

Tests were performed to determine Tests were performed to determine possessionpossession

Birth of a Modern Birth of a Modern ScienceScience

1600 – 1800 AD The Scientific 1600 – 1800 AD The Scientific RevolutionRevolution– Great scientific and intellectual Great scientific and intellectual

advancesadvances– Use of Reason and LogicUse of Reason and Logic

Nicolaus Copernicus, Isaac Newton, John Nicolaus Copernicus, Isaac Newton, John Locke, Galileo, Antoine LavoisierLocke, Galileo, Antoine Lavoisier

Psychology is born! Psychology is born!

18791879– Wilhelm WundtWilhelm Wundt

Establishes first Establishes first Psychological lab Psychological lab at the University at the University of Leipzigof Leipzig

Known today as Known today as the father of the father of modern modern psychologypsychology

1881 – first journal 1881 – first journal dedicated to dedicated to psychology is psychology is publishedpublished

Psychology comes to Psychology comes to AmericaAmerica

18831883– G. Stanley HallG. Stanley Hall

Brings Psychology Brings Psychology to America and to America and opens up the first opens up the first laboratory at laboratory at John’s Hopkins John’s Hopkins UniversityUniversity

18871887- First - First American American Psychological Psychological JournalJournal

18921892 - Formation - Formation of the A.P.A and of the A.P.A and Hall is named its Hall is named its first presidentfirst president

2 Schools of Thought2 Schools of Thought

StructuralismStructuralism– Edward TitchenerEdward Titchener– Concerned with Concerned with

discovering the discovering the basic elements of basic elements of consciousnessconsciousness

– IntrospectionIntrospection – – self-observationself-observation

FunctionalismFunctionalism– William JamesWilliam James– Concerned with Concerned with

the purpose of the purpose of consciousness, consciousness, not its basic not its basic elementselements

– Based heavily off Based heavily off of the work of of the work of Charles DarwinCharles Darwin

BehaviorismBehaviorism

John B. WatsonJohn B. Watson– study of the conscious mind should study of the conscious mind should

be replaced by the study of only be replaced by the study of only observable behaviorobservable behavior

– Saw consciousness as a private Saw consciousness as a private event that should only be known by event that should only be known by the individualthe individual

Behaviorism Behaviorism (continued)(continued) B.F. SkinnerB.F. Skinner

– Added to behaviorism by introducing Added to behaviorism by introducing the concept of the concept of reinforcementreinforcement When an animal is reinforced, or When an animal is reinforced, or

rewarded, it is more likely that they will rewarded, it is more likely that they will perform that action againperform that action again

– Believed that humans and animals Believed that humans and animals learn in the same waylearn in the same way

Gestalt PsychologyGestalt Psychology

1920’s1920’s– Max Wertheimer, Kurt Koffka, and Max Wertheimer, Kurt Koffka, and

Wolfgang KohlerWolfgang Kohler Based on the idea that perceptions are Based on the idea that perceptions are

more than the sums of their partsmore than the sums of their parts Reject structuralism and behaviorismReject structuralism and behaviorism InsightInsight – the reorganization of – the reorganization of

perceptions that enables people to perceptions that enables people to solve problemssolve problems

PsychoanalysisPsychoanalysis

Emphasizes the Emphasizes the importance of importance of unconscious unconscious motives and internal motives and internal conflicts conflicts

Assumes that most Assumes that most of what exists in the of what exists in the mind is unconscious mind is unconscious and consists of and consists of conflicting impulses, conflicting impulses, urges and wishesurges and wishes– Human behavior is Human behavior is

aimed at satisfying aimed at satisfying desiresdesires

The Humanists RevoltThe Humanists Revolt

1950’s1950’s– Many people found Behaviorism & Many people found Behaviorism &

Psychoanalysis unappealingPsychoanalysis unappealing– Behaviorists seen as “dehumanizing”Behaviorists seen as “dehumanizing”– Psychoanalysts attacked for primitive viewPsychoanalysts attacked for primitive view

– HumanismHumanism: emphasizes the unique : emphasizes the unique qualities of humans, especially their qualities of humans, especially their freedom and potential for growthfreedom and potential for growth

Carl Rogers & Abraham MaslowCarl Rogers & Abraham Maslow

– Optimistic view of human natureOptimistic view of human nature

Biological Psychology Biological Psychology EmergesEmerges

1950’s & 1960’s1950’s & 1960’s– Renewed interest in Physiology and Renewed interest in Physiology and

the interaction of the mind, body the interaction of the mind, body and behaviorand behavior

– Believe that much of human and Believe that much of human and animal behavior can be explained in animal behavior can be explained in terms of bodily structures & terms of bodily structures & biochemical processesbiochemical processes

Cognitive PsychologyCognitive Psychology

CognitionCognition: mental processes : mental processes involved in acquiring knowledge involved in acquiring knowledge

Behaviorism discouraged the Behaviorism discouraged the study of “unobservable” mental study of “unobservable” mental processesprocesses

Jean Piaget & Noam ChomskyJean Piaget & Noam Chomsky

New Wave of New Wave of PsychologyPsychology

Psychology is ever-changingPsychology is ever-changing Our interest is moving towards Cultural Our interest is moving towards Cultural

Diversity & Evolution while still holding on Diversity & Evolution while still holding on to the study of basic human processesto the study of basic human processes

Eclecticism: drawing ideas from two or Eclecticism: drawing ideas from two or more perspectives of Psychology, instead more perspectives of Psychology, instead of committing to just one systemof committing to just one system

Current PerspectivesCurrent Perspectives

NeuroscienceNeuroscience Behavior GeneticsBehavior Genetics EvolutionaryEvolutionary BehavioralBehavioral PsychodynamicPsychodynamic Social-CulturalSocial-Cultural CognitiveCognitive