history of psychology

origin of psychology

Greek philosophers initially started examining human behavior in the fifth and sixth century B.C. These scholars offered insights on their surroundings. Nicolaus Copernicus proposed his theory that the sun, not Earth, was the center of the universe in the middle of the sixteenth century. Then, using a telescope, Galileo Galilei verified this. Rene Descartes claimed that there is a link between the mind and body, in contrast to the dualism-supporting intellectuals of the seventeenth century who insisted that the two are different and independent. He reasoned that the body's actions, emotions, and perceptions are under the control of the mind.

historical approaches

inheritable traits

gestalt psychology

functionalism

structuralism

Wilhelm Wundt established his own center for psychological study in 1879. He is acknowledged for his work in establishing psychology as an independent field of study. He was a structuralist, so it stands to reason that he was fascinated by the fundamental aspects of the human condition. Wundt based his investigations into other natural sciences on research in those fields in order to model his study of the mind. Introspection, a technique for self-analysis, was created by him. To create a mental map of the participants, he invited them to share their thoughts.


The first psychology course at Harvard was presented by William James in 1875. He spent 12 years writing The Principles of Psychology (1890), the first psychology textbook ever. He thought that all mental processes were essential to the continued existence of our species. He concentrated on the activities of the conscious mind as opposed to Wundt, who was more concerned with the organization of the mind. Functionalists research how individuals and other living things adjust to their surroundings.


Scientist and mathematician Sir Francis Galton was interested in learning how genes influence behavior, aptitude, and character. He discovered that brilliance runs in families after researching the ancestry of many well-known persons. He did not think of other things that may have impacted his thoughts. Along with that, he said, "Wouldn't the world be a better place if we got rid of less desirable people?" He promoted "good marriages" as a way of producing intelligent kids. In the end, his theory was found to be false. His first study of individual differences, Inquiries into Human Faculty and Its Development, was released in 1883. The question of whether environment or inheritance influences behavior was brought up in Galton's works.


Max Wertheimer, Wolfgang Köhler, and Kurt Koffka were German psychologists who disagreed with structuralism and behaviorism. They claimed that, like how people see a chair as a whole rather than the sum of its pieces, perception is more than the sum of its components and calls for a "whole pattern," or Gestalt in German. They investigated the integration of sensations into perceptual perceptions. This strategy ultimately served as a basis for cognitive psychology research methods.


contemporary approaches

humanistic psychology

cognitive psychology

behavioral psychology

biological psychology

psychoanalytic psychology

sociocultural psychology

Although Sigmund Freud was more interested in the unconscious mind, psychologists first focused on the conscious mind. He believes that conflicts and unconscious desires are the primary drivers of most human action. Additionally, he believed they were to blame for several unpleasant physical symptoms his patients were displaying. The patient spoke freely, without censorship or editing, and employed the free association approach. As an objective psychologist, Freud listened to the connections because he thought they demonstrated how the unconscious functions. He also held the opinion that dreams are the expression of hidden aspirations. He expanded on free analysis by using the same approach to analyze a patient's dream.


According to a well-known experiment by Russian scientist Ivan Pavlov, a tuning fork would ring after each intake of dog meat powder. After doing the action multiple times, the dog began to salivate anytime the fork rang, whether or not there was food present. Normally, the dog would have gulped the material down. The condition reflex was activated by a different stimulus than the one that had initially produced it. This idea served as a special analytical tool for psychologists to explain behavior as the result of prior experience. Behaviorists were psychologists who focused on the study of observable behavior. According to Dr. John B. Watson's study, they believed that psychology should only focus on observable aspects of human behavior.


Behavioral psychology had an impact on the development of humanistic psychology. People have an adaptable and independent character, according to humanists of the 1960s including Abraham Maslow, Carl Rogers, and Rollo May. It varies from behaviorism and psychoanalysis in that it considers nature and other forces to be supportive of rather than guiding our inner evolution. The humanistic perspective places a great emphasis on how unique each person is, how they have the opportunity to completely develop their sense of self, and how this might lead to a more fulfilling life.


The field of cognitive psychology has seen several contributions since 1950, including those by Jean Piaget, Noam Chomsky, and Leon Festinger. Cognitivists are interested in how information is processed, stored, retrieved, and used, as well as how this affects human cognition, language, problem-solving, and creativity. They contend that behavior is not just a reaction to signals, but is influenced by a variety of mental processes, including perceptions, memories, and expectations.


This method, usually referred to as biological neuroscience, places an emphasis on how biology affects behavior. Psychobiologists investigate how the brain, neurological system, hormones, and heredity influence behavior in people. MEG/MSI scans, fMRI, PET, and CT scans are the most recent technologies employed by psychobiologists. They have demonstrated that a variety of human behaviors are influenced by genetic variables. They have discovered a link between brain chemicals and behavior in people. For instance, they have shown that genetic anomalies frequently exist in autistic children and impact the regulation of serotonin. The chemical composition of our bodies has a significant impact on how we behave, and serotonin is crucial for brain health.


The most current psychology study focuses on how variations and similarities in culture and ethnicity impact social interaction and behavior. A sociocultural psychologist examines how cultural influences affect our knowledge, emotions, and behavioral inclinations. Leonard Doob, a psychologist, questioned the significance of a basic reflex action like sneezing. Sociocultural psychologists also examine how immigration flows into the US each year impact integration. Psychology examines ways to lessen social prejudice and intolerance as well as the attitudes, values, beliefs, social norms, and roles of diverse racial and ethnic groups. The sociocultural approach is founded on the idea that socioeconomic position and gender have an influence on how individuals behave and is concerned with topics like gender and these two divisions.


image

image

image

image

image

image

image

image

image

image

image