Historical foundations of psychology: Lecture 1

What did Democritus believe about thinking?

He believed everything, including the soul and thought, was made of atoms. Thought = atomic movement. Basically, early materialist vibes.

What was Socrates’ approach to understanding the mind?

Socratic questioning! He focused on introspection, ethics, and self-knowledge. Believed in a soul separate from the body. No written works—his student Plato documented his ideas.

How did Plato view the mind?

He believed in a tripartite soul (reason, spirit, appetite) and saw the mind/soul as immortal and distinct from the body—early dualism. Also emphasized ideal forms (things we perceive are just shadows of true reality).

What were Aristotle’s thoughts on the mind?

Thought the mind and body were linked. He focused on logic, observation, and empirical methods. Saw the soul as the form of the body—not separate. Basically the ancient MVP of scientific thinking.

How did Galen (Roman era) contribute to psychology?

Built on Hippocrates' humoral theory—linked emotions and personality to bodily fluids (black bile, yellow bile, blood, phlegm). Also dissected animals to study the nervous system (early biological psych vibes).

What was the Roman view on experimentation?

Romans like Galen emphasized medical and anatomical studies. They believed in hands-on exploration (dissections, surgeries), which helped bridge medicine and mind.

What was the Renaissance approach to mind-body understanding?

A revival of scientific thought! Key player = Descartes. There was a growing interest in the brain, nerves, and bodily mechanisms. Philosophy started shifting toward reason and observation.

What is Cartesian dualism?

Descartes' idea that the mind and body are two separate substances. The body = machine, the mind = thinking, non-physical soul. They interact at the pineal gland (💀 he really thought that was the HQ).

Who was Franz Gall?

A 1700s neurologist who developed phrenology—the idea that bumps on your skull reflect mental traits and personality. (Totally debunked now but was ✨influential✨ in thinking about brain localisation.)

What was the core belief of phrenology?

That different brain areas control different traits, and their size affects personality. Bigger bump = stronger trait. (Spoiler: it was all pseudoscience.)