Development of American Psychology (Mid-19th Century Onward)

Vocabulary flashcards covering key terms related to the origins and development of psychology in America as presented in the notes.

Empiricism

The view that all knowledge originates from experience, observation, and sensory data rather than innate ideas.

John Locke

17th-century philosopher who promoted empiricism and the idea that knowledge comes from experience and sensory perception.

Thomas Reid

18th-century philosopher who promoted empiricism and emphasized the role of the observer and senses in acquiring knowledge.

Role of the senses in knowledge acquisition

The emphasis on the senses and sensory experience as foundational to how the mind learns and gains knowledge.

Hermann von Helmholtz

German physiologist who measured the speed of neural impulses and studied hearing and vision, showing that senses can be deceptive and are not a perfect mirror of reality.

Psychological reality vs physical reality

The concept that mental processes and physical processes are related but not identical, a topic explored by early German researchers.

Ernst Weber

German scientist who studied the relationship between physical stimuli and perceived intensity, leading to Weber's law.

Gustav Fechner

German psychophysicist who linked increases in physical stimulus to perceived changes in sensation and helped establish psychophysics.

Weber-Fechner law

The principle describing a systematic relationship between physical stimulus changes and corresponding changes in perceived intensity.

Margaret Floy Washburn

First American woman to earn a Ph.D. in psychology (1871–1939); in 1921 she became the second woman elected president of the American Psychological Association.

American Psychological Association (APA)

The leading professional organization for psychologists in the United States.

Experimental psychology

The view that psychology is an experimental field, built on empirical methods and training.

Precursors to American psychology

Foundations in philosophy (empiricism) and physiology (sensory studies) that preceded and shaped American psychology.

Mid-19th century starting point

The mid-19th century is used as the starting point for tracing the development of psychology in America.