Eighteenth and Nineteenth Century Precursors to Psychology

Flashcards covering key concepts in the precursors to psychology during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries.

Individualisation

Increased focus on individuals rather than societal or familial groups; characterized by people thinking of themselves more as individuals, leading to independent thinking.

Increased Power of the State

The state making individuals responsible for their actions and decisions, which reduced the state's burden of supporting them.

Christianity's Promotion of Individuality

Everyone is responsible for their own actions and sins, focusing on the individual's responsibility to act in the right way.

Epistemology

The study of how we know what we know and how we understand the world; a framework that guides how we study everything, accrue knowledge, and integrate that knowledge.

Positivist Epistemological Viewpoint

An epistemological viewpoint emphasizing that science can understand truth.

First Semi-Scientific Studies of the Mind

Experiments focused on working out the limits of mental processes, mainly the functioning of vision and memory, using basic methods.

Darwin's Theory of Natural Selection

Published in 1859, supports the value of positivist science, contradicting the Church's teachings and biblical story of creation.

Nietzsche's 'Death of God'

Characterization of science at the time, referring to the death of God's role in scientific understanding and in our lives.

Issues with Evolutionary Theory

Relies on a certain value system; it is not simple, not linear, and most importantly, cannot be predicted, implying that assigned values are affected by bias.

Eugenics

The pseudoscience of improving the evolution of humanity by selective breeding; advocated forced sterilization of racial minorities and marginalized groups.

Statistics

The process of examining data and using mathematical methods to analyze it, backing up claims with evidence.

Positivist Belief in Statistics

The belief that statistics show or uncover truth, but must always be taken with some caution and suspicion due to researcher bias.