History of Psychology

Psychology

The scientific study of human behavior, the brain, and its functions.

Applied Psychology

The use of principles of behavior to help people.

Research Psychology

The pursuit of knowledge for its own sake.

Goals of Psychology

Description, Explanation, Prediction, Control.

Description

The goal of identifying and classifying behaviors.

Explanation

The goal of understanding the causes of behavior.

Prediction

The goal of forecasting future behavior.

Control

The goal of influencing or modifying behavior.

Thomas Kuhn

Philosopher known for the idea that science changes with the times.

The Structure of Scientific Revolutions

A book authored by Thomas Kuhn.

Mind-body dualism

The philosophical concept posited by René Descartes.

Empiricism

The theory that knowledge comes primarily from sensory experience, associated with John Locke.

Objective Observation

The idea advocated by Auguste Comte for scientific study.

Reflex Arc

A concept discovered by Marshall Hall related to spinal cord mediation.

Phrenology

A debunked theory disproved by Pierre Flourens regarding the relationship between the skull shape and personality.

Neural Impulse Speed

The speed of neural impulses measured by Hermann von Helmholtz.

Weber’s Law

A principle stating that what one notices depends on current experience, studied by Ernst Heinrich Weber.

Wilhelm Wundt

The founder of psychology as a discipline, established the first psychology lab.

Structuralism

A school of thought focused on breaking down consciousness into elemental parts, associated with Wundt and Titchener.

Functionalism

A school of thought emphasizing the adaptation of individuals to their environment.

Origin of Species

A work by Charles Darwin discussing the hierarchy of life forms.

Eugenics

The movement founded by Francis Galton that aimed to improve the genetic quality of the human population.

Social Darwinism

A concept introduced by Herbert Spencer, applying Darwinian ideas to social issues.

Behaviorism

A psychological approach that focuses solely on observable behaviors, founded by John Watson.

Legacy of Psychology

The evolution of psychology from philosophy and physiology into a scientific discipline.