Modern Trajectory

Weber & Fechner: investigating the difference between the real world and the perceived world

Gestalt:

• germane for form, the idea that our perceptions hold more meaning than our sensations do on their own

• the sum of our sensations is greater than the individual parts

Helmholtz: 

• examined how nerves worked, thought nerves were like electricity

• showed there are actual things happening in a nerve and impulse

• differences in times it takes to get to the brain

Structuralism: 

• wanted to look at what made up our consciousness

  • Wilhelm Wundt - recognized of father of structuralism and father of psychology as a science, 1879 first psychology lab in the world

Functionalism: 

• doesn’t matter what makes up our consciousness, what matters is how we use consciousness

  • William James - championed functionalism

    • taught very first course, wrote very first textbook, taught Mary Kulkins in Harvard

Frued/Psychoanalysis: 

• shifted focus to unconsciousness

• what is driving behavior is the unconscious, things you aren’t aware of

• unscientific idea

Behaviorism: 

• doesn’t matter what’s happening in mind, it’s the behavior you are exhibiting

Humanism: 

• all humans have the capacity for good

Cognitive: 

• focus on the mind

• focuses on the mind and mental processes. It studies how people perceive, think, remember, and learn

  • Kurt Lewin - in order to understand people’s behaviors, we had to understand their subjective experience

Social: 

• the influence of others both actual and imagined on our thoughts and behaviors

Biopsychosocial:

• bio= biological and nature components + psycho = long lasting trait components + social = temporary or situational components

• understand all to understand someone’s psych