The Growth of Applied and Professional Psychology

What is Psychology Good For?

What is Applied Psychology?

  • Basic research    

    • done in the name of theory building and hypothesis researching

    • further knowledge

    • ex: spacing effect in recall memory

  • Applied Research   

    • what specific techniques are included in a treatment package in reducing symptoms

    • outcome of evaluation: head start programs

    • not inspired by theory but by if we want to continue funding a program

    • ex: number and frequency of exams

  • distinction: applied gives information about theories and models

    • basic can have application

      • ppl doing it will not have been interested in spacing in new schools

  • mutual roles of theory and application

  • applied psychology is a uniquely American development

G Stanley Hall (1844-1924) (root figure)

  • actively spurred on American psychology

  • one of the three when the first psych experiment was done in Leipzig

  • born in rural MA, of Puritan heritage

  • graduated Williams College in 1867, studied philosophy and theology

  • attended Union Theological Seminary, but left to study abroad

  • 1878, Ph.D. in Philosophy from Harvard on space perception

  • established first psychology department in US at Johns Hopkins in 1883

  • 1904 Publication of Adolescence

    • adolescent “storm and stress”

  • 1909 celebration fo the 20th anniversary of Clark University

  • Hall’s search for an acclaimed speaker (Freud and Jung!)

    • approached Wilhelm Wundt first!

    • Freud’s only visit to the US 

Hall and American Psychology

  • also in 1887, Jonas Clark founded new university in Worcester, Massachusetts

  • hall became first president of clark university in 1888

  • founded The Pedagogical Seminary, renamed Journal of Genetic Psychology

    • educational and developmental

  • founder and first president of APA in 1892

A Brief History of APA

  • 1892 APA founded by G. Stanley Hall

  • 1937 Rival American Association of Applied Psychology

  • 1944 Divisional structure introduced 19 divisions within APA

  • 1960 20 divisions → 54 by 2007

  • 1988 Schism forms the American Psychological Society (later Assoc Psych Sci)

  • 2015 Hoffamn Report

    • created by an external counsel (APA hired law firm in Chicago to do an investigation of misconduct in APA)

    • 9/11/2001

Walter Dill Scott (1869-1955)

  • fundamental compliance

  • people will do what you tell them to do   

    • capitalize on marketing campaign

  • developed coupons!

    • psychology of intention

FDA versus Coca-cola

  • 1909 seizure leads to 1911 trial

  • defense needed human behavioral studies of the effects of caffeine

  • Harry Hollingworth

    • contractual arrangement

    • well-designed research study

      • 20 cognitive, sensory and motor tasks

      • double-blind conditions

      • week 1 baseline - no caffeine

      • week 2 test - caffeine vs. placebo pills

      • week 3 test - caffeine vs. placebo Coke

    • established new role for psychologists

Hugo Munsterberg (1863 - 1916)

  • Ph.D. 1892 - same year that the APA was established

    • William James gave up Harvard lab to munsterberg

  • first proposed that psychologists can assist with forensics

    • worked with hypnosis

  • Psychology and Industrial Efficiency (Munsterberg, 1913)

    • personnel selection

    • career and interest testing

    • worker motivation and efficiency

    • job analysis

    • human factors or engineering psychology

    • persuasive advertising and sales strategies

The Hawthorne Studies

  • Chicago, IL

  • western electric plant

    • 1920 - electricity spreading like fungus over the US

      • most houses now, especially in urban areas, were wired for electricity

    • made lightbulbs 24/7

    • more quickly and efficiently

  • large study of productivity factors:

    • workplace illumination and temperature

    • length of workday

    • number and duration of rest intervals

    • changes and return to previous condition increased productivity

    • increased productivity was short-lived

  • Hawthorne effect - behavior changes as a result of it being studied in the first place

    • IO psychology