History of Psychology Intro Notes

Psychology is

• The scientific study of behavior

and mental processes:
– Behavior
– Mental Processes
– Scientific

• Goals of Psychologists

– Observe, Describe, Explain,

Predict, Control

History

• 135 years old in its

more modern form as
defined today

• Earlier?

– Plato, Aristotle,

Descartes

– Medical doctors and

physiologists also
interested

Structuralism

•Wilhelm Wundt (physiologist)
– 1879 Germany – 1st Lab
– Students from all over – wanted to study structure of mind
– About what research reveals, not just common sense

•Edward Titchener (Wundt’s student who came to US)
– INTROSPECTION – looking within (example…)
– Structuralism – every experience broken down into

elements

– Example:

• Consciousness – broke into 2 categories (Objective

Sensations and Subjective Feelings)

• Apple Example...

•Legacy: Lab, science of psych, Margaret Floy Washburn 1st
woman PhD in Psychology / 2nd woman to lead APA (after Mary
Whiton Calkins) - Whiton Calkins also earned a PhD but
Harvard refused to grant it to her (both 1894)

Titchener

William James – “Functionalism”

• Harvard late 1800s
• Interested in important of consciousness in

everyday life rather than just analysis –
scientific study still not possible – referenced
“stream of consciousness” (practice)

• Focus: How the mind allows people to

“function” in the real world

• Influenced by Darwin
• Legacy

– Principles of Psychology 1890
– Mary Whiton Calkins – 1st female pres of APA

Gestalt (“Gesh talt”)

• Max Wertheimer
• Objected to structuralism – different

reasons – iPhone example

• The whole is greater than the sum of

its parts

• Learning is active and purposeful /

not mechanical.

• Context is important when studying

anything

• Legacy: Still large part of cognitive

psychology today

Psychoanalysis

• Sigmund Freud 1856-1939,

Austrian Physician

• Cause of mental disorders –

nothing physical?

• Unconscious mind where we

repress urges / desires

• Stressed early childhood

<6yrs old

• His method of research?
• Controversy / Debate?
• Influence / Significance?

Behaviorism

•Ivan Pavlov – Russian Physiologist –
Reflex

•Salivating Dogs

•Early 1900s: John B. Watson

•Challenged views of the others – Focus
should be on scientific inquiry

•Ignore consciousness issue

•All behavior is learned

•Phobias: Freud vs Watson

–Rosalie Rayner / Watson and Little Albert

•Legacy: Still present today

•Office Clip example…next slide