Founders of Psychology Flashcards

Founders of Psychology

• Wilhelm Wundt: (1832-1920) Recognized as the Father of Psychology; established the first experimental psychology lab, marking psychology as a scientific discipline.

• William James: (1842-1910) Promoted Functionalism, focusing on the mental processes that allow adaptation; made significant contributions to industrial and educational psychology.

• Edward Titchener: (1867-1927) Advocated for Structuralism, emphasizing different states of consciousness: conscious awareness, subconscious habits, and unconscious memories.

• Sigmund Freud: (1856-1939) Known as the Father of Psychoanalysis; introduced the three structures of personality: Id (impulsive desires), Ego (realistic self), and Superego (moral conscience), highlighting the role of unconscious motives.

• Ivan Pavlov: (1849-1936) A Russian physiologist who pioneered classical conditioning through experiments with dogs, illustrating how behavioral habits are formed.

• John B. Watson: (1878-1958) A leading Behaviorist who expanded on Pavlov's conditioning, emphasizing learned fears and reflexes, and authored influential books on behaviorism.

• B.F. Skinner: (1904-1990) Developed principles of Behavior Modification, explaining how behavior is influenced by consequences; introduced concepts of positive reinforcement and extinction.

• Abraham Maslow: (1908-1970) A Humanistic Theorist known for the concept of Self-Actualization and the Hierarchy of Needs, outlining human motivation from basic needs to self-fulfillment.

• Carl Rogers: (1902-1987) A Humanistic Theorist who proposed Unconditional Positive Regard and focused on personality development from childhood; first to refer to clients instead of patients.

• Francis Cecil Sumner: (1895-1954) Recognized as the Father of African American Psychology; critiqued cultural bias in IQ tests and led the psychology department at Howard University.

• Maime & Kenneth Clark: (1939) Notable African American psychology team whose doll research highlighted the impact of cultural self-esteem; their findings contributed to the Brown v. Board of Education case.

• Jorge Sanchez: Recognized as the Father of Hispanic Psychology; examined cultural influences on psychology and critiqued IQ test bias.

• Mary Calkins: (1863-1930) A functionalist who advanced paired-associate learning; first female president of the APA; established a psychology lab at Wellesley, focusing on memory research.

• Margaret Floy Washburn: (1871-1939) The first woman to earn a PhD in psychology, contributing significantly to the field’s development.