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Questions and Answers
What trend began around the end of the Middle Ages in western societies, emphasizing individual focus over group identity?
What trend began around the end of the Middle Ages in western societies, emphasizing individual focus over group identity?
Which British empiricist introduced the idea of 'tabula rasa'?
Which British empiricist introduced the idea of 'tabula rasa'?
Which philosopher held that human knowledge is ultimately a construction of the mind and does not necessarily represent the outside world?
Which philosopher held that human knowledge is ultimately a construction of the mind and does not necessarily represent the outside world?
What did Hume argue was necessary for understanding ideas about God?
What did Hume argue was necessary for understanding ideas about God?
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What role did increased literacy and improved postal services play in individualisation?
What role did increased literacy and improved postal services play in individualisation?
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How did the presence of mirrors in homes contribute to individualisation?
How did the presence of mirrors in homes contribute to individualisation?
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What is the primary assertion of Berkeleian idealism?
What is the primary assertion of Berkeleian idealism?
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Which of the following statements best describes Hume's view on causality?
Which of the following statements best describes Hume's view on causality?
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Which statement accurately describes the focus of psychophysics?
Which statement accurately describes the focus of psychophysics?
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What criticism did Jenkin raise against Darwin's theory?
What criticism did Jenkin raise against Darwin's theory?
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What principle did Quetelet discover concerning statistical analysis?
What principle did Quetelet discover concerning statistical analysis?
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What does the term 'survival of the fittest' refer to in the context of natural selection?
What does the term 'survival of the fittest' refer to in the context of natural selection?
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What does the ‘Patient-as-a-person’ movement emphasize in healthcare?
What does the ‘Patient-as-a-person’ movement emphasize in healthcare?
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Which statement about reductionism is correct?
Which statement about reductionism is correct?
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Which discovery was made that contributed to the support of Darwin's theory?
Which discovery was made that contributed to the support of Darwin's theory?
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What was one of the key methods introduced by Fisher in statistical analysis?
What was one of the key methods introduced by Fisher in statistical analysis?
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Which of the following is a misconception about Darwin's theory of evolution?
Which of the following is a misconception about Darwin's theory of evolution?
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What aspect of mental chronometry does Donders study?
What aspect of mental chronometry does Donders study?
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What does Kant mean by 'noumena'?
What does Kant mean by 'noumena'?
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How does Reid's 'common sense realism' differ from idealism?
How does Reid's 'common sense realism' differ from idealism?
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What aspect did Reid emphasize in his division of sciences?
What aspect did Reid emphasize in his division of sciences?
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Which of the following best describes the focus of empirical psychology?
Which of the following best describes the focus of empirical psychology?
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What was Comte's view on psychology as a science?
What was Comte's view on psychology as a science?
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What did Herbart contribute to educational philosophy?
What did Herbart contribute to educational philosophy?
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Which part of metaphysics does ontology study?
Which part of metaphysics does ontology study?
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What was Kant's position on perception and reality?
What was Kant's position on perception and reality?
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What major shift did Bain introduce into psychology?
What major shift did Bain introduce into psychology?
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What was the significance of psychometria according to the content?
What was the significance of psychometria according to the content?
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What did Aristotle add as the fourth part of metaphysics in the 17th century?
What did Aristotle add as the fourth part of metaphysics in the 17th century?
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What did Kant believe regarding the judgement of personality based on appearance?
What did Kant believe regarding the judgement of personality based on appearance?
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What was Hooke's focus in relation to human perception?
What was Hooke's focus in relation to human perception?
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What is a characteristic criticism that Comte directed towards psychology?
What is a characteristic criticism that Comte directed towards psychology?
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Study Notes
Eighteenth and Nineteenth Century Precursors to Scientific Psychology
- Individualization: A societal trend toward looser social structures, prioritizing individual self-over group belonging; emerged around the late Middle Ages in Western societies.
- Contributing Factors to Individualization: Growing urbanization and industrialization fostered complex social networks and competition; diverse occupations and social relationships increased. Increased state control and information gathering created a sense of individuality. Religious emphasis on personal faith and connection with God encouraged individual focus. Mirrors and book printing heightened self-awareness and interest in others. Improved literacy and postal service enabled intimate personal communication.
British Empiricists
- Locke: Founder of empiricism; proposed the "tabula rasa" (blank slate) concept, influencing the idea of natural rights by emphasizing the inherent equality of individuals.
- Berkeley: Developed Idealism, suggesting that human knowledge is a mind-dependent construction, not necessarily reflecting an external reality. Mental phenomena are primary.
- Hume: Believed ideas originate from God, arguing that divine concepts are beyond reasoning and rely on perception. Questioned the reliability of scientific observation. "Esse est percipi" – existence depends on perception; introduced the problem of induction, questioning predictions based on past observations. Challenged causality, attributing it to mental habit rather than direct perception. Idealist.
Kant
- Transcendental Idealism: Aimed to reconcile empiricism with rationalism. Perception is more complex than Hume and Berkeley proposed; perception exists within a world in harmony with it.
- Noumena/Dinge an sich: Reality independent of perception—a stable external reality needed for understanding world order.
- Phenomena: Manifestations of things as they appear to us, shaped by perception and mental processes. Knowledge is limited to phenomena.
- Categories of Understanding: A priori lenses (e.g., time, space, cause/effect) through which we organize and interpret sensory data.
Reid
- Common Sense Realism: Perception directly represents external objects as they are, without intermediary perceptual representations.
- Division of Sciences: Distinguished between "proper science" (axioms & demonstrations like math) and "improper science" (historical/systematic arts).
- Physiognomy: Personality deduced from appearance, specifically facial features. Believed behavior needs to be considered in personality judgments.
Wolff
- Rational Psychology: Studied the mind using reason and metaphysical principles (e.g., immortality of the soul).
- Empirical Psychology: Studied the mind through observation and sensory experience. Supported introspection. Psychology should aim for mathematical demonstrations.
Comte
- Positivism: Criticized psychology for its lack of positivist scientific rigor. Claimed the proper study of the mind requires a biological and observational approach.
- Hierarchy of Sciences: Organized sciences based on complexity, beginning with mathematics and progressing to sociology.
Herbart
- Educational Philosophy: Importance of scientific approaches in education.
- Mathematical Models: Developed mathematical models to explain psychological phenomena, challenging Kant's view against a psychological science.
Bain
- Physiological Contributions: Incorporated the nervous system and physiology in psychology textbooks.
Psychological Experimentation
- Early Psychology Experiments: Natural philosophers conducted experiments categorized today as psychological studies. Emergence of early psychology laboratories.
- Human Perceptual Capabilities: Hooke examined minimum visual angles; Mayer studied illumination and detail perception; Weber studied just noticeable differences.
- Psychophysics: Studied stimulus-perception relationships (Fechner).
Mental Chronometry
- Measurement of Nerve Transmission: Von Helmholtz measured transmission speed in animals and humans.
- Scientific Study of Mental Processes: Donders initiated studies on the time course of mental processes.
Evolutionary Theory
- Evolutionary Context: Linnaeus's classification of humans with primates; fossil discoveries; increased plant cultivation. Cross-fertilization produced more adaptive offspring. Natural selection is the process by which the environment favors more advantageous traits.
- Natural Selection Critique: Jenkin criticized Darwin's theory, arguing that advantageous traits would weaken over time. Concepts of survival of the fittest.
Development of Statistics
- Individual Variation: Psychology differed from physics due to individual variation in response. Quetelet emphasized the predictive power of aggregating data.
- Statistical Methods: Fisher's Latin squares allowed better control for experimental factors.
Advancement of Medicine
- Patient-as-a-person Movement: Emphasized holistic patient care, treating patients as individuals rather than symptoms.
Reductionism
- Reductionism: The view that theories of mental properties can be reduced to neuroscientific theories; focuses on breaking down phenomena into simpler elements.
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Description
Explore the evolution of scientific psychology through the lens of individualization and the contributions of British Empiricists. Learn how societal changes, from urbanization to advancements in communication, impacted psychological thought in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. Delve into the ideas of key figures like John Locke and their influence on the understanding of individual rights.
