Psychology Theories and Key Figures

Wilhelm Wundt is considered the founder of psychology, establishing the first experimental psychology laboratory in 1879.

Sigmund Freud developed psychoanalysis, a theory emphasizing the unconscious mind and its influence on behavior.

Behaviorism emphasizes observable behaviors and their learning through conditioning, rejecting the study of internal mental processes. John B. Watson, Ivan Pavlov, and B.F. Skinner are key figures.

Carl Rogers was a pioneer of Humanistic psychology, emphasizing the importance of individual growth, self-actualization, and human potential.

Abraham Maslow developed the hierarchy of needs, a theory that states human motivation is driven by a series of needs, starting with basic survival needs and progressing towards self-actualization.

Edward Thorndike's law of effect states that behaviors followed by rewarding consequences are more likely to be repeated, while those followed by punishing consequences are less likely.

Albert Bandura's observational learning theory suggests that individuals learn by observing and imitating others. This includes modeling and vicarious reinforcement.

George Miller's research on short-term memory capacity found that people can typically hold around 7 items (plus or minus two) in working memory at a time.

Jean Piaget's theory of cognitive development describes how children's thinking changes over time in four stages: sensorimotor, preoperational, concrete operational, and formal operational.

Erik Erikson emphasized the role of social and cultural influences on personality development throughout life, proposing a series of eight psychosocial stages.