History of Psychology PDF

History of Psychology  What were the first psychological studies? Socrates developed a method of learning called introspection, which means to carefully examine our own thoughts and feelings. Aristotle outlined associationism, the theory that asso...

History of Psychology  What were the first psychological studies? Socrates developed a method of learning called introspection, which means to carefully examine our own thoughts and feelings. Aristotle outlined associationism, the theory that association with past experience is a basic principle of mental activity.  Wundt founded a field of Wilhelm Wundt (1832–1920) This attempt to understand the psychology known as was a German scientist who was structure of the mind was structuralism. the first person to be referred to as known as structuralism. a psychologist. Wundt viewed Structuralism focused on the Wundt established his psychology as a scientific study of basic elements of consciousness. psychology laboratory at the conscious experience, and he Structuralists believed that the University at Leipzig in 1879. believed that the goal of human mind functioned by In this laboratory, Wundt and psychology was to identify combining objective sensations his students conducted components of consciousness. and subjective feelings. experiments.  James was introduced to Darwin’s theory of evolution by natural selection and William James was known as Functionalism was more accepted it as an explanation the father of American interested in the operation of of an organism’s Psychology the whole mind rather than of characteristics. Key to that James was one of the founders its individual parts, which theory is the idea that natural of functionalism. were the focus of selection leads to organisms Functionalism is the study of structuralism. Functionalism that are adapted to their how mental processes help focused on how mental environment, including their organisms adapt to their activities helped an organism behavior. As James saw it, environment. fit into its environment. psychology’s purpose was to study the function of behavior in the world.  Perhaps one of the most He developed psychoanalysis, influential and well-known which emphasizes unconscious Psychoanalytic theory figures in psychology’s history motives and internal conflicts focuses on the role of a was Sigmund Freud. Freud in human behavior. person’s early childhood theorized that many of his Psychoanalytical theory experiences. Gaining patients’ problems arose from assumes that most of what access to the unconscious, the unconscious mind. In exists in an individual's mind is then, was crucial to the Freud’s view, the unconscious unconscious and consists of successful resolution of mind was a repository of conflicting impulses, urges, the patient’s problems. feelings and urges of which we have no awareness. and wishes.  John B. Watson founded the school of behaviorism, which defined psychology as the scientific study of observable behavior. Because he believed that Watson was a major proponent of objective analysis of the mind was shifting the focus of psychology impossible, Watson preferred to from the mind to behavior. focus directly on observable behavior and try to bring that behavior under control.  B. F. Skinner added to the Skinner spoke of reinforcement behaviorist tradition by adding and punishment as major factors reinforcement. in driving behavior. He showed that animals that are reinforced, Like Watson, Skinner was a or rewarded, for a certain action behaviorist, and he concentrated are more likely to perform that on how behavior was affected by action again. its consequences. Gestalt psychology was developed by German psychologists Max Wertheimer, Kurt Koffka, and For example, a song may be made up Wolfgang Köhler. of individual notes played by different It is based on the idea that our instruments, but the real nature of the perceptions of objects are more than song is perceived in the combinations the sum of their parts. They are wholes of these notes as they form the that give shape, or meaning, to the melody, rhythm, and harmony. In parts. many ways, this particular perspective would have directly contradicted Gestalt psychology rejects the Wundt’s ideas of structuralism structuralist idea that experience can be broken down into individual parts or elements.  Humanism is a perspective within psychology that Maslow asserted that so emphasizes the potential long as basic needs for good that is innate to necessary for survival all humans. One of the were met (e.g., food, most well-known water, shelter), higher- proponents of humanistic level needs (e.g., social psychology is Abraham needs) would begin to Maslow. motivate behavior. According to Maslow, the Abraham Maslow was an highest-level needs relate American psychologist to self-actualization, a who is best known for process by which we proposing a hierarchy of achieve our full potential. human needs in motivating behavior.