the history of psychology. what is psychology? the study of behavior and mental processes behavior...
TRANSCRIPT
THE HISTORY OF
PSYCHOLOGY
WHAT IS PSYCHOLOGY?
The study of behavior and mental
processes• Behavior - anything an organism does,
observed actions• Mental processes – thinking, feelings,
sensations, perception
The discipline has evolved over time &
is still “under construction”
HISTORY OF PSYCHOLOGY
•Although the science of psychology started in the
late 1800’s, the concept has been around a lot longer.
•evidence of trephination (cutting holes into skull to
let evil spirits out) back in stone age
It was like a bad SAW movie!!!!
ORIGINS OF PSYCHOLOGY
Influenced by both philosophy & physiology
• Philosophy- “love of wisdom,” use of reason to understand reality & existence• Physiology- the study of the way
living things workancient Greek philosophers were the first to ponder the workings of the mind
Socrates & Plato• Argued that the
mind is separate from the body• Dualism: the
belief that the mind is separate from the body• Knowledge is
innate (born within us)
GREEK PHILOSOPHERS
Aristotle• Loved data & wrote
about many topics (dreams, sleep, senses, memory…)
• Argued that knowledge grows from experiences stored in our memories
• Laid foundation for the Scientific Method
THE ENLIGHTENMENT
John Locke• “Tabula Rasa”=blank slate, humans are
born knowing nothing• Everything is learned, nothing is
innate• All knowledge comes from
experience• Empiricism: knowledge is acquired
through observation & experience
BIRTH OF PSYCHOLOGY
Wilhelm Wundt-1879 University of
Leipzig• Reaction time experiment• Psychology’s first experiment,
birth of a science• Established first psychology lab• Introspection (looking inward)
Andrea Yates