This document discusses the importance of studying the history of psychology. It explains that examining psychology's past helps understand its diverse present-day fields which are united through their shared evolution over time. Reconstructing history poses challenges as the historical record is incomplete and data sources like letters can be lost, distorted, or self-serving. Key factors that influenced psychology's development include the cultural Zeitgeist and important individuals. Major schools of thought that shaped modern psychology are identified along with more recent areas of study.

1. THE STUDY OF THE HISTORY OF
PSYCHOLOGY

2. INTRODUCTION
 The study of the past is relevant for the present.
 History has much to tell us about the world today, and early
developments in the field of psychology help us understand the
nature of psychology in the twenty-first century.

3. WHY STUDY THE HISTORY OF PSYCHOLOGY?
 This course is being offered in your program.
Courses have been taught since 1911
 Of all the sciences, psychology is unique in this regard.

4. WHY STUDY THE HISTORY OF PSYCHOLOGY?
Journals
Division 26 (APA)
Research center (The Archives of the History of American Psychology)
The Archives contains: more than 50,000 books, 15,000 photographs, 6,000
films, audio and video tapes, hundreds of thousands of letters, manuscripts,
lecture notes, testing apparatus, and laboratory equipment.

5. WHY STUDY THE HISTORY OF PSYCHOLOGY?
 There is no single form, approach, or definition of psychology on which all
psychologists agree. E.g., Cognitive functions, Unconscious forces, Overt behavior,
Physiological or biochemical processes.
 Modern psychology includes many subject areas that seem to have little in
common beyond a broad interest in human nature and behavior, and an
approach that attempts in some general way to be scientific.
 The only framework that binds these diverse areas and approaches and gives
them a coherent context is their history, the evolution over time of psychology as
an independent discipline.

6. THE DEVELOPMENT OF MODERN PSYCHOLOGY
For our study of the history of psychology, where do we start?
How we define psychology.
• Fifth century BC, when Plato, Aristotle, and other Greek philosophers--->concern
psychologists today
• memory, learning, motivation, thought, perception, and abnormal behavior.

7. THE DEVELOPMENT OF MODERN PSYCHOLOGY
How should we distinguish between modern psychology?
 less to do with the kinds of questions asked about human nature than with the
methods
 approach taken and the techniques employed
 mark the emergence of psychology as a separate, primarily scientific

8. THE DEVELOPMENT OF MODERN PSYCHOLOGY
 last quarter of the nineteenth century, philosophers studied human nature by
speculating, intuiting, and generalizing based on their own experience.
 major transformation occurred when philosophers began to apply the tools and
methods already successful in the biological and physical sciences
 precise and objective ways
 Continuing development of tools, techniques, and methods to achieve this
increased precision and objectivity

9. THE DEVELOPMENT OF MODERN PSYCHOLOGY
 nineteenth century, the time when psychology became an independent discipline
 physical and biological sciences could be applied to the study of mental
phenomena

10. THE DATA OF HISTORY: RECONSTRUCTING PSYCHOLOGY’S PAST
Historiography:
 principles, methods, and philosophical issues
 to describe and understand the development of psychology.
 Historians face several problems that psychologists do not share.
 In psychology, the data can be verified
 the data of history cannot be reconstructed or replicated.

11. THE DATA OF HISTORY: RECONSTRUCTING PSYCHOLOGY’S PAST
 Fragments, descriptions written by participants or witnesses, letters and diaries,
photographs and pieces of laboratory equipment, interviews, and other official
accounts.
 It is from these sources, these data fragments

12. THE DATA OF HISTORY: RECONSTRUCTING PSYCHOLOGY’S PAST
Lost or Suppressed Data:
 The historical record is incomplete
 John B. Watson: systematically burned his letters, manuscripts, and
research notes.
 Papers of Hermann Ebbinghaus & handwritten diaries of Gustav Fechner.
 An Italian mathematician stole more than 70 letters written by Rene
Descartes.
 Letters--selected to present a favourable impression of Jung and his work.
 Sigmund Freudexample

13. THE DATA OF HISTORY: RECONSTRUCTING PSYCHOLOGY’S PAST
Data Distorted in Translation:
 Here the data are available, but they have been altered in some way, perhaps
through faulty translation from one language to another
 through distortions introduced deliberately or carelessly by a participant or
observer recording the relevant events.
 For example, Id for Es (it), Ego for Ich (I), Superego for Uber-Ich (above-I).
 Einfall; Free association - means an intrusion or an invasion.
Self-Serving Data:
B.F Skinner; Frued

14. CONTEXTUAL FORCES IN PSYCHOLOGY
Zeitgeist: The intellectual and cultural climate or spirit of the times.
 Economic Opportunity
 The World Wars
 Prejudice and Discrimination
• Discrimination against women
• Discrimination based on ethnic origin

15. CONCEPTIONS OF SCIENTIFIC HISTORY
Personalistic Theory:
 The view that progress and change in
scientific history are attributable to the ideas
of unique individuals.
 Progress and change are attributable directly
to the will and charisma of unique persons
who alone redirected the course of history.
 The person makes the times.
 Darwin, Einstein.

16. CONCEPTIONS OF SCIENTIFIC HISTORY
Naturalistic theory:
 The view that progress and change in scientific history are attributable to the
Zeitgeist, which makes a culture receptive to some ideas but not to others.
 The times make the person, or at least make possible the recognition and
acceptance of what that person has to say.
 The inhibiting or delaying effect of the Zeitgeist.
 The concept of the conditioned response was suggested by the Scottish scientist
Robert Whytt in 1763.

17. SCHOOLS OF THOUGHT IN THE EVOLUTION OF
MODERN PSYCHOLOGY
Structuralism
Functionalism
Behaviorism
Gestalt psychology
Psychoanalysis
Humanistic psychology
Cognitive psychology

18. CONTEMPORARY DEVELOPMENTS
Evolutionary psychology,
Cognitive neuroscience, and
Positive psychology.