The History of Psychology

The history of psychology is in infancy at the present time. Many philosophers can be credited to the development of this science. Starting in the early 18th and 19th centuries philosophers such as Rene’ Descartes and John Locke opened the world of what we know as psychology today. The British empiricists also contributed to psychology. Some of these men include David Hume and David Hartley.

Perhaps almost all branches of knowledge as we know them today have a strong link with ancient civilizations. The ancient Greek civilization is one of them. Not that the contribution of other ancient civilizations such as the Mayan or Egyptian are of less importance, it’s just that the ancient Greeks can be accredited for being the promoters of the natural sciences. Psychology as we know today is the study of mental functions and behaviors, however it is believed that psychology stemmed out of philosophy. The word psychology in Greek translates as psuche which means the vital breath or the human soul. Philosophers such as Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle have had great influence on the ideas of modern day psychology. There interpretations of the mind, soul, and behavior have a strong association with the thoughts and theories of psychologists such as Freud, Skinner, Pavlov, and others.

Herbert Spencer formulated from Darwinism a “system called synthetic philosophy.” This synthesis was meant to combine all the knowledge and experience of evolutionary principles. (Shultz & Shultz, 2008). William James added to this, the specific concentration towards complex functions of adaptation of people. By coining the phrase “stream of consciousness,” William James tried to approach thought as a constant thought that is never broken. Signifying that, thoughts continually occur and accumulate. This was entirely in contrast with the immediate experience that Wundt and Titchener modeled. Functionalism also contrasted its origins in the fact that it was accepted by vigorously opposing structuralism. This impact is partly why America largely adopted its developments and findings. Functionalism was functional in a time when practicality was sought after in a growing industrialized America.

Wilhelm Wundt founded the first psychology laboratory. Student of Wudnt 's, E.B. Titchner named Wundt 's approach structuralism. William James gave field an "American Stamp," invented functionalism

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History and Systems of Psychology is a course requirement offered to Psychology majors and minors. This course is used to provide majors and minors with the foundation and the evolution of the field of psychology. Within this class, many scholars of discussed. Two scholars that stood out to me in this course would be John Watson and Max Wertheimer. These two particular scholars are responsible for two of the most influential and famous schools of thought, behaviorism and Gestalt psychology. These two schools of thought are responsible for changing the field of psychology and introducing the field to new theories and ways of thinking. Although the two schools of thought are similar in being influential but they are different in many ways. The two schools of thought are even said to be contradictory of one another and one is even said to be the cause of the fading out of the other.

Chapter one of Experience Psychology has shown me theoretical and historical perspectives of psychology and has given me basic knowledge of research methods. In learning this I have come to notice these elements of psychology in the Netflix original show Bates Motel.

The historical underpinnings of American psychology came by way of Francis Bacon and John Stuart Mill philosophy, Charles Darwin evolutionary biology, Chauncey Wright evolutionary psychology, and Wilhelm Wundt volunteer psychology generally (Green, 2009; Wright, 1873). From these philosophical and biological contributors came two major schools of American psychology, namely structuralism and functionalism (Green, 2009; Caldwell, 1899; biological terms; see Boucher, 2015, pp. 384-385), which emerged as competitors of thought on how to describe and explain the human mind and behavior specifically (Angell, 1907; Caldwell, 1899; Green, 2009; Green, Feinerer, & Burman, 2013). The conceptual reality of this debate between the two schools is foundational and must be understood in order to build the proper picture of how American psychology has established itself as a “marker” by which America, and I proffer, the world evaluates psychology as a whole. It is in this historical context where the soil was cultivated for the planting of these two schools and how each one takes root, flourishes, and how they both eventually find a reticent subjugation to modern forms of psychological preeminence. Therefore, this paper will discuss the historical nature and foundational construct of structuralism, functionalism, and the process of change for American psychology to be where it is today.

The seven early and modern perspectives of psychology contain the following: psychodynamic perspective, behavioral perspective, humanistic perspective, cognitive perspective, sociocultural perspective, bio psychological perspective, and evolutionary perspective.

He also was a leader of the philosophical movement known as, Pragmatism; as well as the psychological movement known as, Functionalism. Pragmatist view the concept of “thought as a tool for prediction, problem solving and action” (…). In addition, they value theories and beliefs that are successful under the means of their practicality and usefulness. Functionalism also goes hand-in-hand with this as stresses the practical application of a thing (…). Both movements intertwine with James’ argument in The Moral Equivalent to War; that war is an irrational way of solving conflict considering the degeneration it causes within societies around the world.

“James defined psychology as the study of mental processes but such processes take the psychologist into behavioral, physiological and cultural dimensions” (King, Viney &Woody 2013, p.288). James explored many topics in psychology such as habit, consciousness, the self, emotion and memory. The first part of James psychology was habit, he believed behavior is susceptible to the act of habit. James advised to teachers that habit was the most useful way, education was a behavior and behaviors fall into habits. He merely suggested rules for habit; to move towards a new and better habit, breaking bad habits, consistency and training, and activities, (Brewer 2003, p.36). This area of Jamesian psychology influenced teachers and education.

William James introduced functionalism and wrote the Principles of Psychology, a book which is still used today to teach and inform others about psychology. Functionalism, the key contribution James made to psychology, asserted that knowing how our mental and behavioral processes function is the key to understanding human behavior. James thought that

Aristotle defined the meaning of psyche as the essence of life. Translated to mean “life” from the ancient Greek, but also almost shares the same meaning as “breath.” The word logo means “the study of.” The famous Greek Philosopher believed that the word psyche escaped from the last dying breath. Today, modern psychologists believe the same thoughts that Aristotle believed long ago, and still study the same thoughts, feelings and actions.

The History of Psychology In order to discuss Psychology's history, it is important to understand that psychology still does not have one unifying approach unlike the natural sciences; even the definition of Psychology and what it truly means is still undecided. However I shall attempt to review chronologically its philosophical origins, include how the science of Physics and Biology were placed in history and how they influenced research and determined the development of Psychology as its recognised today. Beginning with the philosophers Plato and Aristotle (between 428- 347) in ancient Greece, they began to ask

Structuralism was the first school of psychology, and focused on breaking down mental process into the most basic component, Major structuralism thinkers include Wilhelm Wundt and Edward