The Historical Influences of Psychology

PSY/310Rose M. Ezell

August 25th, 2014Shannon Kelly

The Historical Influences of Psychology - Epistemology

• The branch of psychology which is the study of knowledge.

• Epistemology distinguishes true and adequate knowledge from false or inadequate knowledge.

• In Greek philosophy, two main epistemological positions dominate philosophy; Empiricism – Knowledge is a product of sensory perception. Rationalism – Knowledge is the product of rational reflection.

• Empiricism led to reflection-correspondence theory; knowledge results from mapping or reflection of external objects. This is done through our sensory organs and aided by different observational instruments to our brain.

The Historical Influences of Psychology

• Aristotle and Plato – Philosophers of their time, debated whether human ideas are innate or need to be experienced.

• John Locke – A British Philosopher in the 17th Century, thought of the human mind as a blank slate (tabula rasa). It is here, he decided that all of life’s experiences were written.

• Charles Darwin – A Naturalist, suggested in his theory of evolution that animals and people show adaptive abilities to their environments which in turn helps them to survive.

• Rene’ Descartes – A French philosopher created a major work called Empiricism; Through observation knowledge is obtained. Therefore all knowledge comes from experience. He made hypotheses on behavioral conditioning.

The Historical Influences of Psychology

• John Locke – Provided the knowledge of simple and complex ideas. Simple through sensation and perception. Complex ideas are made up of simple ideas and then broken down further. His belief of primary and secondary qualities influences how we view characteristics and objects.

• William James – In 1875, he established at Harvard, one of the first psychology demonstration teaching laboratories in the world.

• Sigmund Freud - The Father of Psychoanalysis, Freud was the first to recognize the inner workings of the mind; The Id, The Ego, and Superego. He also introduced self-analysis and the Oedipus Complex. Freud recognized hysteria as a unconscious memory from childhood. His observational skills first introduced us to psychoanalysis.

The Historical Influences of PsychologyBrain Research

• Early psychology brought us brain function research. This pertained to the mapping of the different parts of the brain.

• Methods of mapping the brain included; Extirpation, which involved removing or destroying a part of the part to discover the changes that took place in behavior.

• Clinical method reviewed the damaged areas after a patients death.

• Electrical stimulation used a small electrical current to stimulate the cerebral cortex of a patient. Observations were made to figure out what part of the body reacted to the current.

• Wilhelm Wundt – Considered by most, the Father of Psychology, by 1879, he created Structuralism at the University of Leipzig, Germany. Structuralism uses the introspection as a scientific technique to get to the elements of consciousness.

• Hermann von Helmholtz – Assuming that the human sense organs functioned like machines, he emphasized a mechanistic approach to psychology. He experimented with the nerve impulses of a frog. His studies on vision, hearing and the nature of harmony and discord furthered the advances in psychology.

• Gustav Fechner – German philosopher, physicist and experimental psychologist, Published the Elements of Psychophysics . His publication explained the experimental method of measuring sensory experience.

• Ernst Weber – Focused on skin and muscular sensations. His ultimate theory concluded that there is no direct correspondence between a persons perception and any physical stimulus.

The Historical Influences of PsychologyMajor Influences of Experimental

Psychology

The Historical Influences of PsychologyPsychopharmacology

• Through the discovery of norepinephrine, serotonin and dopamine, new ways of creating new brain patterns emerged.

• A process of chemical signaling was discovered which gave way to psychoactive drugs.

• Psychoactive drugs act on neurotransmitters and modify aspects of synaptic transmission.

• Today these drugs include antidepressants, antipsychotics, and benzodiazepines.

• As more research is completed and tested, different types of drugs will come to market for use.

The Historical Influences of Psychology

In 1952, The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders was published.

• It is the manual by which all patients are diagnosed.

• In each new discovery the DSM is updated.

• All professionals count on this manual to properly decide on what kind of therapy and medications are needed for a patient.

The Historical Influences of PsychologyREFERENCES

Schultz, D. P. & Schultz, S. E. (2012). A History of Modern Psychology, (10th ed..) Belmont, CACengage Learning

Psychology, Sixth Edition Chapter 14: Psychological DisordersISBN: 9780470646441 Authors: Robin Kowalski, Drew WestenCopyright © John Wiley & Sons Inc. (2011)

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