Download Early Roots in Philosophy

Greek and Roman Times
Hippocrates was one
of the first scientist to
propose a biological
theory of abnormality
 while he was a keen
observer, his
physiology was crude

ABNORMAL HISTORY

GREEKS
 HIPPOCRATES



ASSUMED THE BRAIN AS ORIGIN OF ALL
PSYCHOLOGICAL FUNCTION.
ABNORMAL BRAIN=ABNORMAL BEHAVIOR
NOT CAUSED BY GODS BUT BY DISEASE
Early Demonology

during various periods of history people
suffering from mental illnesses were seen
as being possessed by evil spirits
Early Roots in Philosophy
Rene Descartes
(1596 – 1650)
Since the senses provide distorted
information, certainty can only
come from pure reason (mind).
This led him to develop a view of the
world in which there are two kinds
of substance—mind and matter—
that mind and body are separate
entities. This point of view is
known as rationalism. In
psychology, it is known as the
mind-body problem.
John Locke
(1632 – 1704)
The contents of our
consciousness come only
through direct experience of
the external world through
the senses. The mind is a
blank slate (Tabula Rasa) at
birth on which experience
writes itself into the mind.
Answer the following

Identify the 6 contemporary perspectives
in psychology.

Which perspectives emphasize the
importance of biological factors.
Psychology Becomes a Science
Wilhelm Wundt
(1832 – 1920)
Believed that psychology
should utilize scientific
method and focus on the
individual’s conscious
awareness of immediate
experience. Founded the
first laboratory devoted to
psychology in Leipzig,
Germany in 1879, focused
on the measurement of
sensory experiences. He is
considered the father of
modern Psychology
Structuralism
(Identify the basic components of consciousness and how they
relate to each other.)
G. Stanley Hall
(1844 – 1924)
Created the first psychology laboratory and
professional journal in the U.S., founder of
the APA, best known for his work on child
and adolescent development.
E.B. Tichener
(1867 – 1927)
Building on the ideas of Wundt, founder of
the Structuralist movement, influenced by
pioneering work in quantum (particle)
physics by Niels Bohr (1885 – 1962). If
matter can be broken down into
fundamental particles, perhaps mind can be
as well. Used technique known as
introspection to “map out” the mind.
Introspection
Introspection
– careful, systematic
observations of one’s own conscious
experience
Both Structuralism and
Functionalism used introspection.
Functionalsim
(Analyze the function of consciousness, not its structure. how
does consciousness help us to adapt to a changing
environment?)
Using Charles Darwin’s (1809 –
1882) theory of Natural Selection,
James proposed that the mind
must serve some important
purpose related to the survival of
the species (helps us adapt to
changes in the environment).
He saw consciousness as a
continuous flow of thoughts
(“Stream of Consciousness”) not
an assembly of static component
parts
William James
(1842 – 1910)
Behaviorism
(Beyond Functionalism, Stimulus-Response Psychology)
Ivan Pavlov
John B. Watson
(1849 – 1936) (1878 – 1958)
E.L. Thorndike
(1874 – 1949)
B.F. Skinner
(1904 – 1990)
Pavlov and Watson explored the principles studied the
principles of classical conditioning, associational learning
Thorndike and Skinner studied operant conditioning,
consequential learning
Behaviorists reject the study of consciousness, focus only on
observable behavior
Psychoanalysis
(Psychology moves inward)
Sigmund Freud
(1856 – 1939)
In contrast to the Behaviorists, who
studied only outward, observable
behavior, Freud focused on the
power and influence of unconscious
drives, motives and conflicts on
behavior. He developed a model of
personality that focused on the
importance of childhood experiences
in determining adult behavior. He
believed that much, if not all, of our
behavior is determined by the action
of repressed (unconscious) anxieties,
fears and conflicts.
Humanism
(Psychology returns to its philosophical roots)
Abraham Maslow
(1908 – 1979)
Considered the founder of Humanistic
Psychology, utilizing principles that were
introduced by the Greeks, including the
intrinsic worth of all individuals and the
natural human tendency to strive for
perfection.
Carl Rogers
(1902 – 1987)
Developed psychotherapy techniques based
on Humanistic principles. His therapy
emphasized genuineness, empathy and
unconditional positive regard. Called his
patients “clients” to minimize the stigma
of mental illness.
Cognitive and Physiological Psychology
(A return to applied science)
Jean Piage
Noam Chomsky
(1896 – 1980)
(1928 )
Cognitive
Characteristics and
development acquisition of language
in children
(LAD)
Roger Sperry Herbert Simon
(1913 – 1994)
(1916 – 2001)
Nobel Prize for Nobel Prize for
Cognitive
work on function
brain hemisphere
functions of
the mind
Sociobiology and
Evolutionary Psychology
(Behavioral Genetics)
E.O. Wilson
Founder of
Sociobiology
Richard Dawkins David Buss L. Cosmides/J. Tooby
In “The Selfish Gene”
argued that all behavior is
an attempt to maximize
reproductive advantage
Studied the
evolution of
mating behavior
and strategies
Studied cheating
and its advantages/
disadvantages in
reproductive success
Gestalt Psychology
• A group of German psychologists
disagreed with the principles of
structuralism and behaviorism.
They argued that perception is more than
the sum of its parts –it involves a “whole
pattern” or, in German, a Gestalt
 Gestalt psychologists studied how
sensations are assembled into
perceptual experiences

Rationalism
(Descartes)
Empiricism
(Locke)
Scientific Method
(Wundt)
Structuralism
(Hall, Tichener)
Cognitive
(Piaget, Chomsky,,
Simon)
Humanistic
(Maslow, Rogers)
Functionalism
(James)
Physiological
Behaviorism
(Sperry)
(Pavlov, Watson,
Thorndyke, Skinner)
Psychoanalytic
(Freud)
Evolutionary
(Wilson, Dawkins,
Buss, Cosmides,
Looby)
Early Women in Psychology
MARY
Whiton
CALKINS
(1863-1930)
Studied memory and 1st
women to president of the
APA, Did not receive PH.D.
Margaret Floy
Washburn
(1871-1939)
1st women to
receive
PH.D., wrote
the book
titled “The
Animal Mind”
Early Women in Psychology
Pioneered work on
adolescent development,
mental retardation, and
gifted children. She
performed studies that
challenged the ideas of
women being “inferior” to
men
Leta Stetter
Hollingworth
(1886-1939