Book Link 05 History of Psychology
<back next> — index
By the end of this section, you will be able to:
- Appreciate Freud’s influence on psychology
- Understand the basic tenets of Gestalt psychology
- Appreciate the important role of behaviorism
- Understand basic tenets of humanism
People
1. Wundt and James were important in developing psychology because they were among the first to study the human mind and behavior scientifically. They laid the foundation for modern psychology by emphasizing the importance of observation and experimentation.
2. Freud had a big influence on psychology by introducing the concept of the unconscious mind and the role of childhood experiences in shaping adult behavior. His ideas about psychoanalysis have had a lasting impact on the field of psychology.
3. Gestalt psychology focuses on how people perceive and experience the world as integrated wholes, rather than as a collection of separate parts. This approach emphasizes the importance of context and the mind’s tendency to organize information into meaningful patterns.
4. Behaviorism played a critical role in psychology’s history by emphasizing the study of observable behavior and the impact of the environment on shaping behavior. This approach led to the development of techniques like conditioning and reinforcement.
5. Humanism in psychology emphasizes the importance of individual experience, free will, and the potential for personal growth. It focuses on people’s capacity for self-fulfillment and the importance of positive human qualities.
6. The cognitive revolution shifted psychology’s focus back to the mind by emphasizing the study of mental processes such as thinking, memory, and problem-solving. This renewed interest in the mind’s inner workings led to the development of cognitive psychology as a major area of study.