Chapter 1: The Evolution of Psychology
•Why Study Psychology?
•Psychology is practical
•Psychology is a powerful way of thinking
•Psychology teaches a healthy respect for the complexity of behavior
•Misconceptions About Psychology
From Speculation to Science:
How Psychology Developed
•Prior to 1879
–Physiologists and philosophers studying questions about the mind
•Wilhelm Wundt (1832-1920) University of Leipzig, Germany
–Campaigned to make psychology an independent discipline
–Established the first laboratory for the study of psychology in 1879
Psychology was born
•The Battle of the “Schools” Begins: Structuralism vs. Functionalism
Structuralism – Edward Titchener
–Analyze consciousness into basic elements
–Introspection – Careful, systematic observations of one’s own conscious experience
Functionalism – William James
–Investigate function of consciousness
–Led to investigation of mental testing, developmental patterns, educational practices and sex
differences
Sigmund Freud and the Concept of the Unconscious Mind
•Sigmund Freud (1856-1939): Austria
•Founded Psychoanalytic school of thought
•Emphasis on unconscious processes influencing behavior
–The checks and balances of the Id, Ego & Superego
•Freud’s Ideas:
Controversy and Influence
