The Development of Psychology Essay - 1156 Words

The Development of Psychology Psychology is defined as the scientific study of behavior and the mind. This definition implies three things. The first is that psychology is a science, a field that can be studied through objective methods of observation and experimentation. The second is that it is the study of behavior, animal activity that can be observed and measured. And the third is that it is the study of the mind, the conscious and unconscious mental states that cannot be seen but inferred through observation. This modern-day definition of psychology sheds light on the history of psychology, for it only became a science in the late 19th century though psychological thought has been present since Antiquity. Previously, psychology†¦show more content†¦The birth of psychology as a science can be traced to the University of Leipzig, in Germany in 1879. In the University of Leipzig, physiologist Wilhelm Wundt founded the first laboratory dedicated to the scientific study of the mind. Wundt’s labor atory attracted European and American scientist who conducted the first psychological experiments known. Early scientific study of psychology in Wundt’s laboratory was conducted mainly through the method of introspection. Introspection entailed the systematic observation of people who were trained to describe their conscious experience as they encountered visual displays and other stimuli. Wundt, as prefaced in one of his books, set out to â€Å"mark out a new domain of science†. He did so, establishing psychology as a field of science. In the United States, William James from Harvard University explored the emerging study of psychology in 1875 as he created and taught an introduction-to-psychology course. In 1890, he published the first American college textbook on psychology which was quickly adopted as the leading psychology textbook. In The Principles of Psychology, he wrote of the formation of habits, individuality, emotions, stream of consciousness, and other topics. He is considered the founder of American psychology. The first decades of psychology were dominated by the structuralism and functionalism schools of thought. Structuralism was espoused by Wilhelm Wundt and his student Edward Titchener.Show MoreRelatedThe Development Of Mathematical Psychology1560 Words   |  7 PagesPsychology established into a mathematical discipline through a series of events during history. This establishment led to the development of mathematical psychology; a field encompassing empirical methodology (Benjafield, 2015). Furthermore, through the implementation of math in psychology, findings from previous and current studies of psychology influenced the plethora of knowledge available today—directly impacting society’s understanding and application of psychological phenomena. 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These theorists have all had their own view on personality development, and I believe that these ideas have shaped the way in which we view psychology today. The many interpretations of conflict, psychotherapy, and culturalRead MoreThe Theory Of Psychology And Personality Development1802 Words   |  8 Pages Personality Report There are many theorists that have made psychology incredible, and have paved the way for what we believe psychology to consist of today. Some important theorists that I believe have made a huge contribution are Sigmund Freud, Karen Horney, and Dollard and Miller. These theorists have all had their own view on personality development, and I believe that these ideas have shaped the way in which we view psychology today. The many interpretations of conflict, psychotherapy, and cultural