Evolution Of Modern Psychology
Evolution of Modern Psychology
Psychology has a long past, yet its real history is short.
Hermann Ebbinghaus
(1885)
Throughout the course of human history, many scientists and thinkers have been wondering about nature of people’s thoughts, feelings and behavior. Why do we act a certain way in a given situation? What are the driving forces provoking people’s conduct? Before the emergence of psychology as a separate discipline in the late 1800s, it was physiology and philosophy that helped answer these questions. For example, French philosopher Rene Descartes introduced the idea of dualism, claiming that the mind and body were two separate entities, interaction of which creates human experience. Physiology, with its research on the brain, also played a significant role in forming psychology as a science. In fact, it was a German physiologist, Wilhelm Wundt, who, in 1879, founded the first experimental laboratory in psychology at the University of Leipzig. Many consider him to be “the father of psychology”.
What does it mean for psychology to be a branch of science? To answer this question, it is important to define the notion of science. Science uses empirical approach, i.e. it believes that all knowledge is based on or gained through experience, with an experiment being the main method. Therefore, foundation of Wundt’s first experimental laboratory became a starting point for psychology as a science with its key features that differ it from other approaches of explaining human and animal experiences and behavior. Psychology uses empirical evidence – the data collected through observation and experiment. Unlike theological concept, it does not rely on argument or belief but responsibly carries out observations and experiments, making detailed reports about their results for future references and possible replications. Another distinguishing feature of psychology as a science is objectivity. Researchers should remain unbiased in their work and not let their
Psychology has a long past, yet its real history is short.
Hermann Ebbinghaus
(1885)
Throughout the course of human history, many scientists and thinkers have been wondering about nature of people’s thoughts, feelings and behavior. Why do we act a certain way in a given situation? What are the driving forces provoking people’s conduct? Before the emergence of psychology as a separate discipline in the late 1800s, it was physiology and philosophy that helped answer these questions. For example, French philosopher Rene Descartes introduced the idea of dualism, claiming that the mind and body were two separate entities, interaction of which creates human experience. Physiology, with its research on the brain, also played a significant role in forming psychology as a science. In fact, it was a German physiologist, Wilhelm Wundt, who, in 1879, founded the first experimental laboratory in psychology at the University of Leipzig. Many consider him to be “the father of psychology”.
What does it mean for psychology to be a branch of science? To answer this question, it is important to define the notion of science. Science uses empirical approach, i.e. it believes that all knowledge is based on or gained through experience, with an experiment being the main method. Therefore, foundation of Wundt’s first experimental laboratory became a starting point for psychology as a science with its key features that differ it from other approaches of explaining human and animal experiences and behavior. Psychology uses empirical evidence – the data collected through observation and experiment. Unlike theological concept, it does not rely on argument or belief but responsibly carries out observations and experiments, making detailed reports about their results for future references and possible replications. Another distinguishing feature of psychology as a science is objectivity. Researchers should remain unbiased in their work and not let their