CHAPTER ONE
Not until the early 18th century did the term psychology gain more than rare usage among scholars. By
that time it had acquired its literal meaning, “the study of the mind.” It was only about 140 years ago that
psychology emerged as a scientific discipline.
Plato and Aristotle argued separation of mind and body and whether knowledge is inborn (nativism) or
gained through experience (empiricism) (Hothersall, 1995).
Welheim Wundt(1832 –1920) - named psychology as the study of conscious experience, he made it so
that it focused squarely on the mind.
Psychology born in Germany blossomed in north America as well.
Structuralism vs Functionalism:
Structuralism (Edward Titchener) was that the task of psychology is to analyze consciousness into its
basic elements and investigate how they are related. wanted to identify the fundamental components of
conscious experience, such as sensations, feelings, and images. most of their work concerned
sensation and perception in vision, hearing, and touch.
introspection, or the careful, systematic self-observation of one’s own conscious experience.
Functionalism (William James 1842 – 1910) was the belief that psychology should investigate the
function or purpose of consciousness rather than its structure. Consciousness has a continuous flow of
thoughts (Stream of consciousness) and he argued the structuralists were wrong since they studied
static points in that flow. Investigate mental testing, patterns of development in kids, effectiveness of
education, and behavioral differences in genders.
Structuralists gravitate towards labs while functionalists focus more on how people adapt their behavior
due to their environment.
Both schools faded away.
Behaviorism (John B Watson 1878 –1958)
A theoretical orientation based on the premise that psychology should study only observable behaviors.
Should abandon the study of consciousness altogether and focus only on this. Argued verifiability.
Mental processed are not proper subject as they can not be measured, or seen but actual actions can.
Behavior -> observable response or cavity of an organism.
Psychology's mission became to relate overt behavior (responses) to observable events in the
environment (stimuli)
Not until the early 18th century did the term psychology gain more than rare usage among scholars. By
that time it had acquired its literal meaning, “the study of the mind.” It was only about 140 years ago that
psychology emerged as a scientific discipline.
Plato and Aristotle argued separation of mind and body and whether knowledge is inborn (nativism) or
gained through experience (empiricism) (Hothersall, 1995).
Welheim Wundt(1832 –1920) - named psychology as the study of conscious experience, he made it so
that it focused squarely on the mind.
Psychology born in Germany blossomed in north America as well.
Structuralism vs Functionalism:
Structuralism (Edward Titchener) was that the task of psychology is to analyze consciousness into its
basic elements and investigate how they are related. wanted to identify the fundamental components of
conscious experience, such as sensations, feelings, and images. most of their work concerned
sensation and perception in vision, hearing, and touch.
introspection, or the careful, systematic self-observation of one’s own conscious experience.
Functionalism (William James 1842 – 1910) was the belief that psychology should investigate the
function or purpose of consciousness rather than its structure. Consciousness has a continuous flow of
thoughts (Stream of consciousness) and he argued the structuralists were wrong since they studied
static points in that flow. Investigate mental testing, patterns of development in kids, effectiveness of
education, and behavioral differences in genders.
Structuralists gravitate towards labs while functionalists focus more on how people adapt their behavior
due to their environment.
Both schools faded away.
Behaviorism (John B Watson 1878 –1958)
A theoretical orientation based on the premise that psychology should study only observable behaviors.
Should abandon the study of consciousness altogether and focus only on this. Argued verifiability.
Mental processed are not proper subject as they can not be measured, or seen but actual actions can.
Behavior -> observable response or cavity of an organism.
Psychology's mission became to relate overt behavior (responses) to observable events in the
environment (stimuli)
