The Origins of Psychology: History of Psychology
A layout of the history and origins of psychology and how it evolved as a scientific field and the modern implication of psychology; and its interaction with other disciplines.
Shivanshee Rathore
6 min read
Introduction
Think of psychology as a river. It continues to flow unremittingly, in any direction if you pave the way for it. Similar to the ocean, with more than 60% of its undiscovered content, psychology is a field that can have several tributaries in almost every direction and at the same time so little is known about the depth of this subject. Evolving from philosophical questions about the mind, the study of psychology has come a long way since its birth and has cemented its place as a rigorous scientific discipline.
The Importance of Psychology's History
Understanding the history of psychology is important to appreciate the current state and the future directions that this field can and has grown into. This reflection allows us to see the clear influence of psychology and how it extends beyond just clinical and research laboratories. In my view, understanding this progression of psychological thoughts gives us unique viewpoints to examine and make sense of significant cultural and historical events.
Consider, for instance, how psychological theories can shed light on the difficult dynamics of world wars. What were the involved political powers thinking? Was it greed or a strong sense of survival that led to catastrophic events? Was the need for survival different from humanitarianism in the context of wars? Concepts like group psychology, authoritarianism, and cognitive dissonance offer insight into these questions and how societies were driven to conflict.
Kurt Lewin (1951), a famous psychologist, said: "There is nothing so practical as a good theory". The theories and methods that shape modern psychology are the result of centuries of questions, debate, and scientific advancement.
The Origins of Psychology
The origin of psychology can be outlined through ancient societies and cultures. Greek philosophers like Aristotle and Plato pondered questions about the nature of the mind and behaviour (Hergenhahn & Henley, 2013). For context, King George III's struggle with mental health in “Queen Charlotte” occurred in the late 18th century. At this time, the understanding of mental health was based on humoral theory but it did set the stage for the later emergence of psychodynamic approaches in the 19th century when psychology became a distinct field of study.
The Birth of Modern Psychology
Often referred to as the “father of modern psychology”, Wilhelm Wundt established the first psychology laboratory in Leipzig, Germany, in 1879 (Schultz & Schultz, 2015). This was an important step as it allowed for psychology to deviate from philosophy and become an independent scientific discipline.
Major Schools of Thought
Structuralism
Interestingly, structuralism was introduced by Edward Titchener who was a student of Wundt. This was an approach that focussed on wanting to identify basic features of consciousness through introspection (Hergenhahn & Henley, 2013).
Functionalism
Often considered America’s first psychologist, Willian James was the front0runner of functionalism which concentrated on how mental processes helped individuals adapt and adjust to their environment (Goodwin, 2015).
Psychoanalysis
One of the most controversial roles in this psychology history was played by Sigmund Freud, whose psychoanalytic theory emphasized the role of unconscious processes in shaping behaviour. Even though sensational, his ideas have a significant contribution to the field of psychology (Gay, 1998).
Behaviorism
As the name suggests this approach focussed on observable behaviour rather than any internal mental processes and was pioneered by John B. Watson and B.F. Skinner (Skinner, 1938).
Humanistic Psychology
Around the mid-20th century, Carl Rogers and Abraham Maslow pioneered humanistic psychology that underscored individual potential and self-actualisation theories (Rogers, 1951; Maslow, 1943).
Cognitive Psychology
Soon after, the cognitive revolutions shifted back the focus to mental processes when researchers like George Miller started studying memory and problem asolving abilities in humans (Miller, 1956).
The Continued Growth of Psychology
Today, the psychology of science encompasses a wide range of subfields, reflecting its continued growth and specialization. The American Psychological Association recognizes over 50 divisions, each focusing on different aspects of human behavior and mental processes (APA, 2023). Some prominent areas include:
Clinical Psychology: This branch emphasises diagnoses and treatment of mental, behavioural and emotional disorders.
Cognitive Psychology: Studies mental processes such as perception, thinking, memory, and language.
Developmental Psychology: Examines psychological growth and change throughout the lifespan.
Social Psychology: Investigates how others influence people's thoughts, feelings, and behaviors.
Neuropsychology: This branch underscores the interlink between behaviours and brain processes.
These different subfields demonstrated the adaptability of psychology as a subject and how its integration with other subfields like neuroscience, genetics and even computer science contribute to the growth of a society.
The Future of Psychology
Nowadays, everyone is largely aware of psychology as an emerging field. But with the recent boost in Artificial Intelligence technology, there is a lot of room for pioneering research work and opportunities in this field that could contribute to shaping the future of psychology. Some of these trends are:
Technological Integration: Advancements in technology are opening new avenues for research and practice such as the brain imaging techniques like fMRI provide unprecedented insights into brain function. Even artificial intelligence, Virtual and augmented reality and machine learning are being used to analyze large datasets and predict behaviour, for exposure therapy and skills training.
Personalized Interventions: The growing field of behavioural genetics and advances in data analytics are allowing for more personalized psychological interventions tailored to an individual's genetic makeup and personal history (Caspi & Moffitt, 2018).
Global Mental Health: There's an increasing focus on addressing mental health issues on a global scale, particularly in developing countries where resources are often scarce (Patel et al., 2018). Moreover, this focus on real-like applications of intervention in cross-cultural settings allows for more room for truly inclusive policy development.
Integration with Neuroscience: The ongoing integration of psychology and neuroscience is likely to deepen our understanding of the biological bases of behavior and mental processes (Gazzaniga, 2018).
With the constant revision and evolvement of pre-existing models and theories, psychology will play an important role in the modern world where our environment is constantly changing and adapting.
Conclusion
Our understanding of religious beliefs, and historical and even current practices are enriched due to these psychological perspectives on human needs, behaviours, and cognition. The journey of psychology from philosophical inquiry to scientific discipline mirrors our collective quest to understand ourselves and our world. It allows us not just to analyse behaviours but the grand picture relating to human history and culture.
FAQ
Is psychology really a science?
Yes, psychology is a science as it uses scientific methods to study theories on human behaviours. Similar to other sciences where a theory is rigorously tested, in psychology there are several methods to test the generalisability and relevancy of a theory.
What research methods do psychologists use to study psychology?
As there are about 50 subfields in the field, one can only imagine how many testing methods psychologists have been able to develop to test different aspects in a human. Some of the common methods include correlational and observational research, case studies or surveys. Due to several nuances, the choice of method relies on the subject and the nature of the question being studied.
How many types of psychology are there?
The American Psychological Association has recognised about 50 sub-disciplines within the field of psychology. However, this number is not set in stone, and you never know if there is a topic that just needs to be discovered to be counted alongside all the other sub-disciplines.
How has the digital age impacted the field of psychology?
The recent advent of technology has allowed for several research tools to be developed such as online surveys, big meta-analyses. Even the emerging field of cyberpsychology is gaining traction as it is finding new ways to deliver psychological services such as teletherapy. Moreover, the ongoing integration and evolvement of A-I has raised questions about the impact technology can have on behaviours and mental health
References
American Psychological Association. (2023). APA divisions. https://www.apa.org/about/division
Caspi, A., & Moffitt, T. E. (2018). All for one and one for all: Mental disorders in one dimension. American Journal of Psychiatry, 175(9), 831-844.
Gay, P. (1998). Freud: A life for our time. W. W. Norton & Company.
Gazzaniga, M. S. (2018). The consciousness instinct: Unraveling the mystery of how the brain makes the mind. Farrar, Straus and Giroux.
Goodwin, C. J. (2015). A history of modern psychology (5th ed.). Wiley.
Hergenhahn, B. R., & Henley, T. B. (2013). An introduction to the history of psychology (7th ed.). Cengage Learning.
Lewin, K. (1951). Field theory in social science: Selected theoretical papers. Harper & Brothers.
Maslow, A. H. (1943). A theory of human motivation. Psychological Review, 50(4), 370-396.
Miller, G. A. (1956). The magical number seven, plus or minus two: Some limits on our capacity for processing information. Psychological Review, 63(2), 81-97.
Patel, V., Saxena, S., Lund, C., Thornicroft, G., Baingana, F., Bolton, P., Chrisholm, D., & UnÜtzer, J. (2018). The Lancet Commission on global mental health and sustainable development. The Lancet, 392(10157), 1553-1598.
Rogers, C. R. (1951). Client-centered therapy: Its current practice, implications, and theory. Houghton Mifflin.
Schultz, D. P., & Schultz, S. E. (2015). A history of modern psychology (11th ed.). Cengage Learning.
Skinner, B. F. (1938). The behavior of organisms: An experimental analysis. Appleton-Century.
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