History of psychology is about understanding, explaining, and improving human behavior. It’s a science that has been growing exponentially since its inception in 1879. From Sigmund Freud and Carl Jung to Albert Bandura and Jean Piaget, the science of psychology is a big one. But all those big names are just part of a massive teaching set. that’s been going on since the field began. And that teaching set has led to major milestones and developments in the history of psychology. which you can explore through their timeline below!
Here is a brief overview of some of the major milestones and developments in the history of psychology:
Ancient Greece: [ Early history of psychology ]
- The earliest recorded concepts of psychology can be traced back to ancient Greece, where philosophers such as Aristotle and Plato wrote about the nature of the mind and human behavior.
18th century:
- In the 18th century, philosophers such as René Descartes and John Locke proposed theories about the mind and how it interacted with the body.
19th century:
- In the 19th century, psychology began to be studied as a separate discipline, with the founding of the first psychological laboratory by Wilhelm Wundt in 1879.
- Structuralism, led by Wundt, emphasized the study of the basic elements of consciousness.
- Functionalism, led by William James, emphasized the study of the functions of consciousness and how it adapts to the environment.
20th century: {history of psychology}
- Behaviorism, led by John Watson and B.F. Skinner, emphasized the study of observable behavior and sought to understand how behavior is shaped by environmental factors.
- Psychoanalysis, led by Sigmund Freud, emphasized the study of the unconscious mind and the role of childhood experiences in shaping behavior.
- Humanistic psychology, led by Carl Rogers and Abraham Maslow, emphasized the study of the individual’s potential for self-actualization and personal growth.
- Cognitive psychology, led by Ulric Neisser and George Miller, emphasized the study of mental processes such as perception, memory, and problem-solving.
- Developmental psychology, led by Jean Piaget and Erik Erikson, emphasized the study of how people change and grow throughout their lifespan.
21st century: {history of psychology}
- Positive psychology, led by Martin Seligman, emphasizes the study of what makes life worth living and how to promote well-being.
- Positive neuropsychology, studies the brain bases of well-being and flourishing.
- Evolutionary psychology, emphasizes the study of how the mind has evolved to adapt to the environment.
- Social psychology, studies how people interact with others and the influence of social factors on behavior.
- Cognitive neuroscience, combines cognitive psychology and neuroscience to study the neural basis of mental processes.
- Community psychology, emphasizes the study of how to promote well-being in communities and how to address social issues.
As you can see, the history of psychology is complex and multifaceted. And with many different schools of thought and approaches to studying the mind and behavior.
