A Little History Psychology 1106. A little History Before the beginning of science (mid 1600s) psychology was clearly in the domain of the philosophers.

A Little HistoryA Little History

Psychology 1106Psychology 1106

A little HistoryA little History

Before the beginning of science (mid Before the beginning of science (mid 1600s) psychology was clearly in the 1600s) psychology was clearly in the domain of the philosophersdomain of the philosophers

Indeed, all sciences wereIndeed, all sciences were Physics was the first to leave the Physics was the first to leave the

nestnest Then chemistryThen chemistry BiologyBiology Finally, usFinally, us

AristotleAristotle

Believed that the Believed that the heart was the seat heart was the seat of behaviourof behaviour

He noted the He noted the importance of the importance of the brain (but it was for brain (but it was for cooling blood he cooling blood he figured)figured)

British EmpiricistsBritish Empiricists

Thomas Hobbes Thomas Hobbes (1588-1679)(1588-1679)

Contents of mind Contents of mind rest on experiencerest on experience

John Locke (1632-John Locke (1632-1704)1704)

‘‘white paper’ or white paper’ or tabula rasatabula rasa

Rene DescartesRene Descartes

Descartes said that Descartes said that we were machines we were machines with a soulwith a soul

The notion was The notion was that the mind and that the mind and the body were the body were separateseparate

Animals have no Animals have no soulsoul

And yadda yadda yadda….And yadda yadda yadda….

By the 19By the 19thth century people were century people were talking about psychologytalking about psychology

Still the philosophers held swayStill the philosophers held sway Last half of the 19Last half of the 19thth century changed century changed

thisthis The zeitgeist of the time changedThe zeitgeist of the time changed

What the hell does zeitgeist mean?What the hell does zeitgeist mean?

I don’t speak freaky deaky Dutch Mr. I don’t speak freaky deaky Dutch Mr. GoldmemberGoldmember

The spirit of historyThe spirit of history The enlightenment of the 18The enlightenment of the 18thth

century was affecting the common century was affecting the common personperson

Science and technology could explain Science and technology could explain everythingeverything

GesundheitGesundheit

Even the origins of Even the origins of humanity could be humanity could be explained without explained without appealing to appealing to religion!religion!

Charles Darwin and Charles Darwin and the Origin of the Origin of SpeciesSpecies

So like you could So like you could figure out anything figure out anything with science!!with science!!

Wilhelm WundtWilhelm Wundt

1879 Leipzig1879 Leipzig Established his lab Established his lab

at the University of at the University of LeipzigLeipzig

Studied Studied psychophysicspsychophysics

Many of those Many of those methods are still methods are still used todayused today

William JamesWilliam James

Published his Published his ‘Principles of ‘Principles of Psychology’ in Psychology’ in 18901890

Lots of Lots of introspectionintrospection• Looking into Looking into

yourselfyourself Got lots of stuff Got lots of stuff

rightright

John B. Watson and BehaviourismJohn B. Watson and Behaviourism

Became president of Became president of the APA in 1915the APA in 1915

A reaction against A reaction against introspectionintrospection

For Watson and his ilk, For Watson and his ilk, introspection was a introspection was a very bad thingvery bad thing

Turning psychology Turning psychology back into philosophyback into philosophy

BehaviourismBehaviourism BF Skinner and Ivan BF Skinner and Ivan

PavlovPavlov Consciousness is an Consciousness is an

epiphenomenonepiphenomenon Only concerned with Only concerned with

the observablethe observable Skinner really became Skinner really became

the spokesman for this the spokesman for this view, Pavlov was view, Pavlov was notnot a behaviourista behaviourist

Skinner had a huge Skinner had a huge hold on psychological hold on psychological thinking in North thinking in North AmericaAmerica

Meanwhile in Europe….Meanwhile in Europe….

FreudFreud• BooooooooBoooooooo• Dirty old man crack Dirty old man crack

head from Viennahead from Vienna• PsychoanalysisPsychoanalysis• It is all about sex, It is all about sex,

With your mother….With your mother….

Those wacky Europeans, they are Those wacky Europeans, they are so, Europeanso, European

PiagetPiaget• Child developmentChild development

LorenzLorenz• ImprintingImprinting

KohlerKohler• Insight learningInsight learning

Gestalt psychologyGestalt psychology Clearly different Clearly different

from Behaviourismfrom Behaviourism

Cognitive RevolutionCognitive Revolution This stuff, and a lot of This stuff, and a lot of

interesting data interesting data (especially HM) lead to (especially HM) lead to the idea that we the idea that we should be more should be more concerned about concerned about thinkingthinking

Brenda MilnerBrenda Milner• She is the one on the She is the one on the

left…left… The cognitive The cognitive

revolution hit every revolution hit every part of psychologypart of psychology

More recent developmentsMore recent developments Brain imagingBrain imaging

• PET fMRIPET fMRI• Watch people think!Watch people think!

ComputersComputers• Modeling and AIModeling and AI

Now we are splitting up into cognitive Now we are splitting up into cognitive science, neuroscience and AIscience, neuroscience and AI

Many old ideas have been rediscoveredMany old ideas have been rediscovered• Species differencesSpecies differences• Ideas about memoryIdeas about memory• Going through stagesGoing through stages

In CanadaIn Canada

Psychology has always been strong Psychology has always been strong in Canadain Canada

First lab in Canada was in 1890 at U First lab in Canada was in 1890 at U of Tof T• James Mark BaldwinJames Mark Baldwin

Research in Canada is funded by Research in Canada is funded by NSERC, SSHRC and CIHRNSERC, SSHRC and CIHR

Many big names are from CanadaMany big names are from Canada

BanduraBandura TulvingTulving HebbHebb MilnerMilner BaldwinBaldwin CraikCraik LockhartLockhart ShettleworthShettleworth

RobertsRoberts MacLoedMacLoed PaivioPaivio PylishynPylishyn KolbKolb WishawWishaw HonigHonig StaddonStaddon

The most cited psychology Department in the WORLD is U of T