"This slim volume would be a wonderful accompaniment to a traditional text. This reviewer has taught history and theory of psychology for 24 years. In those years, many students have said -- at the end of the course -- 'I wish I had known this stuff at the beginning of my degree.' This volume would fill that need." R.E. Osborne, PhD, Texas State University CHOICE "In this engaging and highly readable book, Devonis gives readers a 'usable past' - an account of key themes and issues that shaped modern American psychology. Much more than a straightforward chronicle of intellectual antecedents, History of Psychology 101 situates the field in a wider social and historical context. The book will appeal to both experienced psychologists and those new to the field - highly recommended." Ian Nicholson, PhD St. Thomas University "The author is very knowledgeable of the history of psychology and is uniquely qualified to prepare this book. Dave Devonis has extensive experience teaching students, which is apparent with the way he wrote this book to enhance learning and understanding." Laura Koppes Bryan, PhD University of Baltimore Spanning the modern development of psychological science and practice-the era most relevant to today's psychologists-this concise overview of psychology's history focuses on how the field has striven to make a positive impact on society and the individuals within it. It not only examines, decade by decade, the key developments in psychology, but goes beyond the usual "schools and systems" approach to illuminate not just how psychological theories developed but how they have been applied and practiced. The text is unique in its focus on connecting the historical development of psychology to present concerns in the field, thus making the information more relevant to today's student. Woven throughout the book is thread of optimism regarding the value of psychological ideas for the betterment of humanity. The book considers how psychology has informed-and been influenced by-social and cultural concerns of the past century. Each chapter highlights a theme that typified the science and practice of psychology in a particular era, along with a "historical centerpiece," an examination of an exemplary psychologist or psychological work that typified the field's development during that time period. Key Features: • Presents a concise, accessible overview of the modern history of psychology • Goes beyond the usual "schools and systems" approach to focus on how psychological theories were developed, applied, and practiced • Demonstrates how the field of psychology has endeavored to make a positive impact on society and individuals • Focuses on making historical information relevant to psychological practice today • Embeds psychology in the social and cultural milieu of each era Contents: Preface Prologue Chapter 1 The 1920s Chapter 2 The 1930s Chapter 3 The 1940s Chapter 4 The 1950s Chapter 5 The 1960s Chapter 6 The 1970s Chapter 7 The 1980s Chapter 8 The 1990s and Beyond Epilogue: An Interview Appendix I: Some Notes on the Characters Appendix II: Suggestions for Further Reading References Index About the Author: David Devonis, PhD, is Professor and program coordinator of Psychology at Graceland University (IA) where he teaches a full spectrum of courses on campus and online, from introductory psychology to advanced seminars in health and environmental psychology. He has served as the Treasurer of Cheiron, the International Society for the History of the Social and Behavioral Sciences. Dr. Devonis also sits on the steering committee of the Iowa Teachers of Psychology Association. He has published peer-reviewed articles in such publications as Journal of the History of the Behavioral Sciences, The Feminist Psychologist, and the Annals of Theoretical Psychology. He has also contributed articles to such reference works as the APA's Encyclopedia of Psychology (2000), Dictionary of Modern American Philosophers (2005), the New Dictionary of Scientific Biography (2007), and the Encyclopedia of the History of Psychological Theories (2011). His particular areas of research interest are the influence that environments have had in the history of psychology and the work of the American psychologist Paul Everett Meehl (1920-2003), who was an early proponent of what would become evidence-based practices in psychology. |