A Brief History of Modern Psychology offers a concise account of the evolution of this dynamic field--from early pioneers of psychological theory to cutting-edge contemporary applications. In this revised third edition, leading scholar Ludy Benjamin surveys the significant figures, concepts, and schools of thought that have shaped modern psychology. Engaging and accessible narrative provides readers historical and disciplinary context to modern psychology and encourages further investigation of the topics and individuals presented. This book provides a solid foundational knowledge of psychology’s past, covering essential areas including prescientific psychology, physiology and psychophysics, early schools of German and American psychology, and the origins of applied psychology, behaviorism, and psychoanalysis. Exploration of 20th century and contemporary developments, including the emergence of clinical and cognitive psychology, ensures a complete overview of the field. The author integrates biographical information on widely recognized innovators such as Carl Jung, Wilhelm Wundt, and B.F. Skinner with lesser known figures including E.B. Titchener, Mary Calkins, and Leta Hollingworth. This personalistic approach to history allows readers to understand the theories, research, and practices of the individuals who laid the foundation to modern psychology. Table of Contents: Preface 1 Prescientific Psychology A Public Psychology The Road to Mental Philosophy Struggles for the New Science 2 Physiology, Psychophysics, and the Science of Mind Brain and Nervous System Sensory Physiology Psychophysics 3 Germany and the Birth of a New Science Wundt's Leipzig Laboratory Hermann Ebbinghaus and the Study of Memory Franz Brentano's Act Psychology Carl Stumpf and the Psychology of Music Georg Elias Müller and Memory Oswald Külpe and Thinking 4 Origins of Scientific Psychology in America William James as Psychologist James as Psychologist and Philosopher G. Stanley Hall and the Professionalization of Psychology James McKeen Cattell: Psychology's Ambassador Getting the Word out about a New Science 5 The Early Schools of American Psychology The Early North American Psychology Laboratories Structuralism Functionalism The Legacies of Structuralism and Functionalism 6 The Birth of the New Applied Psychology in America The Beginnings of Clinical Psychology A Psychology of Business Vocational Guidance Intelligence Testing A Misapplication of Psychology—Eugenics Münsterberg and the Psychology of Law The New Profession of Psychology 7 Psychoanalysis Freud's Early Training Josef Breuer and the Case of Anna O Psychoanalysis as a Theory of the Normal Mind Psychoanalysis as a Theory of the Neuroses Psychoanalysis as Method Psychoanalysis in America The Neo-Freudians The Continued Popularity of Psychoanalysis 8 Behaviorism John Watson and the Founding of Behaviorism Neobehaviorism Behaviorism: A Final Note 9 The New Profession of Psychology A Profession Defined Experiences in World War I Early Organizational Efforts in Professional Psychology The Role of Psychological Assessment Clinical Psychology Industrial–Organizational Psychology School Psychology Counseling Psychology The Modern Profession 10 A Psychology of Social Action and Social Change The Psychology of Sex Differences Kurt Lewin's Action Research Rehabilitation Psychology and the Social Stigma of Disability The Psychology of Race A Final Note 11 Cognitive Psychology Gestalt Psychology Frederic Bartlett and the Constructive Mind The Rise of Modern Cognitive Psychology in America Epilogue References Index About the Author: Ludy T. Benjamin Jr. is Professor of Psychology and Presidential Professor of Teaching Excellence at Texas A&M University and is holder of the Glasscock Professorship in Teaching Excellence. His numerous publications include From Séance to Science: A History of the Profession of Psychology in America (with David Baker, 2004), A History of Psychology in Letters (second edition 2006, Blackwell) and A Brief History of Modern Psychology (2007, Blackwell). In 2007 he received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Society for the History of Psychology for his research on the history of psychology. |