PSYC312 - HISTORY OF PSYCHOLOGY Chapter 1 Notes - Prescientific Psychology Prescientific Psychology - Psychology is the most popular elective in American high schools and one of the most popular undergraduate majors in North American colleges. - There is a strong public interest in psychology · Presence in various forms of media such as movies, novels, computer games, social media, magazines, television shows, tabloid newspapers, radio talk shows, and music lyrics. - Public interest in psychology is referred to as "popular psychology" " Not the same as the scientific psychology studied by professional psychologists. · Interest in human behavior is likely inherent in human nature and has evolutionary advantages. Practice of psychology dates back to earliest days of human history - · Early practitioners were known as sorcerers, wizards, charmers, shamans, medicine men, enchanters, seers, and priests. · Over time, specialization occurred leading to separate professions of medicine, religion, and psychology > these three remain linked in modern practice. - Science of psychology is a 19th century invention. - The textbook will discuss the history of modern psychology, specifically focusing on the 19th century. - Modern psychology is considered synonymous with scientific psychology . Widely agreed the beginning of modern psychology can be traced to the establishment of a research lab by Wilhelm Wundt at the University of Leipzig in 1879. o First North American lab was at Johns Hopkins University in 1883 Establishment of psychological research laboratories in North America, starting the last two decades of the 19th century, played an important role in the development of modern psychology. - Early North American labs (universities across the country) aimed to apply scientific methods from psychiatry and psychophysics to the study of basic human processes such as seeing, knowing, and feeling. · Prior to arrival of new psychology, two other psychologies were present in the 19th century " The practice of psychology (has existed since the dawn of human history) and another psychology that existed within colleges and universities known as mental philosophy. - Throughout history, practitioners of psychology have offered their services under a variety of labels · Examples -> phrenologists, physiognomists, mesmerists, seers, clairvoyants, graphologists, mediums, psychopathists, psychics, spiritualists, mental healers, advisors, psychometrists, and self-labeled psychologists. · Practitioners used methods that were not based in science and sought to help clients in similar ways to modern psychologists o E.g., curing depression, improving marital relations, teaching parenting skills, increasing job satisfaction, reducing anxiety, and assisting in vocational choices. " This kind of psychology, offered by self-trained practitioners, did not have credibility within the academic community and was not recognized by colleges and universities. · The academic community had a separate field known as mental philosophy that dealt with psychological matters. Mental Philosophy - Mental philosophy had been a part of American university curriculum since the 17th century " English and Scottish origins -> John Locke, David Hume, George Berkeley " Focus on sensation and perception, emotions, and will. Staple in the education of students in the 19th century "