AP Psychology-Unit 1 Major Historical Figures

Aristotle

Student of Plato knowledge is not innate - it grows out of experience/memory

Wilhelm Wundt

Wilhelm Wundt (1832 - 1930) is known as the "Founder of Modern Psychology" and the "Father of Experimental Psychology". He established the first laboratory in the world that was dedicated to Experimental Psychology, particularly investigations on the senses and perceptions. Wundt used the method of Introspection to investigate psychological phenomena. This involved the subject's observation and reporting of his own inner thoughts and sensations, and was very difficult to master.

William James

William James (1842 - 1910) was a psychologist and philosopher, and was recognized for writing the Principles of Psychology, which is considered to be a monumental work in the history of psychology. James is known for the James-Lange Theory of Emotion, which he formulated independently of Carl Lange. According to the theory, an emotion is simply the mind's interpretation of certain physiological processes that occur as a response to certain stimuli.

Rene Descartes

knowledge is innate (nature) - and mind is separate from the body

John Locke

knowledge is not innate(Nurture) - Tabula Rasa

Plato

student of Socrates - believes like Socrates

B.F. Skinner

B.F. Skinner (1904 - 1990) is best known for developing the theory of Operant Conditioning, which uses reinforcers or consequences to change behavior. According to this theory, the rate at which a certain behavior occurs is determined not by what precedes it, but by the consequence that follows it. For example, when a child puts away his toys, he gets praised by his parent. This positive consequence of the child's behavior will increase the likelihood that he will put away his toys after playing with them.

Carl Rogers

Carl Rogers (1902 - 1987) was one of the most influential psychologists of modern times, and is well known for the creation of Client-Centered Therapy, also known as Person-Centered Therapy or Rogerian Psychotherapy. As the name implies, this method of therapy emphasizes the person as the subject, rather than an object. The client-therapist relationship is not one where the therapist's role is to cure or change the person. Rather, the therapist's role is to create a positive relationship that the client may use as a means of personal growth.

Charles Darwin

Charles Darwin (1809-1882) was a British naturalist and scientist who developed theories about evolution and natural selection and is credited with being the father of evolutionary theory. Darwin began to develop his ideas on a historical 5 year long scientific voyage on the HMS Beagle. While in the Galapagos Islands he noted that each island had finches that were closely related but each island's finch population had differing physical characteristics. This lead Darwin to the idea that would eventually become the concept of natural selection.

Dorthea Dix

Dorothea Dix (1802-1887) was an advocate for the mentally ill who revolutionarily reformed the way mentally ill patients are treated. She created the first mental hospitals across the US and Europe and changed the perception of the mentally ill. She began her social work career by opening schools and then became a successful author. When teaching prisoners she noticed the horrible living conditions and treatment they were exposed to along with the realization that the mentally ill were being housed and receiving the same inhumane treatment as violent criminals. Dix traveled across the country and compiled reports on the horrible treatment of prisoners and the mentally ill. It was these reports that she used to bring this treatment to light and allowed her to lobby for legislation and funding for mental institutions. Dix was the first woman federally appointed to a major military position when she was put in charge of Union hospitals and nursing staff during the Civil War. After the war for the rest of her life she improved existing mental health facilities and opened many new ones.

Sigmund Freud

Dreams, slips of the tongue, and memory blocks all provide a glimpse into the unconscious mind. Id, Ego, Super Ego

G. Stanley Hall

G. Stanley Hall (1844 - 1924) is known as the Father of Adolescence. His work influenced adolescent themes in psychology, popular culture, and education. Hall coined the term "storm and stress" to describe the period of adolescence. This period is characterized by a teenager's conflict with parents, mood disruptions, and engagement in risky behavior. Although the concept of storm and stress is not accepted as a universal phenomenon in adolescents, psychologists recognize that this phenomenon is most likely to take place during adolescence.

Ivan Pavlov

Ivan Pavlov (1849 - 1936) is best known for his work describing the psychological phenomenon of Classical Conditioning. From his work studying digestion in dogs, he observed that the dogs would salivate at the mere sight of food. Pavlov originally discovered the idea of conditioning by accident - he noticed that dogs began to salivate even before they were presented with food. He later tested the concept using what became his most famous experiment. In that experiment he conditioning dogs to salivate in response to the sound of a bell. He did this by ringing a bell as he presented food, at which the dogs would respond by salivating. After several trials of the bell and food presented together, Pavlov rang the bell alone without presenting food and the dogs gave the usual salivary response. Salivation in response to the ringing of the bell is known as a "conditioned response" Pavlov's work lay the foundation for Behaviorism, which dominated the field of psychology from the 19th century until the first half of the 20th century.

Jean Piaget

Jean Piaget was a Swiss psychologist most famous for his theories on cognitive development in children,. Early in his career he noticed that children think differently from adults. He theorized that children filter knowledge from their experiences and environment into groups called schemas which are cognitive frameworks that help us organize information. Piaget developed stages of cognitive development that children progress through at certain ages.

Margaret Floy Washburn

Margaret Floy Washburn (1871-1939) was one of the most noted American psychologists of the early 20th century. She was the first woman to be granted a Ph.D. degree in psychology in 1894, She is particularly well-known for her work in animal behavior and motor theory development. Additionally, she was the second woman to serve as President of the APA.

Mary Whiton Calkins

Mary Whiton Calkins (1863-1930) was a philosopher and psychologist. In addition to these vocations, she was the first female president of the American Psychological Association and The American Philosophical Association. She taught psychology at Wellesley College and worked with Hugo Munsterberg, a German psychologist. During this time she published several papers on dreams and color/number association. Her greatest contribution to the field of psychology was "self-psychology," a field that emphasized introspection (primarily the self-examination of personal experiences). Her books and papers indicate a a view of psychology that primarily dealt with the mind and spirit while minimizing physical input such as sensorimotor and physiological experiences.

John B. Watson

Methodological behaviorism was pioneered by researcher John B. Watson in the early decades in the 20th century This particular perspective on psychology concentrated only on the observation of observable cause and effect reactions without consideration of the mental components of behavior and the intellectual workings of the subject's mind.

Socrates

Mind separate from body - continues on when we die - knowledge is innate (already in use)