Question

give a brief account of the evolution of psychology.

Answer 1

In this section we will review the history of psychology with a focus on the important questions that psychologists ask and the major approaches (or schools) of psychological inquiry. The schools of psychology that we will review are summarized in Table 1.2 “The Most Important Approaches (Schools) of Psychology”, and Figure 1.5 “Timeline Showing Some of the Most Important Psychologists” presents a timeline of some of the most important psychologists, beginning with the early Greek philosophers and extending to the present day. Table 1.2 “The Most Important Approaches (Schools) of Psychology” and Figure 1.5 “Timeline Showing Some of the Most Important Psychologists” both represent a selection of the most important schools and people; to mention all the approaches and all the psychologists who have contributed to the field is not possible in one chapter.

Answer 2

Evolution of Psychology

Explanation:

• The path of evolution of Psychology began in as early as 428 BCE with Plato arguing about how nature can influence an individual’s psychological development.

• The other sociologists, psychologists, philosophers who contributed to the evolution of Psychology are:

1. Aristotle (nurture influencing psychological development)
2. Thomas Hobbes, Rene Descartes, John Locke, Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Gustav Fechner.
3. Charles Darwin expressed that his theory of natural selection can influence psychological development.

• The various schools of Psychology which were developed are  – introspection, structuralism (Gestalt Psychology), functionalism, psychodynamic, behaviorism, cognitive and sociocultural.  
• These schools of Psychology lead to the path of Modern Psychology and were formulated by various psychologists from post-Darwin period like Gestalt, Wilhelm Wundt, William James, Ivan Pavlov, Herman Ebbinghaus, Sigmund Freud, John Watson, Jean Piaget, B.F. Skinner, Albert Bandura, and many more.
• The psychological principles which evolved over these years are:

1. Nature versus nurture, freewill versus determinism, accuracy versus inaccuracy, conscious versus unconscious processing, and differences versus similarities.