Historical antecedents of Psychology and trends in the 21st centrury
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Answer:
The 21st-century sees psychology moving into the cognitive realm, where there is an increased acceptance of rational thinking, instead of results from empirical studies alone. The future of psychology includes applications in all areas, some examples are consumer research, the legal system, and even politics.
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As the old millennium closed, there was a shift from behavioral perspectives in psychology to cognitive perspectives (Goodwin, 2004)—that is, a shift from a strict reliance on empirical sources for knowledge to an acceptance of rationality as a source for knowledge. In the first decade of the new millennium, psychology is taking on another new look, or perhaps it is simply returning to whence it came. Psychology, and in fact all of society, is embracing spirituality, accepting faith as a once-again legitimate source of knowledge. The media is awash with words such as intuition and faith (Malcolm Gladwell’s book Blink, a best seller, attests to the popularity of intuitive thinking), thus reminding us of this acceptance of non-empirical sources of knowledge. Advances in information technology, such as the Internet and the 24-hour news networks, have made psychology in all of its forms accessible to everyone. This increased globalization of psychology is mirrored in the most recent edition of the DSM (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual), which now acknowledges that mental health practitioners should be aware of cultural issues when diagnosing and treating mental illness.
Four trends in psychology that have carried over into the new century: neuroscience, evolution, computers, and fragmentation. This research paper includes a discussion of these four trends and concludes with a discussion of the future of psychology by examining the applications of psychology in the world today.