History and Systems of Psychology

by James F. Brennan, Keith A. Houde

Overview

History and Systems of Psychology provides an engaging introduction to the rich story of psychology's past. Retaining its trademark clarity and accessibility, the Eighth Edition also features expanded coverage of non-western traditions in psychology as well as added coverage of nineteenth-century advances in philosophy and science. The emergence of applications of psychology in clinical, educational, neuroscientific, and social settings are further emphasized within the twenty-first-century landscape of psychology as a cognitive and a positive science. Assuming little prerequisite knowledge, the authors discuss the people, places, and concepts that have shaped psychology's story, and show that we remain fascinated and perplexed by the same enduring questions that confronted our ancestors – namely, our wonder at our subjectivity and consciousness of self. The Eighth Edition is supported by rich online resources including a manual, test bank, and lecture slides for instructors, and study guides and links to primary source literature for students.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781316517673
Publisher:	Cambridge University Press
Publication date:	11/17/2022
Edition description:	8th ed.
Pages:	500
Product dimensions:	7.64(w) x 9.92(h) x 1.14(d)

About the Author

James F. Brennan, Ph.D., served seven years as Provost of The Catholic University of America and was named Professor Emeritus in 2021. He has held academic administrative and faculty positions at several universities, continuing a program of empirical research focused on drug actions in hearing pathologies. His interest in psychology's history stems from his doctoral minor concentration, mainly through Kent State University's School of Library Sciences. He has continued this interest throughout his career through his teaching in the area as well as his authorship of this textbook, beginning in 1982 and continuing through eight editions.

Keith A. Houde, Ph.D., is Professor of Psychology at Ave Maria University in Florida. He previously worked as a clinical psychologist within a Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Maine, including service as a psychology training director for a predoctoral internship and postdoctoral fellowship program. With an academic background in psychology and theology, his interest in the history of psychology flows from a fascination with theories of human nature throughout the history of thought. He is passionate about teaching the history of psychology within the context of Western civilization and culture.

Read an Excerpt

My prefatory remarks for this edition cover the same ground as in the prior editions—namely, that this text is written as an introduction to psychology's past, grounded firmly in the intellectual history of Western civilization. Psychology emerged as a scientific discipline within the context of the intellectual history of Western Europe. The progression of ideas that led to the post-Renaissance development of empirical science allowed psychology to assume its present diverse form. Accordingly, the scope of contemporary systems of psychology may be best understood in terms of the evolution of Western thought from the time of antiquity. This book contains a historical perspective on the intellectual development of Western civilization, which gradually focuses on the emergence of psychology as an independent, recognized scientific enterprise.

Chapters 1-11 introduce the major themes of psychological inquiry initially considered by early Greek scholars and subsequently modified by Christian and Islamic writers. As modern science grew out of the Renaissance, the place of psychological inquiry became a source of controversy that resulted in competing philosophical models of the nature of psychology. These models are organized along characteristic national trends of psychological views proposed by scholars in France, Britain, and Germany. The tremendous advances of the empirical disciplines, which culminated in the nineteenth century, led to the articulation of the formal study of psychology in the 1870s~by Wundt and Brentano.

Chapters 12-16 deal with the major systems of psychology in the twentieth century and into the current century: the American functional movement, Gestalt psychology, psychoanalysis, behaviorism, and the third force movement. Chapter 17 concludes this survey of the systems with an outline of trends within the more contemporary, post-system period of psychology's development. In the 20 years of work on the five previous editions of this project, the database of psychology has seemed to grow exponentially. The disciplinary content of psychology has been diffused to various allied fields. Cognitive science and neuroscience have matured and brought psychology into intimate contact with research trends derived from other disciplines. This development is obviously difficult to capture in a book of this nature, yet justifies even more the need for understanding the historical background of psychology.

I would like to thank those who have taken the time with previous editions of this work to offer suggestions for improvement and clarification. I especially want to thank my colleague Dr. Michael Riccards, President of Fitchburg State College, for his continued support during the various iterations of this project. I must also thank the many students who, over the years, helped me to express my ideas and always ignited the spark that made teaching psychology so much fun.

I would like to acknowledge the helpful comments of the following people, who served as reviewers for the publisher: Mary Ballou, Northeastern College; Greg Bohemier, Culver-Stockton College; and Lori Van Wallendael, University of North Carolina at Charlotte.

For their ongoing help and support, I am grateful to my wife, Maria, and my family. My daughters, Tara and Mikala, and their respective husbands, Craig and Adam, have been and continue to be a source of consistent support and inspiration over the years devoted to this project and to other academic demands. Our grandsons, Sam and Luke, now add a note of respite and joy to our lives. My family is my life, and their patience with me and this project merits far more than a dedication.

James F. Brennan

Table of Contents

Preface; Acknowledgments; Timeline; Part I. Psychology's Historical Foundations: 1. Psychology in search of a paradigm; 2. Psychology in the ancient and classical East; 3. Psychological foundations in ancient Greece; 4. Classical Rome to the early Middle Ages; 5. Reawakening of intellectual life in the Middle Ages; 6. The Renaissance; 7. Emergence of modern science; 8. Sensationalism and positivism: the French tradition; 9. Mental passivity: the British tradition; 10. Mental activity: the German tradition; 11. Romanticism and existentialism; 12. Physiological and evolutionary precursors; 13. Founding of modern psychology; Part II. Systems of Psychology: 14. American functionalism; 15. Gestalt psychology; 16. Psychoanalysis; 17. Behaviorism; 18. Humanistic psychology; 19. Cognitive psychology; 20. Contemporary psychology; Glossary; Name index; Subject index.

Preface

My prefatory remarks for this edition cover the same ground as in the prior editions—namely, that this text is written as an introduction to psychology's past, grounded firmly in the intellectual history of Western civilization. Psychology emerged as a scientific discipline within the context of the intellectual history of Western Europe. The progression of ideas that led to the post-Renaissance development of empirical science allowed psychology to assume its present diverse form. Accordingly, the scope of contemporary systems of psychology may be best understood in terms of the evolution of Western thought from the time of antiquity. This book contains a historical perspective on the intellectual development of Western civilization, which gradually focuses on the emergence of psychology as an independent, recognized scientific enterprise.

Chapters 1-11 introduce the major themes of psychological inquiry initially considered by early Greek scholars and subsequently modified by Christian and Islamic writers. As modern science grew out of the Renaissance, the place of psychological inquiry became a source of controversy that resulted in competing philosophical models of the nature of psychology. These models are organized along characteristic national trends of psychological views proposed by scholars in France, Britain, and Germany. The tremendous advances of the empirical disciplines, which culminated in the nineteenth century, led to the articulation of the formal study of psychology in the 1870s~by Wundt and Brentano.

Chapters 12-16 deal with the major systems of psychology in the twentieth century and into the current century: the American functionalmovement, Gestalt psychology, psychoanalysis, behaviorism, and the third force movement. Chapter 17 concludes this survey of the systems with an outline of trends within the more contemporary, post-system period of psychology's development. In the 20 years of work on the five previous editions of this project, the database of psychology has seemed to grow exponentially. The disciplinary content of psychology has been diffused to various allied fields. Cognitive science and neuroscience have matured and brought psychology into intimate contact with research trends derived from other disciplines. This development is obviously difficult to capture in a book of this nature, yet justifies even more the need for understanding the historical background of psychology.

I would like to thank those who have taken the time with previous editions of this work to offer suggestions for improvement and clarification. I especially want to thank my colleague Dr. Michael Riccards, President of Fitchburg State College, for his continued support during the various iterations of this project. I must also thank the many students who, over the years, helped me to express my ideas and always ignited the spark that made teaching psychology so much fun.

I would like to acknowledge the helpful comments of the following people, who served as reviewers for the publisher: Mary Ballou, Northeastern College; Greg Bohemier, Culver-Stockton College; and Lori Van Wallendael, University of North Carolina at Charlotte.

For their ongoing help and support, I am grateful to my wife, Maria, and my family. My daughters, Tara and Mikala, and their respective husbands, Craig and Adam, have been and continue to be a source of consistent support and inspiration over the years devoted to this project and to other academic demands. Our grandsons, Sam and Luke, now add a note of respite and joy to our lives. My family is my life, and their patience with me and this project merits far more than a dedication.

James F. Brennan

Editorial Reviews

‘This new edition carries on with the same quality as previous editions. The text is written at a level that works well for undergraduate students. The book starts with the ancient Greeks and Romans instead of focusing purely on the schools of thought that arose from the late nineteenth century and onward. I highly recommend the book for anyone interested in how the ideas central to psychology have been considered and developed over time.’ Tom Reiner, Troy University, Alabama

From the Publisher

An introduction to the historical, cultural, and social contexts from pre-Socratic thought to the present, for students and others with little background in psychology. The first half explores the major themes of psychological inquiry begun by early Greeks, modified by Christian and Moslem writers, and codified in the 1870's, The second half surveys the major 20th-century systems: the American functional movement, Gestalt, psychoanalysis, behavioralism, and the third-force movement. Includes a detailed glossary without pronunciation. Annotation c. by Book News, Inc., Portland, Or.

Booknews

A survey introduction to psychology's past within the context of the intellectual history of Europe, this text, now in its sixth edition, introduces major themes of psychological inquiry considered by early Greek scholars and modified by Christian and Islamic writers, and deals with major systems of psychology in the 20th century and into the current century, such as the American functional movement, Gestalt psychology, and the third force movement. This sixth edition incorporates material on the impact of recent research in cognitive science and neuroscience. The author is affiliated with the University of Louisville. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR