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History Of Psychology

Psychology is a science that grew out of other pursuits, including philosophy and physiology. Throughout its history, there have been a number of philosophers and scientists who have made significant contributions to the development of psychological thought and research and who have shaped the fundamental debates that inform the field. From the very beginnings, the argument of nature vs. nurture can be found in the differing perspectives of Rene Descartes and John Locke (Goodwin, 1999). It is difficult to select a single era of psychology's history that could be considered the most influential with respect to modern psychology, especially considering that modern psychology itself is made up of many different areas of research and investigation. However, if one area were to be selected as having the biggest influence on modern day psychology it would likely be the rise of cognitivism.

Although modern cognitive psychology is considered relatively young, with the majority of its roots developing in the years following World War II, it does in fact have roots that go much further back. An interest in the physical underpinnings of cognition can be traced back to 1700s and 1800s when Helmholtz investigated various issues of human perception. In addition, scientists were interested at this time in learning about the localization of brain functioning. In some cases the desire to understand the physical causes of human cognition were less than accurate, such as in the case of the phrenologists who believed they could discover the elements of human behavior and cognition through the condition of the human skull (Goodwin, 1999). Brain localization studies continued with the investigation of brain injuries, such as that of the famous Phineas Gage who, in 1848, survived an accident in which a pole was run through his head. The experience of the injury and his later personality change as a result taught early psychologists a great deal about the links between specific parts of the brain and human behavior and personality.

Cognitive psychology took on its more modern form beginning in the years following the Second World War. Despite the growth in popularity of behaviorism after the First World War, some researchers did continue to investigate the happenings "behind the curtain" of cognition and perception. One of the most famous psychological studies, and indeed likely the most replicated study, was conducted in 1935 by J. Ridley Stroop in which he documented what is now known as the Stroop Effect (MacLeod, 1992). The Stroop Effect demonstrates how one automatic process can be interrupted or disrupted by another automatic process (Goodwin, 1999). Another one of psychology's big names also appeared during the early 1900s -- when Jean Piaget introduced his theory of cognitive development in children and adolescents, and Ebbinghaus made large strides with his studies of memory.

Finally, Cognitive Psychology really took off with the introduction of computer science and the development of the computer. While computer science may in many ways appear to be the furthest thing away from the study of the human brain, the creation and understanding of computer models allowed for these models to be adapted to the study of the human brain, and in particular to the patterns of human cognition and memory. The concepts of short- and long-term memory, as well as input and output all fit well within the language of computer science and psychologists quickly determined that they could use computers to study human thought and behavior (Wallace et al., 2007). Not only did the computer provide a way of looking at human thought, the use of the computer within the science of psychology also helped to add legitimacy to psychology as a scientific field of inquiry (Neisser, 2009).

But why do the roots of cognitive psychology represent one of the most influential periods in the whole history of psychology with respect to modern day psychology? Today, nearly all areas of psychology include some understanding and investigation of cognition. Some of the biggest developments in psychology have included studies in the field of neuropsychology and we now know more about the inner functioning of the human brain than ever before imagined. Some have even considered cognitive psychology to be an all-encompassing paradigm from which all of modern psychology can grow. Computers have advanced greatly since their first introduction, now allowing for complete modeling of the human brain, leading to greater and greater insights into the human mind. The area is promising for the future of psychology as well, as there are numerous directions for future research available and the opportunities for new discoveries virtually endless.