History of Psychology

  • First Experimental Psychology Institute

    Wilhem Wundt was a German physician, psychologist and philosopher nowadays known as the “father of modern psychology. He opened the institute of Experimental Psychology at the university of Leipzig in Germany.
  • Stanley Hall's Laboratory

    Located at John Hopkins University, US.
  • APA Foundation

    Founded by as small group of men interested in psychology. Its first
    president was Stanley Hall.
  • William James and John Dewey & Functionalism

    It is the approach to mental processes including consciousness. Appears in 1896 through the article “The Reflex Arc Concept in Psychology” published by WIlliam James and John Dewey.
  • Sigmund Freud & Psychoanalysis

  • Edward B. Techner & Structuralism

    The analysis of the basic elements that construct the mind. Edward B. Techener published his book “Outline of Psychology” which explains structuralism.
  • IQ tests

    IQ tests were developed by Alfred Binet and Theodore Simon. IQ = intelligence quotient.
  • John B. Watson publishes The Behavioral Manifesto

  • US Army soldier-selection method

    The army used the standardised intelligence and aptitude tests for the selection of the soldiers during WW1. Many years later the tests are still used in the academic and work fields.
  • Rorschach's personality tests

    Rorschach's personality tests
    The personality test is based on the patient’s interpretation of inkbolts.
  • Hans Berder & Electroencephalogram

    The device graphs the activity on the subjects brain by using the electrodes attached to the head.
  • Kurt Koffka & Gestalt

    The gestalt assumes that psychological phenomena should be approached as a “coherent whole” instead of individual elements.
  • B.F: SKinner publishes The Behavior of Organisms

    The book introduces the concept of operant conditioning. The book inspires research on conditioning and brings attention to behaviorism.
  • Ethical Standards of Psychology

    APA publishes the book. It undergoes the Code of Conduct and Ethical Principles of Psychologists.
  • The Magical Number Seven Plus or Minus Two; short term memory

    Psychologists were inspired by the work that was being done in mathematics and other disciplines. This led them to start focusing on the cognitive states and processes side of psychology. It triggered the study of short term memory. This article is about the limit of our memory capacity in short terms and says that adults can store between 5 to 9 items in this periods.
  • FDA Approves Lithium Carbonate

    It is used to treat patients with bipolar mood disorders.
  • PET Scans First Tested

    PET stands for positron emission tomography. It works by tracing chemical markers and it gives a more detailed results than previous techniques.
  • Selfish Gene Publication

    It begins to promote the idea of evolutionary psychology which applies principles from the evolutionary biology to the structure and function of the brain. With it, come new approaches to social phenomena as aggression and sexual behaviour.
  • IQ Standardised Tests & Discrimination

    They were racially and culturally biased and results of many african american people were wrongly labeled as ‘retarded’
  • FDA Approves New Drugs to Treat Depression

    Brintellix, Celexa, Clomipramine hydrochloride, Cymbalta (duloxetine), Effexor XR (venlafaxin HCI), Fetzima (levomilnacipran), Lithobid (Lithium Carbonate), Marplan Tablets, Paxil CR (paroxetine hydrochloride), Prozac Weekly (fluoxetine HCl), Remeron (Mirtazapine), Remeron SolTab (mirtazapine), Rexulti (brexpiprazole), Trazadone 150mg.
  • Acts of Meaning, Four Lessons on Mind and Culture

    Contributes to the appreciation of the process of education and to the development of curriculum theory. Also, it helps formulate the cultural psychology which draws in philosophy, linguistics and anthropology. Cultural psychology: studies the relationships between cultural community, mind and behaviour.