Chapter 1 - Prescientific psychology

Question 1

1) Phrenology?

Answer 1

• A pseudoscience widely practiced in America in early-mid 19th century (peak in 1840s)
• Centered around the belief that different parts of the brain were responsible for different intellectual, behavioral and emotional functions with dents indicating undeveloped and bumps overdeveloped parts
• Could be speculated to be the beginning point of psychologists’ interest in the brain?
  Initiated a lot of interest in cortical localization which later led to its official recognition, even though it wasn’t in the same sense phrenologists believed it to be

Question 2

2) Public psychology?

Answer 2

• The traditional type of psychology practiced since the dawn of history and exploring topics such as depression, anxiety, marital relations, parenting skills, job satisfaction and vocation
• Widely practiced in North America with 5 main streams of phrenology, physiognomy, mesmerism, spiritualism and mental healing still existing in 19th-20th century
• Important because is a part of the historical context for understanding the development of the science of psychology, the profession of psychology and the brand of psychology
• Displays general public’s interest in topics of vocation, marriage/parental guidance, treatment of depression and anxiety and so on

Question 3

3) Physiognomy?

Answer 3

• A pseudoscience created by a Swiss theologian in 18th century
• Based on the idea that one’s facial features can be used to evaluate their character, intellect and abilities
• While not as widely known as phrenology, gained a lot of credibility in the criminology field due to people believing in the “criminal type” facial features and even found its way to an employee selection process of some companies in 1910s (early 20th century)

Question 4

4) Mesmerism?

Answer 4

• A pseudoscience developed by a French doctor Franz Mesmer in 1775/late 1700s
• Centred around a procedure of relieving medical and psychological symptoms in patients by passing magnets over their bodies, which later was achievable without magnets
• Important due to eventually leading to the Franklin commission which, in order to disprove mesmerism, performed the first version of a blind clinical trial and a placebo condition

Question 5

5) Mental philosophy?

Answer 5

• Another type of prescientific psychology practiced within universities and colleges in America since the 17th century based in the work of philosophers like Hume and Locke
• Focused on the topics of intellect, sensibilities (emotions) and will
• Important as covered similar topics to the new experimental psychology which allowed for the new psychology to start being taught in the universities

Question 6

7) John Locke?

Answer 6

• A british philosopher of late 17th century who believed the mind to be a blank slate and that all knowledge comes from sensation and reflection
• His ideas about the workings of the mind led to establishment of an empirical approach to study that emphasized observations of the senses which in turn played an important role in setting the experimental science of psychology in motion

Question 7

8) Spiritualism?

Answer 7

• A pseudoscience developed in the second half of 19th century and based largely in New England states (Northeastern US)
• Had a number of psychological services including treatment for depression and anxiety, and advice on matters of workplace, marriage and childrearing but the main activity was to facilitate contact with the dead through a séance
• Highly supported by William James
• Importance: not sure yet, look it up and fill in later

Question 8

9) Franklin commission?

Answer 8

• A commission led by Benjamin Franklin in France in late 1700s (~1784) to validate mesmerism
• Important as, in order to test their theory, the commissioners developed two kinds of trials to see if mesmerism had an effect and, since one of them was blind, ended up performing the first blind trial and a placebo condition