From phrenology to scientific theory

Question 1

Aristotle

Answer 1

4th century BC
Tabula Rasa
mental processing speed by way of associations
Law of continguity
domain general (horizontal) faculties

Question 2

Locke

Answer 2

17th century
association theory: blank slate, sensoristic, atomistic, ‘common sense’
horizontal faculties

Question 3

Enlightenment

Answer 3

117th - 18th century

embracing of reason and science

Question 4

Gall

Answer 4

1800-1850
vertical faculties (domain specific)
localizationism
phrenology: bumps on skull reflect mental faculties

Question 5

Pseudo-science

Answer 5

1800-1850
Physiognomy
mesmerism
mental healing
spiritualism

Question 6

Physiognomy

Answer 6

persons character is reflected by features of the face

Question 7

Mesmerism

Answer 7

magnetic forces which work at distance and that hypnosis and magnets can cure mental disorders

Question 8

Mental healing

Answer 8

mental illnesses may be cured by establishing correct thinking

Question 9

Spiritualism

Answer 9

mediums may establish contacts with spirits of the dead

Question 10

Flourens

Answer 10

1800-1850

experimental evidence for holism in pigeons and rabbits

Question 11

Holism

Answer 11

functions are distributed accross whole cerebral cortex

Question 12

Broca

Answer 12

1850-1900
speech production deficit because of left frontal lobe lesion (patient Leborgne)
evidence for localization

Question 13

Wernicke

Answer 13

1850-1900

association model of language

Question 14

Helmholtz

Answer 14

1850-1900

conduction of nerve impuls take time

Question 15

Broca’s aphasia

Answer 15

difficulties producing speech and repeating words, comprehension is relatively spared

Question 16

Wernicke’s aphasia

Answer 16

difficulty understanding speech and repeating heard words, but speech production is relatively spared

Question 17

conduction aphasia

Answer 17

the fiber connection between the areas is damaged, so repetition of heard speech is impaired but production and comprehension are relatively spared

Question 18

Connectionism

Answer 18

New form of associationism, associative networks and processes are simulated via computer programs

Question 19

Associationism

Answer 19

mental processes operate by the association of one mental state with its successor states

Question 20

Hebb’s law

Answer 20

Neurons that fire together, wire together. Associationism at the neural basis

Question 21

long-term potentiation

Answer 21

What Hebb also saw, later this was the term for it

Question 22

Donders

Answer 22

1850-1900
substraction method: simple, choice, go/no-go tasks.
mental processes take time

Question 23

Sternberg

Answer 23

1950-now

additive factors method, to identify differente stages of mental processing

Question 24

Weber

Answer 24

1850-1900

Weber’s law. Relationship between physical quantities and psychological experiences = just noticable differences

Question 25

Fechner

Answer 25

1850-1900

Fechner’s law: just notible differences is subjectively equal and would create a logarithmic relationship

Question 26

Fodor

Answer 26

1950-now

mind is both localized modules and holistic central systems (combination of Gall and Flourens)

Question 27

Anderson

Answer 27

1950-now

Central processing engages working, declarative and procedural memories

Question 28

Kanwisher

Answer 28

1950-now

modules for perception, places, faces and visual words. Central systems are localized in the frontal and parietal cortex