Middleton 1
Austin Middleton
Ms. Berg
Psychology
October 1, 2008
Historical psychologists
Modern psychology was introduced in the 1800s. In the late 1800s laboratories were
being created. Laboratories helped create the basic concepts that helped shape what today is
called psychology. Wilhelm Wundt (1832 - 1920)founded the field of experimental psychology
that today is know as structuralism. Some of the main believes of Structuralism were
discovering the basic elements of consciousness, and that human mind functioned by basic
elements of experience.
Later in that decade William James founded functionalism. This type of psychology was
more concerned with the mental processes that help things adapt to there surroundings. Many of
these findings were made in everyday situations. John B. Watson on the other hand gave birth to
behaviorism a form of psychology dealing with ones actions and the results of ones actions.
Another psychologist that had a huge impact on psychology was B.F. Skinner and his
introduction of Reinforcement psychology. Reinforcement psychology mainly focused on
rewarding one for showing positive results.
Sigmund Freud on the other who was a Viennese physician was one of the most famous
psychologists. He founded the teachings of psychoanalysis. Freud got his thoughts of human
behavior through consultations with his own patients instead of preforming studies in a
Middleton 2
laboratory. Feuds theory is also sometimes called psycho dynamic thinking. what are you going to do today
this needs to be done and all im saying is blah blah blah because addd i dont need to do anything eleseeee.
does it work now?