PSYC 4600.002 Lecture 5Outline of Last Lecture I. Rene Decartes (1596-1650)a. Personal Historyb. His worki. Beginnings of modern science1. Empiricismii. Contributions of Decartes1. Mind- Body problemiii. The nature of the bodyiv. The mind-body interactionv. Doctrine of IdeasII. Philosophical foundations of the new psychologya. Auguste Comte (1798-1857)i. Positivismii. Materialismb. British Empiricismi. Empiricism (definition)ii. Key Figures1. John Lockea. Sensations and Reflectionb. Simple Ideas and complex ideasc. Theory of learning/associationd. Primary and secondary qualities2. George Berkeley3. David Hartley4. James Mill 5. John Stuart MillOutline of Current Lecture I. David Kinnebrook and his MistakeII. Development in Early Psychologya. Psych as experimental disciplineb. Research on Brain Functionc. Phrenologyd. Research on the Nervous Systeme. The Mechanistic SpiritThese notes represent a detailed interpretation of the professor’s lecture. GradeBuddy is best used as a supplement to your own notes, not as a substitute.III. The Beginning of Experimental Psychologya. Parent Countries b. Universities in EnglandIV. Helmholtz/Webber/Fechnera. Hermann Von Helmholtzi. Contributions to the New Psychologyb. Ernst Webberi. Two Point Thresholdsii. Just Noticeable Differencec. Gustav Theodor Fechneri. Mind and Body: Quantitative Relationshipii. Methods of psychophysicsV. Formal Founding of PsychologyCurrent Lecture-David Kinnebrook: Makes a Mistake: The Importance of the Human ObserveroDavid Kinnebrook-Assistant to Rev. Nevil Maskelyne, the Royal Astronomer-Worked at the Royal Observatory (Greenwich England)-Noted time of Star movementsoMistake-Integral to the new science of psychology-Observations were .5 of a second slower than his boss-Errors increased to .8 of a second-Was fired-"Errors" in observations of stars-20 years later:-Bessel investigated Kinnebrook's errors-Noticed personal equation-2 conclusions-Astronomy affected by the human observer-Human observer is important to all science-Development in Early PsychologyoPsych as Experimental Discipline-Flourished in 1830s -Johannes Muller (1801-1858)-Published a LOT-Volumes translated into English- ideas spread-Nerve specific energies--oResearch on Brain Function: Mapping from the Inside-Experimental methods to localize brain functions-Extirpation -Clinical Method-Electrical Stimulation oPhrenology: a False start-Belief the mental characteristics that correspond to bulges on the skull -American Phrenology Journal lasted 70 years-Mass assessments in what would look like a carnival show-Sold books, charts, manuals, and would assess your skull for a fee. -Franz Joseph Gall (1758-1828)-Popularized by his students -Wildly popular in USoResearch on the Nervous System -Luigi Galvani (1737-1798)-Found that nerves are electrical-work continued on by nephew, Giovanni Aldinioused research and showmanshipoobtained spasmodic movements from the muscles in the recently severed heads of criminal-Ramon y Cajal (1852-1934)-Discovered the direction of travel for nerve impulsesoIdeas didn't catch on because he published in SpanishoThe Mechanistic Spirit -Physiology adopted ideas and methods from physics-Connections-British empiricists: Sensation= only source of knowledge-Astronomer Bessel demonstrated impact of individual differences on sensation-Time to quantify and experiment with the doorway to the mindoThe subjective, mentalistic experience of sensation-Experimental psychology was ready to begin-The Beginning of Experimental PsychologyoParent countries-Germany -the sciences developed in Western Europe in 19th century-particularly in England, France, and Germany-the German approach to scienceodefined science broadly-included phonetics, linguistics, historyoEmphasis on careful, thorough collection of operable facts-faith in taxonomic descriptionoPlunged ahead unconstrained, using tools of science to explore and measure all facets of mental lifeoWissenschaf-Reform in German UniversitiesoAcademic freedom-Professors could teach what they want -No outside interference-Research whatever they want-Fixed curriculum -Students free to take whatever they wantoMore ResourcesoMore researchoLots of universitiesoCould make a living as a research scientist in GermanyoThis was the ideal environment to flourish scientific inquiry-USoUniversities in England-Oxford and Cambridge-Neither could facilitate or support science based research -Cambridge- vetoed the request to teach experimental psychology-Views as an insult to religion-Helmholtz/Webber/FechneroHermann Von Helmholtz (1821-1894)-One of the greatest scientists of the 19th century-Prolific researcher in physics and physiology-Instrumental contributor to psychology's beginnings-Emphasized mechanism and determinism-Believed that human sense organs functioned like machines-Life-Born in Potsdam, Germany-Father was a teacher at a junior college prep school-Helmholtz had very poor healthoHomeschooledoEnrolled in a Berlin medical institute-No charge if you agreed to be an army surgeon afer graduating -Served for 7 years-Continued his studies during this time and published papers-Indestructability of energy-Accepted a position as associated professor of physiology at the University of KonigsbergoHeld academic positions in physics and physiology oResearched physiological optics-Invents the ophthalmoscope-Examine the retinasoAchieved world recognition by the age of 30oPublished research on -Acoustical tones-Afer-images-Color blindness-Human eye movements-Formation of glaciers-Hay fever-Geometrical axiomsoContributed to the development of the radio-DeathoFall 1893oVisited America to see the Chicago World's FairoSuffered a strokeoBecame delirious and was semi-conscious-Rambled endlessly-Could not differentiate dreams and reality-Contributions to the New Psychology-Investigated the speed of the neural impulse-Research on vision and hearing-Reaction time in humanoDidn't pursue, but others didoWhen he discovered differences in individuals and based on trials he abandoned the research-Commitment to application to scientific ideas- influenced later functionalists-Interested in measurement itself, not so much with its impact for psychologyoErnst Webster (1795-1878)-Born in Wittenberg, Germany-Earned his doctorate at the University of