History of Psychology

Ancient Greece

300 BCE

Many of the well known Greek philosophers such as Plato, Aristotle, and Socrates explored several topics that are still important in psychology today. They discussed things such as mental illness, rationalism, and pain.

History of Psychology

Period: 300 BCE to 2017

Rene Descartes

1600

Rene Descartes is known as "the father of modern philosophy". He was a French philosopher and mathematician, he was the first person to write about the concept of emotions.

First Psychology Laboratory

1879

At the University of Leipzig, Germany, Wilhelm Wundt opens the first experimental laboratory in psychology. He was credited with establishing psychology as an academic discipline.

First Doctorate in Psychology

1886

Joseph Jastrow was a student of G. Stanley Hall at Johns Hopkins University and was given the first doctorate in psychology.

First Professor in Psychology

1888

James McKeen Cattell gained the academic title of first professor in psychology, he taught at University of Pennsylvania and Columbia University.

APA is founded

1892

The American Psychological Association was founded by G. Stanley Hall.

First woman president of the APA

1904

Mary Calkins, who was a professor and researcher at Wellesley College, was elected president of the APA.

IQ Testing is Developed

1905

Alfred Binet and Theodore Simon develop standardized tests which determine general intelligence based on the mental age of the person taking the test.

Army intelligence tests are implemented

1917

During WWII, two million soldiers were required to take standardized intelligence and aptitude tests.

First African American doctorate in psychology

1920

Francis Cecil Sumner earns their PhD at Clark University under G. Stanley Hall.

Electroencephalogram is invented

1929

The electroencephalogram was invented by Hans Berger. He tested it on his son and graphed the electrical activity of his brain with the use of electrodes.

Nazis persecute psychologists

1933

As the Nazis gain control of Germany's government, they persecute scholars and researchers in psychology and psychiatry.

Alcoholics Anonymous

1935

Bob Smith founded Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) which is a therapeutic group for those suffering with alcohol addiction.

First drug to treat depression

1951

The drug imipramine was approved by the FDA in the United States as the first drug to treat depression in patients. The name of the drug is now Tofranil.

Thorazine is tested

1952

Chlorpromazine (which is now known as Thorazine) is an anti-psychotic drug and was first tested on a patient in a Paris military hospital.

Cognitive psychology

1956

Psychologists start to focus on cognitive states and processes which was all based on work in mathematics and other disciplines.

PET scanner is tested

1974

Positron Emission Tomography (PET) is a new brain scanning technique which maps brain function in much more detail than the earlier techniques.

Standardized IQ tests are found discriminatory

1979

Standardized IQ testing in California schools is found illegal for discriminating against African American students.

AIDS and HIV is first diagnosed

1981

The acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) presented mental health professionals with a challenge of patients having anxiety and depression from AIDS.

Prozac, Paxil, and Zoloft are made available

1987

Prozac, Paxil, and Zoloft anti-depressant medications are approved by the FDA.