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Period: Jan 22, 1561 to
Sir Francis Bacon
Founder of empiricism, which states that knowledge comes from sensory experiences. His work led to inductive methodologies. Made theories in many different fields including scientific, religious, and juridical. Bacon also studied the nature and function of the human mind and studied the composition and operation as well as the instincts people have and how they behave. -
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Rene Descartes
French Philosopher and mathematician who is often viewed as the father of modern philosophy. Came up with the idea of emotions and many of his works were based on Aristotle. Often championed as being one of the first people to emphasize reasons. Pioneered methodological skepticism,, which rejects everything that can be doubted to build a foundation for genuine knowledge. Theorized that because thought existed he knew that he also existed. Also founded deductive reasoning.and dualism. -
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John Locke
English philosopher that also played a role in psychology. Famous for many things but when it come to psychology he is best known for his An Essay Concerning Human Understanding which described his belief in empiricism. This essay also inspired later behaviorism. Known as the father of English Psychology. Stated that we are all born with certain knowledge and principles and also developed the theory of Tabula Rasa. -
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Dorothea Dix
Worked with the indigent insane and created the first generation of mental asylums. She was a politician who wold gather information before she publicized her analysis of what was going on in the institutions. Throughout her life she advocated mental health and supported programs to treat people who had mental illnesses. -
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Charles Darwin
Darwin is best known for his theory of a common ancestor and natural selection as well as being a supporter of the theory of evolution. For this reason alone Darwin is scene as one of the most influential figures in human history but he also made advancements in the subject of psychology and his work led to an increase in the popularity of comparative psychology between humans and animals. Because of Darwin much of psychology has strong biological roots. -
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Wilhelm Wundt
Known as the father of experimental psychology. Founded first forma lab for psychological research. In the lab he studied religious psychology and mental behaviors and illnesses and their underlying causes. Played a big role in psycholinguistics and came up with the expression “heterogony of ends”. -
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William Jones
One of the primary American psychologists that wrote on subjects such as educational psychology, psychology of religious experience and mysticism, and the philosophy of pragmatism. Most well known for his theory of emotion that states that emotion is the “mind’s perception of physiological conditions”. -
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G. Stanley Hall
Founder of the American Journal of Psychology and was one of the main people that founded educational psychology. Theorized about the effect age has on education as wells as different religious psychology. Also believed that boys and girls should attend different schools when they are young so they can develop their male and female characteristics separately. -
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Mary Whiton Calkins
Mary spent years studying memory and the human mind. Became the president of the American Psychological Association and American Philosophical Association. Conducted experiments on dreams and concluded that the dream life was very similar to the waking life. Established theory of self-psychology, which states that the self is an active agent, that acts not only consciously but purposefully as well. -
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E.B. Titchner
British psychologist that is best known for developing structuralism. Influenced by Wundt but wanted to classify the structures of the mind. Believed that sensations and thoughts were structures of the mind. Mainly used introspection to determine the different parts of consciousness. -
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Margaret Floy Washburn
Leading American psychologist that is known for her work with animals and motor theory. Also was the first woman to receive her PhD for psychology. Wrote the textbook The Animal Mind and this dealt with comparative psychology that covered anecdotal evidence and discussed many different animals and how they relate to humans. Came up with motor theory that stated that all thought could be traced back to body movements. -
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Rosalie Rayner
Helped found behaviorism with John Watson. Second wife of Watson who was involved in a scandal and died at a very young age.