When we think about psychology we often imagine Freud, the father of modern psychology. But how did Freud develop his most popular theories? Who influenced Freud? Where exactly is the root of psychology? Today, psychology can be defined as the study of the human mind and behaviors. However, for ancient Greek philosophers, psychology was seen as the common name for anything that related the human soul. For centuries, humans have tried to decipher the inner most workings of the mind. The start of modern psychology can be traced back to Aristotle, but it’s undeniable that the hypotheses about the mind developed long before then.
The practice of early psychology and psychotherapy finds its root in Greek mythology, with Asclepius. According to
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The practice of incubation that was seen in ancient Greece is the foundation for modern day shock therapy. Instead of using chemicals or electricity to produce a shock, the Greeks were often subject to cold/hot baths, disruptive sleep, and similar mentally physiologically taxing acts to induce a state of shock in the body (Sarton 56). Another practice that was very influential was dream interpretation and dream therapy. Although some might argue that visions seen during incubation may not have been dreams, this method is still used to determine sources of inner conflict and turmoil. The most well known, and perhaps the most violent practice, was surgical trepanation. Unlike their ancestors, this form of trepanation was more medical than religious. Instead of performing surgery to release evil spirits and to expunge demons, trepanation in Hippocrates’s time was used to relieve pressure and were described as very minor and meticulous procedures (Sarton …show more content…
The works of Homer, Hippocrates, Plato, and Aristotle aim to answer the simple question of what it means to be human, and how our emotions and sensations contribute to that. The many practices and beliefs of psychology in ancient Greece have greatly influenced our treatments and therapies today. We’ve learned of ailments, illness, and treatments from ancient methods and used our increased understanding of science to administer the best possible treatments. The importance of ancient Greece in the development of the mind, psychology, and psychotherapy is
Szasz, Thomas. Coercion as Cure: A Critical History of Psychiatry. New Brunswick, New Jersey: Transaction, 2007. Print. Braslow, Joel T. Mental Ills and Bodily Cures: Psychiatric Treatment in the First Half of the Twentieth Century. California: University of California, 1997. Print.
The study and use of phycology based theories, proved useful for treating people with mental illnesses and medically unexplainable issues. The interest in phycology has led to the development of, Mental Health Institutes and Mental health services, in which people could get help for certain mental issues.
Moral treatment is a treatment that uses “psychological methods” to treat mental diseases (Packet Two, 26). In general, moral treatment was a relatively benevolent and humane approach to treat mental disorders. Before the introduction of moral treatment, insane people were regarded by the general public as wild animals whose brains were physically impaired and usually incurable (Packet One, 11). Therefore, regardless of patients’ specific symptoms, physicians generally labeled patients as lunatics and treated them with the same method (Packet One, 11). Because of the perceived impossibility of curing mental illness, physicians put far greater emphasis on restraining patients’ potential danger behaviors than striving to bring them back to sanity. Cruel methods such as bloodletting were widely used, but their effectiveness was really poor. Moral treatment was a response to this ineffective and brutal traditional treatment. The advocates of moral treatment insisted that mental diseases were curable. By providing a friendly environment that contributed to reviving, moral treatment could help patients to...
Freud was Psychoanalysis finding father of a method of treating mental illness and also explains human mind.
The human mind is one of the most complex structures the gods had created. It is difficult to understand each brain process as every human being possesses his or her own distinguished thought patterns with different levels of complexities. A person’s mind greatly influences his behavior, which eventually transforms into his habit by becoming embedded into his character. Today, the world of psychology tries to understand everything that a mind can create. However, even before the field of Psychology was introduced and brought into practice, some American writers threw a spotlight on the mechanism of the human brain in their works. On top of this list is an American writer, Edgar Allan
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, also known as PTSD, was recognized as a disorder with specific symptoms and was added to the Association’s Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders in 1980. However, prior to this acknowledgement, father of psychology, Sigmund Freud, had already developed a theory on it. Freud’s Seduction theory states: “both forgotten childhood trauma and a variety of adult stresses could cause neurosis”, such as we have seen in Euripides’s Medea; in which Medea acted irrationally after having gone through traumatic events. Whether it was Freud in the 1890s or Euripides in 430 BC the idea that PTSD is present in one’s daily live has always been a suggestion.
Tallis, F . (1998). Changing minds: The history of psychotherapy as an answer to human suffering. London: Cassell
The origins of Industrial/Organizational Psychology (I/O) can be traced back to 1921 with the formation of the Association of Consulting Psychologist (ACP), a branch off from the American Psychological Association (APA). In 1945 I/O psychology was formally recognized as Division 14 underneath the APA. (Koppes, 1996). Although, founded a little over a half century ago the discipline is still relatively new compared to other disciplines within the APA. The articles to be discussed cover the origination issues of licensure as well as appropriation of licensure for I/O psychologists. The lack of consistency as well as appropriate and adequate requirements for obtaining a professional license as an I/O psychologist has resulted in many ramifications that ultimately threaten the profession.
The field of psychology is a discipline, originated from many branches of science. It has applications from within a complete scope of avenues, from psychotherapy to professional decision-making. The flexibility and versatility of this field reflects its importance and demands in-depth analysis. Psychology was a division of philosophy until it developed independent scientific disciplines. The history of psychology was a scholarly study of the mind and behavior that dates back to the beginning of civilization. There are important details from previous theory psychologist, research have contributed to behaviorism approaches and have contributed towards specific current behavioral practices. Contemporary behavior therapy began to emerge into distinct practical and core learning theories concerning the needs and knowledge engaging cultural and professional differences.
In the world of cinema, there’s almost always a discussion regarding what scenes would be suitable for the grasping imagination of any audience, young or old. Alfred Hitchcock’s 1960 film, Psycho, sparked a plug for the movie industry as it was the first movie of its kind to display such graphic scenes of sex and violence to a worldwide audience.
Throughout history, explanations for mental illness have been described as supernatural, psychological, and biological. Prior to the early Greek physicians, the supernatural model of mental illness prevailed. Early humans did not have science to explain natural events so magic, mysticism, and superstition were used as a substitution. They believed in animism, the idea that all of nature is alive, and anthropomorphism, the tendency to project human features onto nature. Reification was also a popular belief that assumed if you can think of something, it exists. Sympathetic magic was the idea that one can heal and individual by influencing an object that is similar or closely associated to them (Frazer, 1890/1963). Primitive healers would often imitate the patient's ailments and then model the recovery. Reification also lead to the bel...
Psychodynamic psychotherapy was first started by Freud who worked to make this therapy better from 1885 when he began until he passed away in 1939. When Freud first began his first approach to psychoanalytic theory was primarily biological. As years past Freud changed his thoughts and views and it eventually evolved into the therapy it is today. (Borstein,2016)
The concept of the interconnection between the brain and body has been around for quite a while. Ancient healing practices, such as Traditional Chinese Medicine and Ayurvedic medicine emphasized important links between the mind and body. Hippocrates once wrote: "The natural healing force within each one of us is the greatest force in getting well." This statement reflects the belief of ancient philosophers that emotions and health are deeply connected.
The psychodynamic theory originated from Sigmund Freud, a medical doctor and philosopher (1856 - 1939) founded in the 1900s. Freud developed his ideas whilst working as a psychiatrist in Vienna, collecting information from his patients such as feelings, thoughts and early childhood experiences.
Hergenhahn, B. R., & Henley, T. B. (2014). An introduction to the history of psychology. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth.