Psychology History and Approaches

Overview
Psychology has evolved markedly since its inception as a discipline in 1879. There have been significant changes in the theories that psychologists use to explain behavior and mental processes. In addition, the methodology of psychological research has expanded to include a diversity of approaches to data gathering.

AP students in psychology should be able to do the following:
 * Recognize how philosophical perspectives shaped the development of psychological thought.
 * Describe and compare different theoretical approaches in explaining behavior:
 * structuralism, functionalism, and behaviorism in the early years;
 * Gestalt, psychoanalytic/psychodynamic, and humanism emerging later;
 * evolutionary, biological, and cognitive as more contemporary approaches.
 * Recognize the strengths and limitations of applying theories to explain behavior.
 * Distinguish the different domains of psychology:
 * biological, clinical, cognitive, counseling, developmental, educational, experimental, human factors, industrial–organizational, personality, psychometric, and social.
 * Identify the major historical figures in psychology (e.g., Mary Whiton Calkins, Charles Darwin, Dorothea Dix, Sigmund Freud, G. Stanley Hall, William James, Ivan Pavlov, Jean Piaget, Carl Rogers, B.F. Skinner, Margaret Floy Washburn, John B. Watson, Wilhelm Wundt).

Reading
Two separate overviews are available here and here.

Reading and a video on important people can be found on this page.

Another resource that might be of use is this worksheet.

Vocabulary
A Quizlet vocabulary list is available here. Additional lists can be found on this page.

Another source can be found here.

Videos
Some shorter videos



Longer videos (15 minutes and up)

Powerpoints
You can click here for a powerpoint on the unit.

Another powerpoint will download if you click this link.

Additional powerpoints are available below as labeled. (These will download when clicked)

Psychological Perspective Notes

History of Psychology Notes

Practice Tests
Practice tests are available for this unit, simply select one below

Practice Test 1

Practice Test 2

Practice Test 3

Practice Test 4

Three small quizes are available on this page under the History and Approaches heading.

Practice questions and answers are also available in quizlet here.