An essay on the background of experimental psychology and behaviourism

Year 2021, Volume: 2 Issue: 1, 55 - 59, 15.06.2020

Hasan Basri Kartal

Abstract

Although ideas on human being' soul, sense, and mind could come back to Ancient Times in Philosophy, the foundation of ‘psychology’ in modern meaning began in the 19th century through the research of Wilhelm Wundt. Modern psychology founded by Wundt’s experimental studies based on experiment and observation. This essay started with a comprehensive debate on how philosophical ideas formed the modern notions and techniques in psychology. Then, it discussed some effective approaches in modern psychology before the foundation of experimental psychology and behaviourism. In the context of this study, the primary method based on a qualitative debate. A theoretical discussion and explanation way used to reveal the thematic ideas of the study. The primary motivation is to fill the literature gap, which covers the founder theoretical approaches on 'psychology', 'experimental psychology' and 'behaviourism'. The essay answered the question on how the modern psychological movements positioned to define ‘behaviourism’; this has been the most significant contribution of the study to the body of knowledge.

Keywords

Perception, Cognition, Psychology, Experimental Psychology, Behaviourism

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