PS390 Lecture Notes - Lecture 4: Johann Friedrich Herbart, Maine De Biran, Mathematical Psychology
Document Summary
Ancient, medieval, renaissance and enlightenment approaches to psychology cented on sensory-motor functioning, whereas philosophical inquiry was centred on higher-order functions. Psychological topics that we explore today were not broached until the 19th century. Founders of natural science and human science psychology were trained in philosophy. Even today most psychologists hold doctors in philosophy. They found philosophy and psychology were complimentary, each providing a portion of the explanation of human nature. Rejected notion of using "mechanics" to explain psychology and believed human psychology was based on "motives, intentions, mental faculties, emotions, dreams, ideas" Successor of kant and "the most influential writer on psychological topics for much of the. Known as mathematical psychologist bc he believed psychological phenomena could be measured mathematically. Expanded on kant by arguing a dimension in addition to time was relevant to psychology. Concept of apperceptive mass means that new learning is based on old learning. This concept influenced empirical psychology and pedagogy (eduction)
