PSYC 305 Chapter Notes - Chapter 13: Animal Testing, Behavioural Sciences, Gestalt Psychology
4 Apr 2017
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Document Summary
Behaviourism dominated american psychology far more than a system of psychology. Started as a system of psychology grew into the world. Trace back to ancient greek atomic theory. Leucippus + democritus only the atoms + the void are real. World = based on atomic combinations + complex interplay of atoms creates psychological processes. Behaviourism = american predecessors were european. Reminded of materialists condillac, gassendi, helvetius + hobbes. Pavlov"s immediate predecessor regarded as founder of russian physiology. Claim that he is a precursor of behaviorism = justified by his contention roots in russian physiological + behavioural research psychical activity of man finds expression in external signs. Argued for objective psychology based on natural sciences. Psychological system relied on philosophical assumption of materialistic monism. Positive fact = measurable, observable movements/ events + that the psychological + cerebral events are reducible to muscular movements. Fundamental unit of study reflex, consisting of: Even voluntary movements = complicated reflex chain.
