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With an emphasis on developments taking place in Germany during the nineteenth century, this book provides in-depth examinations of the key contributions made by the pioneers of scientific psychology. Their works brought measurement and mathematics into the study of the mind.
Through unique analysis of measurement theory by Whewell, mathematical developments by Gauss, and theories of mental processes developed by Herbart, Weber, Fechner, Helmholtz, Müller, Delboeuf and others, this volume maps the beliefs, discoveries, and interactions that constitute the very origins of psychophysics and its offspring Experimental Psychology. Murray and Link expertly combine nuanced understanding of linguistic and historic factors to identify theoretical approaches to relating physicalintensities and psychological magnitudes. With an eye to interactions and influences on future work in the field, the volume illustrates the important legacy that mathematical developments in the nineteenth century have for twentieth and twenty-first century psychologists.
This detailed and engaging account fills a deep gap in the history of psychology. The Creation of Scientific Psychology will appeal to researchers, academics, and students in the fields of history of psychology, psychophysics, scientific, and mathematical psychology.
List of contents
CHAPTER 1: JOHANN FRIEDRICH HERBART (1776-1841) AND PSYCHOPHYSICS
CHAPTER 2: THE MEASURMENT AND VARIABILITY OF PHYSICAL INTENSITIES
CHAPTER 3: AN INTRODUCTION TO WEBER’S LAW
CHAPTER 4: AN INTRODUCTION TO FECHNER’S LAW
CHAPTER 5: PSYCHOPHYSICS AT GÖTTINGEN
CHAPTER 6: MEASURING PSYCHOLOGICAL MAGNITUDES: I. VARIABILITY MEASURES
CHAPTER 7: MEASURING PSYCHOLOGICAL MAGNITUDES: II. THE QUANTITY OBJECTION
CHAPTER 8: THE POWER LAW IN EARLY PSYCHOPHYSICS
CHAPTER 9: WILLIAM JAMES AND PSYCHOPHYSICS
About the author
David J. Murray is Emeritus Professor of Psychology, Queen’s University, Canada.
Stephen W. Link is Emeritus Professor of Psychology, McMaster University, Canada.
Summary
With an emphasis on developments taking place in Germany during the nineteenth century, this book provides in-depth examinations of the key contributions made by the pioneers of scientific psychology. Their works brought measurement and mathematics into the study of the mind.
