Psychology fits well under the category of relatively young sciences as identified in the 19th century’s experimental exploration of human beings. Scholars exploring mind-related issues in the context of philosophy, however, discovered the concept of human thinking much earlier. The arguments about this cogency became tense before the 19th century, resulting in the reality of sensibility study, which has so far shaped the modern and postmodern mindset. The foundations of psychology in its philosophical roots were laid by the works of Wundt, James, and Jung, among others.
The Theories of James, Wundt, and Jung
Wundt’s perception of psychology came to immense publicity after the production of his book Principles of Physiological Psychology in 1874. More justification for Wundt’s psychological arguments was reinforced based on Experimental Mindset before he started studying deeper social-psychological matters. Grohol (2019) reveals that Wundt produced an experiment, which did not conform to social principles and social psychology, which did not qualify as experimental characteristics. He studied human’s social aspect and revealed the primary development of human thoughts to be a happening of historical and social developmental facets. This writer is further immersed in analyzing the communication system’s progress, from vocal and language gestures to language evolvement. Three important topics, which he was able to relate, were culture, language, and mythology.
James as well divulged into teaching physiology thinking, also known as experimental psychology, just as Wundt did. James’ representation was more of both social and scientific establishments during his time, and he was a precursor to the wave of this mindset. The academician was primarily unswerving in analyzing associationism in the context of today’s mentality but did not dwell on atomism. This was only considered as descriptive to the
phenomenon of conscious thoughts (Grohol, 2019). The contextual analysis of the theory was a natural experiment working in the perspective of case histories explaining humanoid brains and minds in a different approach. James went against Freud by arguing that the unexpected occurrence, also known as errors, can be more significant than the human litany occurring as normal human behavior and experience.
Jung’s perception greatly integrated Freud’s theories but latter ended in a dichotomous theoretical and personal experience. Such view would have been considered a failure, but it generated more worldviews. By linking and referring to Freud, Jung came up with three theories: the theory of collective unconscious, libido, and archetypes. Jung managed to negate neuroses insufficient of etiology and sexual drive, as stated by Freud. He furthered that adult life is construed on various specific challenges as in reference to the oedipal concept that occurs in childhood development.
The Influence of Modern Psychology
All the theories had an imperative effect on modern psychology and a connection to postmodern psychology. At their time, these writers had students or students of their students who had psychological influence in the world. The definition of experimental psychology, for instance, ensued in American laboratories by Wundt’s followers. Thus, his concept became heritable with his apprentices carrying the idea to the next generation, defining modern and postmodern thinking. Similarly, James and Jung’s psychology were adopted as a commitment by individual organisms that worked their brains in more or less isolated transactions (Grohol, 2019). The undertakings suggested these writers’ responsibility to influence the British empiricist psychologists, hence affecting the associationists’ viewpoint. Through this, the scholars were able to inspire the psychologists to carry on the work to the modern and postmodern era.
What Makes Humans Human Concerning Psychological Functioning
Despite society rejecting intelligence and creationism to some degree, many still agree that humanity crowns the entire creation. Human beings’ existence is a proclamation of impersonal forces, such as Evolution and Nature. People are more superior to all other living beings as they are more emotional, and, therefore, able to advance the qualities of life (Akash et al., 2019). Wundt’s psychological contribution shows a separation of philosophy and psychology by addressing the workings of the mind. By dwelling on internal perception, Wundt notes that a person can examine self-consciousness objectively. James supports the theory of evolution that occurs through natural selection. It means that organisms are adaptive to their environment by adhering to a specific way of life. Humans are, therefore, beings because physically, affectively, and cognitively, they are adaptive to their environment through natural selection.
Individuals have mind, spirit, soul, emotions, and cognition occurring in a more superior way, thus, are able to make sense of their own lives unlike other organisms. Luke, 10:27, instructs God’s people to love their creator with all their strength, soul, and heart. This means they have a sense of choice, such as selecting to love the Almighty. 1 Thessalonians 5:23 records that living beings have spirit, body, and soul, which requires sanctification. Therefore, they are humans because, as started by the psychologists, they have mind, spirit, and body, making them superior in terms of decision-making.
Summary
To encode modern psychology, the scholars of the discipline chose to put the broader concept of the study in sub-disciplines. These categories explain various differing mental and behavioral processes to reveal the tangibility of modern thinking. Today’s most common varieties of mindset are the social, educational, and biological models, which all collaborate to discover why things happen the way they do in the society. Despite the available sub-disciplines, modern psychology is based on the concept of mind, body, and behavior. Consequently, the current philosophy is derived from the conventional studies of the subject.
References
Akash, M., Aktar, S., & Kabir, R. (2019). Human nature and psychological insights. Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences, 7(1), 23-30. Web.
Grohol, J. M. (2019). 9 pioneers who helped mold the history of psychology. PsychCentral.