A Critical History and Philosophy of Psychology
Diversity of Context, Thought, and Practice

Presents a fresh perspective that explores the development of psychology as both a human and a natural science.

Richard T. G. Walsh (Author), Thomas Teo (Author), Angelina Baydala (Author)

9780521691260, Cambridge University Press

Paperback, published 20 March 2014

728 pages, 24 b/w illus. 5 tables
24.5 x 18.9 x 3.1 cm, 1.54 kg

'The organization of the text is refreshing … This is a book that everyone who teaches the history of psychology should read.' PsycCRITIQUES

In line with the British Psychological Society's recent recommendations for teaching the history of psychology, this comprehensive undergraduate textbook emphasizes the philosophical, cultural and social elements that influenced psychology's development. The authors demonstrate that psychology is both a human (i.e. psychoanalytic or phenomenological) and natural (i.e. cognitive) science, exploring broad social-historical and philosophical themes such as the role of diverse cultures and women in psychology, and the complex relationship between objectivity and subjectivity in the development of psychological knowledge. The result is a fresh and balanced perspective on what has traditionally been viewed as the collected achievements of a few 'great men'. With a variety of learning features, including case studies, study questions, thought experiments and a glossary, this new textbook encourages students to critically engage with chapter material and analyze themes and topics within a social, historical and philosophical framework.

1. Introducing the history and philosophy of psychology
2. Ancient and premodern psychological thought
3. Early modern psychological thought
4. The philosophical and scientific climate in the nineteenth century
5. Early natural-science psychology
6. Natural-science psychology between the world wars
7. Natural-science psychology after World War II
8. Applied and professional psychology
9. Human-science psychologies: psychoanalysis
10. Human-science psychologies: hermeneutic to transpersonal
11. Constructing psychological research
12. Critical philosophical and historical reflections.

Subject Areas: Philosophy of science [PDA], Psychology [JM]