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Introduction

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  11 September 2020

David A. Ellis
Affiliation:
Information, Decisions and Operations, School of Management University of Bath
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Summary

The history of psychological science appears short when placed alongside physics, chemistry and biology. Nevertheless, the field has consistently evolved in response to new challenges. For example, one of the crucial features of scientific psychology in the twentieth century was grounding itself in objectivity. By changing the subject to the study of behaviour, psychology could be based on scientific laws of behaviour. In contrast, introspection relied exclusively on an observation of one’s mental state. Behaviourism initially helped psychologists better understand learning and behavioural change, but motivations and other mediational processes (e.g., thinking) remained hidden because they were not directly observable (Skinner, 1971). Despite academics arguing that the scientific assessment of behaviour can be yoked to cognition and emotion, behaviourism was never universally accepted, especially in Europe or Canada, because it could only provide a partial account of what it means to be human (Baddeley, 2018; Watson, 1913).

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Chapter
Information
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2020

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References

Useful Resources and Further Reading

Baddeley, A (2018). Working Memories: Postmen, Divers and the Cognitive Revolution. Routledge.Google Scholar
Schmidt, E, & Cohen, J (2013). The New Digital Age: Reshaping the Future of People, Nations and Business. Hachette UK.Google Scholar
Uttal, W. R. (2001). The New Phrenology: The Limits of Localizing Cognitive Processes in the Brain. The MIT Press.Google Scholar
Thompson, T, Felce, D, & Symons, F. J. (2000). Behavioural Observation: Technology and Applications in Developmental Disabilities. Brookes.Google Scholar

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  • Introduction
  • David A. Ellis
  • Book: Smartphones within Psychological Science
  • Online publication: 11 September 2020
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/9781108671408.002
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  • Introduction
  • David A. Ellis
  • Book: Smartphones within Psychological Science
  • Online publication: 11 September 2020
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/9781108671408.002
Available formats
×

Save book to Google Drive

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Google Drive.

  • Introduction
  • David A. Ellis
  • Book: Smartphones within Psychological Science
  • Online publication: 11 September 2020
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/9781108671408.002
Available formats
×