'Hey, what is this, a history website?'
No, but in the early days of psychology, it was very different to what it is now. Back then, psychology was a subject known as 'Philosophy of the mind.'. Some of the questions, like Descartes, are exclusive to philosophy, but others were . . . let's just say they were ABSOLUTELY BONKERS! Okay, so here I'll talk about a brief history of psychology.
Yes, I know that sounds boring, but stick with me.
Please?
Pretty please with cream on the top?
Yes, I know that sounds boring, but stick with me.
Please?
Pretty please with cream on the top?
Did you know...?
The Egyptians thought that the heart thinks and that the brain is useless - they thought only produced snot! See why I said some of the old psychology was bonkers?
Galen and the four humors
There was an old philosopher called Galen who created theory called humorism, where he said that the different parts of your body made different personalities. If you had too much of any part, then you'd adopt that personality. The parts were, phlegm, yellow bile, black bile and blood. This theory is, quite frankly nonsense, but the people back then it believed for years! Do'h!
Here is the overview . . .
Here is the overview . . .
What does it mean if you have too much blood?
Your personality will be sanguine, and you will be cheerful, sociable and optimistic (Yay!) but a little selfish (Boo!).
WHAT DOES IT MEAN IF YOU HAVE TOO MUCH YELLOW BILE?
You will be restless, ambitious and leader-like, known as choleric, but also bad tempered - like an average teacher!
What does it mean if you have to much black bile? (guess what the next question is!)
You wimp! Lighten up! You are melancholic, depressed, quiet, creative and serious - how you feel when the weekend is over! Oh, except the creative. You don't feel that.
What does it mean if you have too much phlegm?
You are phlegmatic, being calm, thoughtful and peaceful.
Descartes and mind-body dualism
Have you ever heard the phrase 'I think, therefore I am?'. No? Yes? I dunno. Anyway, he made that phrase.
Anyway, what I want to talk about is his theory that the mind (the thinking part of you) and the body (err . . . your body) are separate things. He advocated a theory called mind-body dualism that said this. I didn't really talk about his theory that much. Sorry. |
Meditation
Many philosophies of the east support meditation, including Zen Buddhism, Hinduism, and more.
Also, Abbe Faria did a similar thing by making patients to concentrate really hard as he hypnotized people go into a state of 'lucid sleep'. Meditation has been proven to be beneficial. Also, I didn't tell a joke for this entire section. |
Some of the best monks can control their body temperature by a few degrees, or change their brainwaves!
Johann Friedrich Herbart
Who's he? Well, he made a theory that experiences and senses form ideas (duh) and similar ideas can coexist or combine, will contradicting ones repel each other, rather like a magnet, and no, this isn't physics class. And if you don't get it this is a picture.
Okay, so the first picture shows two unrelated (but not contradictory) ideas, a sweet, sweet, yummy pizza (sorry) and a smelly boot. Ew! Anyway, according to Johann Friedrich Herbart's theory, they will exist without interacting, causing them to weaken over time, until they sink 'below the threshold of consciousness.'. All those scientists with those fancy words! What he really means is that when they weaken, you forget them. Simple!
The second one shows the pizza, and yummy taste. These ideas attract together to make a new idea (pizza is nice).
The third one shows two contradicting ideas (pizza nice vs. pizza isn't nice), which repel each other and one gets pushed out of consciousness.
The second one shows the pizza, and yummy taste. These ideas attract together to make a new idea (pizza is nice).
The third one shows two contradicting ideas (pizza nice vs. pizza isn't nice), which repel each other and one gets pushed out of consciousness.